Babies First Foods in 5th Month

Babies First Foods in 5th Month MAMA BLOGBabies First Foods in 5th Month MAMA BLOG

Well, you don’t need to be a master chief when preparing food for your 5 months old. What matters is yumminess! Mommies stay worried about the health of their babies and waiting to make them grow healthy. From birth to the 4th month, infants are on breastfeeding or top feed, but when they enter the 5th month, mums should stay active from now. From planning the menu to deciding the right amount, the whole procedure is exciting and on the other hand, stressing you about whether your baby will take it or not! Yeah, it’s unpredictable!

Usually, parents are not aware of when to start solids and what to give them. They just stay busy rushing the best pediatricians and concerning about the 5 monthly old meal.

Pro Tip!

Well, when you are about to start, the most important thing is how to attract the newborn and what will develop their interest. When a baby becomes 5 months, he starts to notice colors, shapes, acts, and respond to sounds.

Before introducing the meal, get them on the table with you and let them grab and put it in their mouth. Don’t stop them from doing this, just make sure there is nothing harmful. When your baby starts putting something in his mouth that’s means he is becoming aware of eating. Moreover, use colors in their utensils and foods and let them grab, this means they are ready to eat.

Foods to Introduce in 5th Month

Changing meal-type and time all come in starting with the healthy eating routine. Well, you need to make a cute menu first. Here are some ideas!

Fruits

5 months is the accurate age to give vitamins to your baby, and fruits are full of vitamins. When you begin with solid food, slightly cook or mash the fruits before giving it to your baby. Give tender foods to your babies, such as avocados and bananas are soft and can easily be mashed.

Eggs

For growing children, eggs are a superfood. Offering an egg as a meal is good for the baby. Moreover, give babies boiled or semi-boiled eggs and make sure they are already taking some solid food before offering eggs.

Cereals

Rice and oatmeal cereals are good for the baby when they enter the 5th month. Give the cereals a soft texture by adding water or formula to them. Flavored cereals are recommended to be avoided initially. If your baby likes cereals give them more variety.

Proteins

Lean proteins are best for growing infants, but you need to be conscious here while opting for them. You can give soft and thin slices of boneless fish or chicken. Make sure it does not have any shrill bite.

Vegetables

Potatoes, papaya, and carrots in the cooked form are recommended to give in the fifth month. Make sure you have mashed the vegetables completely, and there is nothing that makes it difficult for the baby to chew. Fibrous and raw vegetables are advised to prohibit in the beginning.

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Best Foods to Eat Before Bedtime

Best Foods to Eat Before Bedtime MAMA BLOGBest Foods to Eat Before Bedtime MAMA BLOG

Waking up from sleep is not fulfilling and makes you feel tired in the morning, people usually blame their work stress and other depressing triggers. But you might not have considered that foods and drinks have a great impact on your sleep. Some of the people have personally experienced that foods have a major effect on alertness and mindfulness in the morning. Whether it is a cup of coffee, lavender tea, or some dry nuts, different people have different bed snacks that make them feel relaxed.

As per the researches, there are around 35% of Americans are struggling with insomnia and those people most probably take medicines that help them sleep. Moreover, some take some foods and drinks to take benefit from better sleep.

Well, there is no single food that becomes a sleep solution, the association of sleep and diet is always complex. But, some foods make your sleeping complications easy and give you more relaxing long sleeping hours.

Tarragon

You might have seen tarragon garnished over meat and fish. It is flavorful and used for curative purposes. Tarragon is a type of herb which is specially used for sleep therapy, it supports digestion, contains antioxidant properties, and a source of potassium. At dinner you can sprinkle it over your meal, moreover, you can also take tarragon soup in dinner, tarragon hash, or could try other delicious recipes of tarragon.

Nighttime Milk

Nighttime milk is made by mixing malted milk and the formulated powders that contain barley with sugar and assorted vitamins, malted wheat, and wheat flour. Studies have proven that taking nighttime milk reduces sleep disturbance.

Almond

Almonds fall in the category of healthy fats, as it is bulked with magnesium and tryptophan which is a source of sleep-supporting amino acids. If you want a quick sleep, take a hand full of almonds before bed. It will also relax your muscles and nerves. Moreover, almonds will also make you feel full all night.

Honey

Honey is a huge inclusion when it comes to bedtime snacks. For better sleep and relaxation, experts advise the use of honey before you are going to sleep. Honey supports the brain to release melatonin, a type of hormone used by the body to restore itself while a person is sleeping.

Tart Cherries

When you are struggling with sleeping issues, tart cherries will protect you! The cherries are sweet, and sweet cherries are a source of melatonin. Taking a glass full of cheery juice before bedtime will help reduce insomnia and improves the sleep cycle.

Sweet Potato

One of the great sources of magnesium, potassium, and calcium that make you feel relax. Taking baked potato before bedtime will give you long sleeping hours. Studies have proven that sweet potatoes contain B6 that are high in melatonin, boost mood, and make a person feel sleepier. You won’t feel hungry at the night, as it makes you feel full.

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What are Healthy Winter Meals?

What are Healthy Winter Meals MAMA BLOGWhat are Healthy Winter Meals MAMA BLOG

Winter is all about excitement. The cold winds, styling layers of warm clothes, and lying under the covers is all we crave for. Don’t you think winter is the season of laziness? And yes, there are high chances of weight gain, as you do less exercise, sleep more, and eat more. As days are shorter in winter, we urge for comfort food as we coincide with our energy level. We opt for the easy options and take away as we are not ready to cook.

The ready-made food or junk food sounds unhealthy, as your energy level is already down during winters. All you need to do is, think of the minimal efforts, minimal washing, cleaning, and prepare lighter food that nourishes your table and enhances the winter chills. Here are some simple ideas that decorate your meal of the day.

Roasted Beef along with Pepper and Mushroom Gravy

Roasted beef is always a choice of people, and the old-fashioned roasted beef is simply delicious. For losing baby weight, a roasted beef recipe with pepper and mushroom gravy taste good and a choice for almost all moms.

Broccoli Pasta Shells

Broccoli with basil, pesto flavors, pine nuts, and parmesan takes just 20 minutes. This meal is the best option to nourish your kids as broccoli is the only vegetable that most of the children love to eat. Decorate it more attractively and make the table smells and look appealing.

Pasta with Tomato Soup

Tomato soup is a good meal to serve at dinner and lunch. You can simply prepare it for your family and can freeze it for days. You can add the pasta in the base of tomato soup to have the taste of ‘noodle doodles’ you might be fond of years back. You can make it more aromatic by adding basils and parmesan.

Apple Pie Mug Cake

The recipes of apple pie mug cake you find all over the internet are full of calories and sugar, which is the reason you never try it on. But apple pie mug cake of 180 calories would be a better option to try on in winters. Search more on the internet for the balanced recipe and give it a try.

Beef Burritos

Beef burritos can be your winter partners as they can be made in advance, and you can easily freeze them. An easy meal to handle in weeks when you are running out of time, and healthy food is of course a must. Cayenne better suits your family taste as it brings heat, if not, you can easily leave it out. To save time, you can opt for pre-cooked rice. Put the beef over the rice and serve it with tortillas and be ready to get the compliments.

Sweetcorn Ramen with Chicken

This is a Japanese inspired soup, especially for the kids. Chicken breast with some sweetcorn simply makes your life easy, and your kids would love it. This Japanese dish will turn out the dinner drama into fun and let the children play with the chopsticks with each other!

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The Role of Healthy Fats on your Brain

The Role of Healthy Fats on your Brain MAMA BLOGThe Role of Healthy Fats on your Brain MAMA BLOG

Boosting your brain to work the best way is important for every individual. However, fats play a significant role to strengthen energy, but fats should be of the right kind. If you are taking enough amount of fats daily, your brain will function more efficiently. The fats that are good for brain health are characterized as Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 is an important building block in our brain, which plays a prominent role in memory and learning.

The brain needs cholesterol for the neurons to build a connection with the other neurons, as our brain carries 25% of cholesterol. The healthier your brain will be the more it can make strong connections with the neurons that help trigger memory and learning. The important dietary fats for the brain are:

DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid)

DHA is an important fat that is associated with the brain’s growth and development, especially in infants. In adults, this fat is also significant to maintain normal brain functioning. If you include DHA in your everyday diet it will improve learning abilities. The deficiency of DHA will lead to a discrepancy in learning and memory.

Polyunsaturated Fat

Polyunsaturated fat is an important dietary fat with monounsaturated fats. Its intake of polyunsaturated fat instead of saturated fats can impact your health in so many ways. These fatty acids are significant to enhance nerve functions and brain health. This polyunsaturated is a kind of omega-3 fatty acid that is best for brain health and memory.

Foods best to boost Brain

There are some foods that are rich in fats that are essential to add to the daily diet to make your brain work more efficiently. If you add the below fats in your routine diet, you will likely have more active and boost brain health. As well as they will help prevent you from other diseases.

Nuts: Nuts are considered best-unsaturated fats and vitamin E. They are best for brain functioning. Walnuts, pecans, and almonds are best for brain cognition. 

Coconut Oil: Coconut oil helps build lean muscle tissues, regenerate and heal nerve function, and supports fat loss inside your brain. 

Avocado: To promote healthy blood flow, avocado contains the monounsaturated fats that benefit brain function. Healthy blood flow means a healthy and highly functional brain. Avocado is also good for heart health.

Eggs: Eggs have choline and saturated fats both, which are good for memory skills and better brain health.

Salmon: Salmon is highly filled with Omega-3 fatty acids, which could be eaten in several ways. The lightly grilled or streamed salmon preserve the amount of omega-3. The raw fish also contains omega-3, if you are a sushi fan, you would love to eat it.

Olive Oil: Olive oil can be added to almost every meal. It is best for memory and also helps prevent dementia and improves brain cognition.

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The High-fibers to Add to your Meal Plan

The High-fibers to Add to your Meal Plan MAMA BABY CAREThe High-fibers to Add to your Meal Plan MAMA BABY CARE

Most of us are not taking enough fiber in our meals daily. The recommended amount of fiber intake is 25 to 30 grams per day. As we all know, fiber is the nutrition rock star that comes with various health benefits. Fiber works wonders when it comes to weight loss, getting rid of heart diseases, digestive health, lower levels of cholesterol, and well is it is good to decrease diabetes. Moreover, some of the fibers are prebiotic, which means they help endorse healthy gut bacteria.

Well, planning out the healthy meal for the week, is somehow left you with dilemmas. However, adding enough amount of fiber daily is challenging to some instinct. If you are still not having fibers daily, introduce them to stay healthy and away from the diseases.

You can use the fruits, vegetables, and dry fruits that contain high-fiber content as snacks if you are not able to prepare a proper recipe. Nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes, broccoli, raspberries, and chia seeds are known as the best snacks to fulfill the requirement of fiber in your body. Here are some easy ways to add fiber to your meals that will surely fill your every day with some new delicious taste with your meal.

Add more Fruits 

Fruits contain a good amount of fiber. They can be added to the meal daily as they are easily accessible, portable, and of course, tasty. Take an individual piece of fruit, like on pear, or an apple. All of the fruits supplies fiber more or less in the body. Like, a cup full of watermelon contains 5-6 grams of fiber.

Take Soups and Salads with Meal 

On your meal table, decorate a platter full of high-fiber additions. Kidney beans, peas, nuts, seeds, or black beans would be enough. You can also have artichokes in your salad, or it could be eaten as a snack alone. To soups and stews, lentils, rice, peas, and beans are the yummiest add-ons for the full content of fiber.

Eat the Peels too, don’t throw them away! 

Most of the people, peel the fruits and vegetables and throw them away. However, they never know these peels have the high-fiber that we are giving to the trash box. Eat the peels of fruits like pears, avocado, and apple.

Add Chia and Flax Seeds in Shakes

When the afternoon snack attack knocks, all you desire is a protein shake. Protein shakes are your utmost pick for post-workout as well. But, you are missing the opportunity to have some fibers with it. Flaxseeds contain 2.8 grams of fiber whereas, chia seeds contain 4.1-grams of fiber in one tablespoon of each. When you blend it with your shake, you will have fibers with the delicious shake.

Take more Beans

In both meals and snacks, adding legumes is a great source of fiber, even if you are dieting. Moreover, we all know how lentils are essential for a meal plan, one cup gives 20 grams of fiber, which is quite enough.

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FOODS TO EAT RIGHT AFTER CHILDBIRTH

FOODS TO EAT RIGHT AFTER CHILDBIRTH Mama Baby CareFOODS TO EAT RIGHT AFTER CHILDBIRTH Mama Baby Care

As we all know, childbirth is always a physical difficulty, and the best way to take care of yourself is to ensure that only by eating a variety of nutritious foods during this period and afterwards, the body can smoothly transition to the postpartum mode. Yes, the right food is very important. Food is also a medicine. It is just to tell you that every bite after birth has the ability to heal. You only need it if you eat smartly. There are steps to let you know what to eat after giving birth to help you get on track.

STIMULATE MILK SUPPLY:

In order to stimulate the milk supply, you must focus on antigenic foods and spices that can increase the content of milk. This is the beginning of milk production and requires mass production. Foods such as oatmeal, garlic, flax seeds, lean meats, and fenugreek are very easy to confuse. These are all foods you can add to your daily diet plan.

PRODUCE NUTRITIOUS BREAST MILK TO YOUR BABY:

Babies need various vitamins and minerals, fats, carbohydrates and protein. Variety is their key, if you want to provide them with nutrition, they only need to use variety. Healthy foods include brown rice, chicken, low-mercury fish and avocados. For fibre foods, choose top foods such as spinach and kale and other green leaves. Although we know that nutrients can help our children grow well, remember that all rich nutritious foods are also suitable for you, because when you breastfeed your child, your body needs extra calories.

REDUCE THE SCARRING AND HEALING OF STITCHES:

In order to reduce scars and healing caused by stitches, foods containing vitamin C and zinc are known to help heal wounds and scars. Oranges, strawberries, cantaloupe and all kinds of citrus fruits are good sources of vitamin C. Both zinc and carotene can strengthen the immune system and make skin tissues recover faster. In addition, potatoes, red meat, seafood, etc. can also help you.

BOOST YOUR ENERGY:

To stay energized, you must stay hydrated. And it may not be enough after delivery. You should avoid eating processed and sugary foods because they will only boost energy in the short term and cause your blood sugar to plummet and make you feel tired. The body needs long-lasting energy promotion. Therefore, nuts, sweet potatoes, oats, brown rice, etc. are all low-glycemic carbohydrates that can provide the body with long-lasting energy.

RECOVERY FROM SECTION-C:

To recover from section C, you must eat more protein-rich foods throughout the day, which can help you gain more energy in the body and restore and ease tissue repair. In addition, protein shakes are not only an excellent substitute for protein, but also can help you recover quickly for a variety of nutrients, such as vitamin C, calcium and other protein-rich foods. Cheese, yogurt, etc. can help you heal faster and maintain a good balance, thereby preventing any surgical infections.

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Christmas Conventions: How to prepare healthy meals for your kids?

Christmas Mama Baby CareChristmas Mama Baby Care

Christmas is the most awaited event of the year, especially for the kids. The festival is full of excitement about getting a gift and cosplaying. A healthy diet cannot be skipped, all mothers are concerned about the health of their children, and they should be as health come first. This holiday is all about including the sweet treats and yummy dishes in the meal. Most probably people love to arrange customized cookies, cakes, pies, gingerbread, brownies, and some healthy smoothies. Finding the Christmas themed meal is the utmost consideration to make the children happy.

But if you want to keep the children away from the junk and ready-made food, you have to make some special efforts for your kids. You have many options to choose from, and a few of them are here, so be ready to get the tummies filled.

Santa Hat Jell-O Shooters 

The Christmas party is incomplete without Santa. This quick recipe will give you the best add-on to put on the table. You just need water, Jell-O, strawberry, and whipping cream. All you need to do this, pour some water into a saucepan, and add the Jell-O packet in it, stir until it dissolves. Pour it into small shot glasses and put it into the refrigerator until it settles. Decorate it with the whipping cream and put the strawberry upside down, the pointed end up, and place a dot of whipping cream to give it a touch of Santa’s hat.

Banana Snowman

These bananas snowman will surely get all of the attention of the children at the party. Cut the wide slice of banana, and fix it in sticks. Decorate it with chocolate chips for eyes and nose, strawberry as the hat, and grapes on the top.

Chocolate Dip 

This chocolate dip is best to serve with fruits. The ingredients you need are 100mg chocolate milk, ½ cup of thickened cream, and white marshmallow. You can quickly be made this in a minute. Add the three ingredients together, put it in the microwave for one minute on medium, take it out and stir well, then put it again for one minute and keep it in the refrigerator to serve it on the table.

Tangy Cherry Barbecue Sausages 

This is the yummiest meal that will leave you with so many compliments. Take 2 medium onions and chop it well, 2/3 cup cherry preserves, 1 teaspoon of ground chipotle chili pepper, ¼ cup of tomato paste, ¼ cup of cider vinegar, and 2 pounds of smoked turkey sausages. Combine all of the ingredients in the 2-quart slow cooker and add sausage slices cut into 72 slices. Cover it and let it cook on the low flame for up to 1 hour until it cooks. Serve it with the toothpicks.

Watermelon Christmas Tree 

These watermelon Christmas trees when served properly will surely catch all of the attention towards it. Take out the seeds of the watermelon and cut it in a triangular shape, make the base of the tree with the watermelon rind and decorate it with the whipping cream.

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What are the Healthy Eating Habits for Kids?

Healthy Eating Habits Mama Baby CareHealthy Eating Habits Mama Baby Care

Every mother of this era is worried about the eating habits of their kids. Developing the healthy eating lifestyle has become the challenging task. Kids of this era are more towards the junk food. We can call it our own responsibility or this food has gained all of the attention by the attractive jingles or advertisements and peer pressure. But from the beginning, it is important to set up an ideal eating routine which help them grow up as the healthy adult and gain the healthy weight.

Parents can only develop the healthy eating habits by adding these behaviors in their daily life. As we all know children follow their parents and every act of them. Dietary changes can be made at different age levels. Your children’s health advisor can also provide you the right diet plan and advice the healthy weight according to the age.

As a matter of fact, sometimes parents are impotent to pay the sufficient attention on the diet of their children due to the hectic schedules, which leads to the convenience of ready to eat food. But once you have decided to keep your children away from the junk, just prepare a balanced diet plan and try to make food at home.

Switching the eating habits to something effective and healthful will control the mental and physical health as well as keep your child protected from different health issues. Most importantly, if we consider the emotional health, the attention of mother is really important for a kid, if you are making food and making its serving a fun thing, your baby will enjoy the meal and spend precious time with his/her mommy.

Without more procrastination, start developing the healthy eating habits. The more you introduce the nutrition, the more it will become easy for you to continue. The challenging task will become easy to handle and less time consuming for you if you start emerging the healthy meal as soon as it is possible for you. Here are few tips on managing the diet and bringing it to the highly advanced and modish era children’s lifestyle.

How to Encourage the Heathy Diet Habits?

The simple and fun-filled approaches can easily make the home made food and nutritional meals interesting for your child. But, here you need to take care of the things you are buying, cross check them if your kid like it or not. There are ways that help your maintain the eating habits.

Avoid Routine Visits to Restaurants

Whether to call it the convenience or food obsessions, but the food chains out there are not a healthy option for the kids. On a routinely basis, parents take their children to restaurants for the change of fun. The habit of eating fast food is not a great idea and is not helpful for the healthy growth.

Well, if you want not to keep your child away from the fast food, make sure you are preparing it at home. Try home-made pizza, burger, nuggets, pastas, fries, whatever your kid love the most. If you are tired and not feeling like making food, give some toasted beans, and boiled eggs in snacks.

Create Family Goals

Families and the bonding between the members is what the children admire since they are born. As there is a daily routine of everyone, there is time to work, sleep, play and also time to eat together. Make a habit that your children sit and eat with the family members.

Make every day special by preparing desserts and drinks. Whatever all of you eat, your kid will eat it too. As it is the natural phenomenon that children follow their grandparents, parents, and siblings. Eating together not only cuts junk food, also it teaches them the social ethics of table.

Keep your Child Away from TV while eating

Try to keep your children away from the TV area, make a habit of sitting in the designate area while they are eating like dining room or kitchen. When children are having their food in front of TV or any other gadget, they will pay less attention on their meal and don’t get the feeling of fullness which leads to overeating as well.

Involve your Kid in Cooking

It is the fun thing for both the mother and the kid to enjoy preparing food. Children are more likely to be the best chiefs and adventurous eaters also. Get them the cute little aprons and give them a chance to stir. When they make their food their selves they will find it more interesting to eat the food prepared by them.

Here are some easy recipes that you can make with your kids:

  • Spaghetti
  • Lasagne and pasta
  • Pizza
  • Pan cakes and brownies
  • French fries
  • Burgers and roasted chickens
  • Grilled vegetables and meatballs

Do not use food as Rewards or Punishments

The biggest mistake parents usually do is, they use food as rewards and punishment. Using food as reward can lead to overeating which is of course not healthy. Whereas, using the meal as punishment would not play an effective role in developing good eating habits, but it can bring anxiety of food in children. Giving sweets or other fast food in terms of finishing some meal can create a negative message.

Gentler Eating

Every mother wants that their children finish their food as soon as they can, but it is important to teach them to eat slowly and chew properly. Slow eating can help the children to identify whether they are full or still hungry. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes in delivering the message from the stomach to the brain which tells whether they are full or not. Moreover, gentle eating can control the extra weight gain and overeating.

Add More Water in Routine

Sodas, energy drinks and artificial juices has replaced water from the lives of children which is taking them towards obesity. The preservatives and artificial sweetening ingredients give rise to upset stomach and other infections. Nothing could replace the benefits of water. Try to add 6-8 glass of water in your child’s routine and keep them away from these beverages.

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Healthy Diet for Children of 5 to 10 Years!

KidsHealthyEatingPlate Mama Baby CareKidsHealthyEatingPlate Mama Baby Care

Being a mother, sometimes it’s hard to deal with the changing cravings of your child. When your child is a newborn, the only thing they feed upon is milk which contains many nutritional elements for them. As they start growing up, their needs as well as their demand changes. And this became a million dollar question, what should I give to my kid today? But the most difficult part is to make them eat it. To make your freakishly naughty child have a complete meal would be the wonderful victory for you as a parent. 

Keeping in mind that children when they grow up needs a complete diet that contains several vitamins and minerals. Children when they reach age 5, their brain is fully developed and now the physical growth starts, for which they require a complete and proper diet and the portion of it should be increased as they grow up.

Water 

The first and the most important element of their diet besides milk, should be the water. Though it’s not considered as food but the significance remains the same. Water is very important for kids as well as adults to keep them hydrated throughout the day. As your child grows up, the physical activities increase which consumes most of their energy and hydration. Water helps your child to stay hydrated and saves him/her from many diseases like constipation.

Fruits and Vegetables

As a part of their daily full portion diet, fruits and vegetables must be added in it to make it fuller and complete. There are many vitamins and nutrients available in fruits and vegetables which can provide your little one with energy and prevent many types of deficiencies. Fruits and vegetables also protect from future diseases like obesity, cancer etc because if a child continues to take this part of food in their diet from the base of their childhood, they are more likely to grow healthier unlike those kids who feed upon junk food.

Dairy Foods

The first and the most important food for a child has always been milk and related food products like cereals, deserts, cheese, yogurt etc. The intake of milk and other protein and calcium banks is as important as building the internal structure of your kid because it is beneficial for bones and teeth needs, you can say the building block of your kid. Some kids when they grow up start to dislike the original taste of milk so to cater that need there are tons of flavored milk available. Let your kid make any excuse they want, as a parent it’s your responsibility to feed them with what’s necessary for them.

Whole Grain

Keeping the balance of whole grains like oat, wheat, popcorn, rice, bread, pasta, barley etc is a vital part of your child’s healthy diet. These are a complete package which serves the need of fibre, Vitamin B and several minerals. When your kid would be able to take whole grains in at least 2 meals per day, the chances of getting ill and many other future diseases is lesser with this. This part of their diet is wholesome and rich in almost every type of nutrient required by your child’s little body.

Fats and Oils

 As much as fats and oils are unhealthy for a teenager, they are as important for your child’s growth as other food items. Obviously there is a fact that this food item should be taken with balance, not too much in his/her diet. Because this can also lead to many heart diseases and obesity. The fats and oils act as an emulsifier in your child’s body that helps absorb many healthy vitamins and fatty acids which are very beneficial for your child’s mental and physical growth. 

Proteins

Proteins that are present in fish, nuts, lean meat, eggs, chicken, beans and chickpeas. The growth phase of your child is a delicate phase around 3 to 10 years, for that your child must need food items that are mandatory for their brain development and muscle growth physically. Proteins in these listed food items are vital for that development. Also these items contain omega-3 fatty acid, zinc, iron and vitamin B-12 which help your kid respond to learning and development skills more effectively.

Your Child’s Diet Pattern

Start your child’s day with a healthy and wholesome breakfast, that would include 1 bowl of cereal and a glass of milk, or it could be 1 apple and a glass of milk, you can match anything with 1 glass of milk that is essential for the breakfast. For lunch there should be grains with contrast to vegetables and meat/chicken. Evening snacks could contain fats and oils containing food items like fried nuggets, french fries etc. Likewise lunch the night meal should contain 1 part grains and other parts other food items. Don’t forget your child’s vitamin intake via fruits, fruits or eggs or nuts could be given anytime of the day.

Remember that you are here struggling to make your baby healthy, not fat. The balance in diet is a must. Some kids are very expressive about their hunger and some keep it a secret as if it’s a KFC’s recipe! Do not worry about such kids, even if your kid doesn’t ask for food, it’s your duty to keep him/her fully fed.

Meals during sickness should be lessened in quantity but not in quality. A warm glass of milk is an essential even in sickness. You should also include cereal for breakfast and mashed grains and vegetables would be an ideal meal for your kid when he/she gets sick. The meals should be light but not completely excluded.

Food Items to Avoid

The food items that should be avoided is the one everyone loves and most familiar with. That item is junk food which include burgers, pizzas, deep fried items etc and if your child has a sweet tooth so you might also want to avoid donuts, chocolates, cakes, pastries, candies, toffees because these food items are filled with unhealthy saturated fat and carbs which may lead your child to tooth decay as well as obesity resulting in heart and other diseases. Soft drinks, energy drinks, flavored water should also be avoided to prevent your kid from extra sugar content that may harm their health from the inside.

What you should do is try to switch your child’s track to a healthier one if your little stubborn kid is stuck on junk and unhealthy food routine. Home-made snacks are preferred and if cooked along with your kid, he/she might enjoy the process and will be willing to eat with happiness. Eat with your kid the food you want them to feed upon because when they will see you eating healthy food they will also lead towards the same path. Try replacing desserts with home-made ones too. The more your child is healthy, the more he/she is the happiest!

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Best Nutrition for School-Aged Children

School Aged Mama Baby CareSchool Aged Mama Baby Care

A maintained, balanced and healthy diet is important for every person but especially for school-aged children. An ideal deal for school going children should constitute all the food groups in it. Children from ages 6 to 12 require a lot of vitamins, mineral and other essential elements in their diet as they are very active and need a lot of energy throughout the day.

These children not only need healthy food but full of nutrition snacks too. Many food habits including likes and dislikes of children are decided in this age. Eating healthy food all day is very important for growth but a wholesome meal after school is essential because they set up the main proportions of total intake of calories whole day.

Eating is actually a social activity for children at this age. Poor nutrition can affect your child’s health as well as it can affect their brains. For a school going child in taking proper three meals and two nutritive snacks are very imperative. A healthy can also keep your child protected from medical problems and frequent doctor visits.

A rich of nutrition diet is essential for school-aged children and helps them in their growth and development in every aspect of their life. School life is very tough and mostly children are incapable of spending a lot of time with their families that is why regular proper family meals are really important.

Nutrition Tips For School going Children

School-aged children are basically very active and require mood energy. More energy requires a perfectly balanced and full of nutrition diet. In simpler words the nutritious need of children at this age is high and grave. These tips can help you in providing a healthy nutrition to your child.

Requirement of Energy:

The main energy providing food groups are Carbohydrates and Fats. These are the food groups which mainly help in growth and provides energy to the body for physical activities. During the process of growth the body needs and appetite increases which makes the children eat without stopping. All the body organs specifically brain needs energy to function appropriately and so the adequate supply of glucose is needed. Rice, potatoes, whole grain bread and sweet potato are the main source of carbohydrate. You can get your fat proportion by having peanut, olive and plant oils. You can also intake nuts and sesame for fats.

Consumption of Protein:

Protein is the main mineral for the growth of body and building up of body tissues. It also maintains and repairs the tissues and muscles. Intake of at least 2 to 3 servings of protein is important for every individual especially for the school-aged children. Sources through which adequate amount of protein can be received are meat, poultry, fish, yogurt, milk, cheese and other dairy products.

Vital Fatty Acids:

Fats are very essential for human body. Particularly in school going children deficiency of any sort of fats can affect poorly on school performance. Not getting a good sum of fats can cause problems in your child.

Importance of Calcium:

School going children are very active and loves to play. After all this is the age where they are most active and playful. But if their bones are not strong, how can they run, jump and play their favorite games. To be fit and healthy one should have strong bones and teeth.  If calcium needs are not fulfilled during the childhood period, then the child may suffer bones and teeth issues at adult age. Osteoporosis is a bone problem mainly found in adult specifically in women which is cause due to lack of calcium. Calcium rich foods include dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt, green and leafy vegetables etc.

Role of Iron in Growth and Development:

Iron is the mineral which helps in growth and development of body. As the child grows the volume of blood in body increases. It helps in the production of hemoglobin. Deficiency of iron can cause several problem in your kid’s body. Sources of iron are full of nutrition breads and cereals, all kinds of meats, fish and poultry.

Wonders of Zinc:

Zinc helps to strong the immune system which is the only defense system in the body and protects the kid from different types of viruses and bacteria. Zinc also plays an important role in the growth and development of the body.

Role of Fruits and Vegetables:

It will not be wrong to say that fruits and vegetables are the healthiest diet a child can take. These are an amazing source of having dietary fiber and helps your body to protect from constipation and other stomach related issues. They build up school-aged kids immune systems and keeps them form illness.

Keeping Your Body Hydrated:

Without drinking water no one can survive. Human body is constituted on 70% water. Drinking plenty of water removes toxins and refreshes your child’s body. Water carries nutrients to all the cells of the body and carries oxygen to the brain. Water helps in maintaining homeostasis.

Healthy Habits to Add Up in Daily Routine:

Regular Family Meals:

Family meals are an important part of the day. One complete family should at least have a meal together. This way parents’ can know about happening of their children’s lives as well as they can spend a quality time with their kids. Parents can also take benefit from having meals together and check up on their children’s intake of daily calories and balanced diet.

Proper School Lunches:

Children spend 6-8 hours daily in schools. Having a proper lunch is very important to keep them active all day. There is a lot of brain work at school and if children are not eating proper about of food they can be negatively affected in their studies. Lunch should be full of balanced diet including every proportion from food group. You can give your child flavored milks, deserts, ice creams and fruits.

Intake of Fast Foods:

Fast foods are the unhealthiest and unwholesome food you can give to your child. School-aged children should avoid drinking sodas and soft drinks and consume milk as much as possible. Chicken nuggets should be avoided as they are unhealthiest source of chicken. French fries and children’s favorite but least nutritious. School-aged children should not intake fries much.

Obesity and Other Problems:

Obesity is very trending in school-aged children. This is due to lack of physical activities. It can cause cardiovascular diseases in children. Other problems caused by unhealthy diet are hyperlipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus and heart diseases.  

Above is the guide for best nutrition for school-aged children. One thing as a parent you should remember that is children should make their own decision about what to eat and what not. In case of any problem talk to your child’s heath provider or doctor.

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