Preschoolers are at an age when they start to show independence and have a reputation for being fussy eaters. Have no fear - good nutrition at this age is still achievable. All it takes is a little bit of food and nutrition knowledge and, of course, lots of patience!

The nutritional needs of preschoolers

Preschoolers have an established daily routine and need regular mealtimes to be part of this. Parents and preschools should provide suitable foods at mealtimes, including morning and afternoon tea. It is up to the child to eat from what is offered.

After a day at preschool and possibly attending activities in the afternoon, some children will not be hungry at dinner time. They may have eaten enough during the day at earlier meals. So make the mealtime a pleasant social time together. It is an opportunity for parents to show their children appropriate eating behaviours, including eating a variety of foods, tasting new foods, even if the preschooler is not actually eating. The nutritional needs of preschoolers can be met by offering foods from all the food groups.

What are appropriate foods?

According to the New Zealand Ministry of Health Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Children, everyday preschoolers need:

• At least 2 servings of fruit and at least 2 servings of vegetables.
• At least 4 servings of breads and cereals.  An example of a serve is a slice of bread or a cup of breakfast cereal, rice, pasta or noodles.
• At least 2-3 servings of milk or milk products such as milk, yoghurt, and cheese.  After 2 years of age reduced fat dairy products should be introduced into their diet.
• One small serve of meat, chicken, seafood, eggs or legumes such as baked beans, lentils or chickpeas.

What food to send to preschool

Choose foods from the core food groups. Breads or cereal based foods like sandwiches, pita bread with a filling rolled up, pasta or rice based salad, sushi rolls, crackers with a spread, pikelets or fruit-based muffins. Include a dairy food for lunch or morning tea (e.g. a cheese sandwich, yogurt, custard, cold milk with MILO).

Firm fresh fruits, as well as dried or canned fruits, are easy to send for morning tea or lunch. Choose easy-to-eat vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, cucumber sticks, celery, capsicum.

A child’s dietary needs will vary depending on age, growth rate, amount of exercise an eating habits.  Every child needs a wide variety of foods to give them all they need to grow up healthy.

Dietary Guidelines

The Ministry of Health is responsible for developing dietary guidelines for all New Zealanders. The guidelines for children are summarized below and are given as a guide only.

Children need to:

• Eat enough for activity and growth.
• Take part in regular physical activity.
• Eat many different foods:
• - At least 2 servings fruit and at least 3 servings of vegetables every day.
  - Choose 5-6 servings of breads and cereals everyday with some from wholegrain sources.
  - At least one serving of meat, chicken, fish, egg or legumes.
  - At least 2-3 servings of milk and milk products.
• Mini meals and snacks are OK.
• Have plenty to drink everyday
  - Water is the best choice – its cheap and easy to get
  - Milk is another option which is highly nutritious
  - Limit and dilute fruit drinks and juices as they can be high in sugar
• Leave foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt to occasional treats.
• Have takeaways occasionally and not everyday.  Some lower fat options include:
  - Burgers and kebabs
  - Grilled fish instead of battered
  - Thick chunky chips instead of thin cut
  - Rice and noodle based takeaways

What children need to make them full of energy

To enjoy good health, grow normally and meet their daily energy needs, children need:
Protein: used to build and repair cells in the body. Found in dairy products, meat, seafood, eggs, nuts, legumes, grains and cereals.
Carbohydrates: provide fuel for the brain and muscles. Obtained from breads, cereals, potatoes, rice, pasta, legumes, fruit and sugar.
Fats: provide the body with reserves of energy and are important for healthy cells. Found in oils, butter, margarine, full cream dairy products, nuts, seeds and avocado.
Water: the main component of the human body. Obtained from drinks but also from foods such as fruits and vegetables.
Minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron etc.): for good teeth, energy, strong bones and healthy blood cells. Calcium can be found in dairy products; phosphorus in dairy products, meat and fish; magnesium in cereals; and iron in meat, legumes and cereals.
Vitamins are important to ensure that the processes in the body function optimally. Vitamins are essential because the body cannot make many of them and, therefore, we need to get them from food. There are several types of vitamins and any one food does not contain all of them in adequate amounts. Eat a variety of foods from the core food groups in order to meet your daily requirements for all vitamins.

Balancing energy intake

Children need to be in top form and feeling good all day long. If they are going to concentrate at school and lay the foundations of lifelong good health, then they will need a nutritious diet that provides energy at every meal.

An example meal plan that may work well for your child is to spread food intake over three meals and two snacks.E.g.

• Breakfast
• Morning tea
• Lunch
• Afternoon tea
• Evening meal

Sticking to this pattern can help prevent constant nibbling and bingeing, which are eating behaviours that can contribute to weight gain and health problems.

Should I give my child soft drinks with meals?

Most soft drinks are made of sugar, water and flavourings. The occasional soft drink is fine as a treat at parties. For everyday drinks, offer your child water, or a more nutritious beverage such as milk.

Isn’t a mid-morning snack plus another snack at afternoon tea a bit much?

Morning and afternoon tea are important meals during the day. Children's stomachs are small and they may need to have five opportunities to eat each day. Some children eat more at afternoon tea than at dinner. This means they have had enough food during the day and aren’t hungry at dinner time. Snack times are an opportunity to offer a variety of healthy foods such as fresh fruit, dried fruit, yogurt, milkshakes, cheese and crackers.

My child is tired. Should I give vitamin pills to help my child get back into condition?

Vitamin supplements shouldn’t be necessary as long as your child is not suffering from any deficiency. Check that your child is eating foods rich in iron such as red meat, legumes, green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, wholegrain cereals and bread. If you are still concerned, have your child´s diet assessed by a registered dietician or doctor.

My child only likes rice and pasta. How can I make sure their vitamin needs are being met?

Rice and pasta contain the fuel your children need. Offer them these foods as part of a meal which also includes meat, fish, chicken or legumes as well as a variety of vegetables, (e.g. rice or pasta topped with bolognaise and vegetable sauce – vegetables like carrot, zucchini and broccoli can easily be grated into the beef bolognaise sauce).

My children won’t eat milk and yogurt. What other calcium-rich foods can I give them?

Try cheese on toast, grated cheese on pasta, milk-based desserts such as custard with fruit, rice pudding, hot chocolate, milkshakes, fruit smoothies or frozen yogurt.

How can you manage your slimming diet, your athletic husband’s bodybuilding diet, your toddler’s fussy eating and your father’s high blood pressure all at the same time? The answer: a varied diet that can meet everybody’s needs.

Healthy eating habits for the whole family

The whole family can discover the fun of eating a varied diet. Each person can choose from the food available according to their taste preferences, their energy needs and nutritional requirements. All you need is some good recipes, a well-stocked pantry and some menu planning.

What if someone in the family is trying to lose weight?

Nothing needs to be ruled out altogether when you are following a weight-loss diet. The only thing that changes is the quantity of food eaten and awareness of what your body needs. It is easy for one member of the family to lose weight if the whole family has a varied diet, by taking foods from the core food groups.

Attractively presented, well-cooked, varied dishes, whether based on meat, fish, vegetables, potatoes or other carbohydrates are sure to tempt everybody. And what’s more, any members of the family who are on a special diet won’t feel left out because you’re all eating the same thing! They will feel you are supporting them and that is a great help.

Draw up a menu plan with members of your family who are trying to lose weight. There’s no need to go on a restrictive diet. Simply sticking to the recommended serves of food from the food guide and including some regular physical activity is often enough to reach a healthy weight.

Tip - The nutritious and delicious recipes in ´Fit Food for Winners´ will impress the whole family. Simply click here to find out more about this fantastic recipe book from Nestlé and the Millennium Institute of Sport & Health.

Keeping well

There is a direct link between the way you eat and your health: to live well, you firstly need to eat well. Making changes in your diet can help improve your health. Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes as well as a variety of foods from the core food groups may help maintain a good immune system.

The Mediterranean diet

Following a Mediterranean style diet may benefit some people as it is generally lower in saturated fat than a typical western diet.

What is the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet is based on bread and pasta, fresh vegetables and legumes, cereals and fruit, seafood, cheese, olive oil, herbs and fermented dairy products like yogurt. Meat consumption is moderate, but there is more fish and shellfish – and a little red wine. This nutritious diet certainly isn’t short on good smell, taste, colour and pleasure! In addition, for the people of the Mediterranean region, it is not enough just to prepare good, well-balanced meals. They also have to take the time to savour their food in peace and quiet, relax in order to digest their food and take enough time to really live.

Olive oil and other fats – a healthy source of energy

Fats and oils can be of animal origin (milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, lard, meat, and fish) or of plant origin (olive, sunflower, canola and peanut oils, etc.) There are three main types of fats:

• Saturated fats – limit these as they can raise your blood cholesterol level. These fats are found in fatty meats, full cream dairy foods, coconut milk/cream, palm oil, baked goods such as biscuits, cakes, pastries and pies.
• Monounsaturated fats have little effect on blood cholesterol levels (and may have a small positive effect). They are found in many plant oils in large proportions, especially in olive and canola oils, peanuts, avocado, lean meat, chicken and egg yolks.
• Some polyunsaturated fats may reduce blood cholesterol and are beneficial to health. These fats fit into two major classes – omega 3 and omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Both are good and should be included in the diet. Omega 3 fatty acids are abundant in oily fish like Atlantic salmon, mackerel, trevally and sardines and can be found in plant oils and spreads made from canola and soybeans. Omega 6 fatty acids are found in polyunsaturated margarines and oils (e.g. sunflower, soybean, corn), walnuts, pecans and Brazil nuts.

Where good health tastes good

• Olive oil tastes good and brings out the flavour of food. Being high in monounsaturated fats, it’s a good oil.
• The people of the Mediterranean also add garlic to many of their meals which can also contribute to good health. In some areas, breakfast consists of bread rubbed with a clove of garlic or served with olives and onions.
• Antioxidants are a group of compounds found in foods which protect our cells. They "neutralise" free radicals, which are substances produced in the body that contribute to abnormal cells being made. Antioxidants are found in high amounts in fruits, vegetables and legumes.
• Feta, mozzarella and yogurt are full of calcium and so help to keep bones strong.

Does drinking milk or eating yogurt amount to the same in nutritional terms?

Typically, 100g of yoghurt provides 160mg calcium and 4.8g protein, which is roughly the same as for milk (145mg calcium and 3.2g protein for 100mL of trim milk). Some yoghurt products have the added advantage of containing beneficial bacteria which may help with digestion.

What is the nutritional value of a cup of coffee?

A cup of black coffee has virtually no kilojoules, protein, carbohydrates or fat. However, it does provide between 60 and 90 mg of caffeine. Caffeine is often the main reason for coffee consumption, apart from the taste, because it is known as a "pick-me-up".

Does the body burn kilojoules at night?

Yes, which is why it is a good idea to "refuel" in the morning by eating a good breakfast.

Can ham and eggs replace milk?

All these foods contain animal protein but only milk contains calcium. Ham and eggs belong to different food groups so they are not providing similar nutrients, apart from the protein.

Bones become more fragile with age. However you can start looking after your bones from childhood. Bones reach their peak density in early adulthood. You can ensure your bones reach a higher peak density by eating enough calcium and exercising regularly during childhood.

Healthy bones

A reduction in the amount of bone mass, can lead to fragile and brittle bones. This can happen without any warning because we don’t know that our bones are weak until they actually fracture. Women are more at risk of bone fractures than men.
This is because:

• Women’s peak bone mass is less than men’s.
• Women lose more bone density after menopause.
• Women live longer on average than men. Therefore their bones have longer to last.

Vitamin D plays an important role in helping us to absorb calcium from the gut. In our climate, we get plenty of Vitamin D from sunshine and we only need to spend a few minutes in the sun each day.

A healthy diet

Eating a wide variety of foods from the different food groups will reduce the risk of not getting enough nutrients.
A varied diet includes:

• Breads, cereals, and other grain-based foods.
• Dairy foods – preferably low fat options.
• Fruit.
• Vegetables – try to eat at least five serves a day of different coloured vegetables.
• Meat, fish, chicken, legumes, eggs, nuts and seeds.
• Small amounts of fat such as butter, margarine or oil

FAQ's

Does everyone suffer from weak bones?

One in three women and one in eight men throughout the world suffer from fragile bones, however this often remains undiagnosed until several bones have been broken.

When do our bones start to weaken?

After reaching a peak bone density in our early twenties, our bones begin to lose strength slowly. After menopause, women lose bone mass more rapidly than men because of much lower levels of the hormone oestrogen.

Can I prevent my bones weakening?

Eating a variety of calcium-rich foods, for example, dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt, legumes like baked beans, and canned fish like sardines or salmon, can help to minimise the risk of developing weak bones later in life.

Regular weight-bearing exercise (e.g. walking) is also an essential part of keeping your bones strong as it can help to increase bone density, prevent bone loss and help in the maintenance of a healthy body weight.

When should I start thinking about preventing weak bones in later life?

From early childhood. Maximum peak bone mass is reached in the early twenties, and from this age our bones begin to lose strength. Women lose bone mass rapidly in the first few years after menopause.

 

Recommended Dietary Calcium Intake
Category	Age	Calcium (mg)
Children	1-3 years	500
	4-8 years	700
Girls	9-11 years	1000
	12-13 years	1300
	14-18 years	1300
Woman	19-50 years	1000
	51+ years	1300
Pregnant Women	14-18 years	1300
	19-50 years	1000
Lactating Women	14-18 years	1300
	19-50 years	1000
Boys	9-11 years	1000
	12-13 years	1300
	14-18 years	1300
Men	19-70 years	1000

Calcium Counter
Which food?	How much calcium* (mg)?
200g tub yogurt, natural or fruit	340
2 slices (40g) cheddar cheese, reduced fat	310
250ml (1 glass) milk (low fat / skim))	310
100g (1/4 cup) canned pink salmon (bones included)	280
¼ cup mozzarella cheese	260
1 cup vanilla ice cream	150
½ cup custard	130
¼ cup raw almonds	70
½ cup baked beans, canned in tomato sauce	50

* Calcium values are typical values only.

The glycaemic index (GI) is a system of ranking carbohydrate foods, based on their effect on our blood glucose (or blood sugar) levels. The GI ranks foods from 0 to 100. The higher the GI value, the greater the blood sugar response. So, low GI foods raise blood sugar levels just a little, medium GI foods raise blood sugar levels moderately, and high GI foods raise blood sugar levels quite high and quite quickly.
The ranking of GI foods is as follows:

• Low GI foods - less than 55.
• Medium GI foods - 55 to 70.
• High GI foods - more than 70.

FAQ’s

How do I know what the glycaemic index (GI) of a food is?

There are books and websites which list the GI of foods including: www.glycemicindex.com, ‘The GI Factor’ and ‘The Glucose Revolution’ by Dr Jennie Brand Miller et al.

Why should I eat low GI foods?

• Low GI foods result in a smaller rise in blood sugar levels. This is especially beneficial to people with poor blood sugar control.
• Low GI diets can help people lose weight and lower blood fats.
• Low GI diets can improve the body´s use of insulin, a hormone released by the pancreas to help utilise the glucose from the food we eat.

How do I lower the GI of my diet?

To eat a lower GI diet, there is no need to eat only low GI carbohydrate foods. Simply substitute one high GI food that you would normally eat (e.g. potatoes, white bread or instant rice) with a low GI food (e.g. pasta, whole grain bread or Doongara rice) at each meal.

Should I eat only low GI foods?

No. High GI foods add variety to our food choices. The aim is to incorporate at least one low GI food at each meal, to lower the overall GI of the meal. High GI foods are useful for some groups of people, such as athletes, who need a fast supply of glucose to fuel their muscles during and after competition.