Food Chart for Your Pre-schooler

A balanced diet is essential to fulfill dietary requirements and maintaining child health nutrition. A child’s body is delicate and sensitive. They have a high metabolism, and their immune system needs to be supported to make them energetic and healthy.

We all know that children are fussy eaters. They throw tantrums to eat. Sometimes we run out of ideas to make interesting food for the kids. We cannot feed junk food to them all the time. It will deteriorate their health and make them lazy. Their daily energy requirements should be met for proper growth. Choose immunity booster food for kids.

During the preschool years, your child should eat the same meals as the rest of the family members, emphasizing those with nutritional value. This includes fresh veggies and fruits, dairy products, chicken, meat, fish, nuts, whole-grain cereals, and bread. At the same time, eliminate junk food and sugary beverages from your child's diet.

Food Groups 

Offer a rainbow platter to the kids. Your child should have a colorful plate offering all five groups of foods daily. The five food groups include:

● Cereals
● Pulses
● Milk, egg, and meat
● Vegetables and fruits
● Fats and sugar

As a parent, your priority is your child’s development. Feeding appropriate food in the required amount is essential. Fruits and vegetables are the top sources of vitamins. Generally, even the older ones don’t like to eat fruits. The habit of eating fruits and green vegetables must be inculcated at a young age so that they don’t try to escape it.

Cooking a tasty meal will no longer be a challenging task for you. We’re enlisting below some of the must-try food items to help you prepare healthy meal plans for your kids.

First, a child must learn to consume meals on time, whether breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Also, avoid such food products that your child is allergic to. Follow this balanced diet chart for kids.

• Sunday
  Breakfast- 1 tomato and cucumber brown bread cheese sandwich + 1 cup milk
  Mid-meal- 1 bowl of fruits
  Lunch- 2 chapatti + cabbage curry
  Evening- poha + 1 cup milk
  Dinner- 1 chapatti + paneer dish
• Monday
  Breakfast- 1 cup milk + 2 potato cheela
  Mid-meal- orange/juice and nuts
  Lunch- 2 chapatti + cauliflower curry
  Evening- hot chocolate + cookies
  Dinner- 1 chapati 1 + chana daal + salad
• Tuesday
  Breakfast- 1 cup milk + veggie pasta
  Mid-meal- kiwi smoothie
  Lunch- 2 chapati + mixed veg curry
  Evening- 1 cup rice kheer
  Dinner- 2 chapati + fish curry
• Wednesday
  Breakfast- 1 cup milk + 1 besan cheela
  Midmeal- juice
  Lunch- pulao + soybean curry
  Evening- milkshake + upma
  Dinner- 1 chapati 1 + rajma
• Thursday
  Breakfast- 1 cup milk + idli
  Mid-meal- 1 bowl of mixed fruits
  Lunch- 1 chapati + paneer curry
  Evening- 1 cup milk + veggie oats
  Dinner- 1 chapati soaked in milk with jaggery
• Friday
  Breakfast- 1 cup milk + dosa
  Mid-meal- 1 cup apple
  Lunch- rice + dal + beans
  Evening- 1 cup strawberry milkshake
  Dinner- 1 chapati + chana daal
• Saturday
  Breakfast- 1 cup milk + cheese pakora
  Mid-meal- mix-fruit juice
  Lunch- rice + papad + salad + chicken curry
  Evening- 1 cup milk + pancake
  Dinner- 1 chapati + grilled fish

Key-Pointers 

You must understand that only some children like all food products. Sometimes, they will try to avoid food; instead, they choose to stay hungry. Some of the critical points that every parent must know are: -

• Do not force feed your children.
• If your child refuses to eat a particular food, try to give it in another form the next day.
• Try to include all five food groups daily.
• Try to give them a variety of healthy foods in different forms but in portion sizes, neither less nor more.
• Make them learn to eat their meal by themselves.
• Do not let your child use a mobile phone or watch TV while eating.

Parents must also consume nutritious food, especially in front of their kids, so their children learn to model them. Prepare healthy food recipes for kids and add Pediasure to their diet plan. Pediasure is the best health drink for a child’s growth and can help their growth and immunity.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed in the above Blog are the independent views of the blogger / author based on his/her experience on child growth and development. It is not intended to represent Abbott’s viewpoint on the matter or to promote Abbott’s products. Nothing in this content should be construed as Abbott giving medical advice or making a recommendation, endorsement of any kind, nor does it seek to replace medical opinion or independent professional/ clinical judgement.