Meals for children from three to five years

In this age period of children are very mobile, confidently go, running around, love the outdoor games, they are impressionable, emotional and inquisitive, knowledge and skills they have constantly enriched. To compensate for the high cost of energy and ensure the needs of the further growth and development of children is a continuous flow of energy and nutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, mineral salts and trace elements), the only source which is full, proper age children nutrition. It should, however, pay attention to the features of the digestive system in this age. Despite the fairly well developed chewing apparatus (20 milk teeth, including four pairs of chewing), digestive functions of the stomach, intestines, liver and pancreatic cancer have not yet reached full maturity, they labil′ny and are sensitive to nonconformity to the quantity, quality and composition of feeding, violations of food intakes. Therefore, it is often at this age, originate various chronic diseases of digestive system in children, their physical development, reduced ability to develop training programs. Important element of good nutrition are the mode of meals during the day, the appropriate distribution of products, volumes of food and daily calories between individual meals.

Power mode

Food is digested in the stomach of the child within an average of three and a half to four hours, so the interval between meals should be approximately equal to that time. For the three-year-olds the most physiologic mode with četyrehrazovym meal: 8:0 am – breakfast, lunch, 12 at 15.30 – afternoon snack, 19 – dinner. Watch feedings must be permanent, deviations from the preset time is not desirable and should not exceed 15-30 min. It is important to draw attention to the unacceptability of receiving any meals in between feedings, especially sweets.

The amount of food

The capacity of the stomach in children varies with age. If the one-year-old child it is 250-300 g, three-350-400 g, but the four-year – 450-500, So food must be differentiated by size of one-time and daily amount of food depending on the age of the children. Of course, the amount of food depends on the appetite of children. If a child has a good appetite, do not overuse it, not to accustom it to excessive sweating. Sooner or later it will lead to excessive žirootloženiû and the health of the child. If your appetite is reduced, and the child is not always eats the offered him food in sufficient quantities, it is necessary to temporarily hold the fifth meal as dinner at 9:0 pm or early breakfast, if the child wakes up too early – in 5-6 am. For a meal you would normally give a glass of warm milk, kefir or yogurt with cookies or a slice of brioche. The total amount of food for the whole day on average: for children in three years – 1500-1600 g, for children four years 1700-1750, the Daily amount divided between individual meals evenly: 350-400 g and 400-500 g according to the age of children, lunch is given in an optimal manner.

Caloric

Growth, development, movement, metabolism and all the other vital processes require a constant flow of energy. This energy is produced in the body continuously as a result of biological oxidation (splitting) of nutrients--protein, fat, carbohydrates, and excels in the form of thermal energy. Units of measurement are kilocalories (kcal) or kilodžouli (kJ). From each gram of carbohydrates is about 4 kcal, fat 9 kcal, proteins are used mainly to build new cells and tissues in growing organism of the child or their updates. The need for the child's body in energy costs: at the age of three years, 1550-1600 kcal in four years – 1750-1800 kcal per day. Daily caloric intake of children must comply with these figures and correctly distributed between individual meals. For children aged three years or older is considered expedient following allocation: for breakfast – 25% of daily calories at lunch, 35-40, afternoon snack – 10-15, dinner – 25%. To correctly navigate in this issue, we recommend that you use the provided in the table of standard set of products, recommended for children of primary school age (from three to five years).

Food

Rational nutrition of children aged three to four years, as an adult, a wide range of products of animal and vegetable origin. The exceptions are the fatty meat and poultry (geese, ducks), as well as spicy seasoning (vinegar, mustard, horse-radish, bitter pepper). The broader and more diverse set of products used in cooking, so worthily child nutrition. The value of products of animal origin (milk, milk products, meat, meat products and by-products, fish, eggs) is, above all, that they are a source of comprehensive, digestible proteins, as well as a number of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. The value of products of plant origin is their rich variety of carbohydrates (fructose, glucose, sucrose, starch, pectin, cellulose), they are an important source of vitamins, especially of Ascorbic acid (vitamin c), routing (vitamin e), beta carotene, vitamin e and many other nutrients. They also contain vegetable proteins, which when combined with the protein of animal origin provide the most favorable conditions for their learning. Among the products of animal origin important place belongs to milk and dairy products. Children aged three to four years should receive daily at least 0.5 litres of milk, including sour milk (kefir, acidophilic milk, yogurt, etc.), as well as with milk, which is used for cooking porridge or other dairy foods. To the vysokobelkovym dairy products include: fresh curds, curd paste, curd, and cheese, including cheese. All dairy products are also rich in fat, legkousvoâemymi salts of calcium and phosphorus. From dairy foods rich in fat, particularly useful for the cream and sour cream, which can be used for soups and salads, as well as gravy to syrnikam and varenik (dumplings). Cottage cheese, cream, sour cream and cheese, in contrast to milk and dairy products that should be included in the daily diet of children, can be used in one or two days, but in larger quantities. For meat preference for beef and veal, chicken is also used in, chicks, turkeys, rabbits, offal-liver, tongue, brains; quite valid and non-greasy pork, young non-greasy lamb. Of meat products and sausages are cooked sausages (doctoral, diet, dairy). Meat and by-products are the most valuable source of not only protein, but also of digestible iron as well as vitamins b. Very useful product is a fish. Use low-fat varieties of sea and river fish, perch, cod, hake, redfish. Fish protein is a full-featured and easily digestible. Children's menu, meat or fish served every day. During the week the child can cook for four to five days of meat and two-three days – from the fish. If the meat and fish are given in one day, their portions are reduced. Many parents ask about the benefits of red and black caviar, as well as fish oil. Undoubtedly, all of these products have a high nutritional value. All kinds of eggs are rich in protein, fat and fat soluble vitamins a and d, especially many of these vitamins in fish oil. In addition, fish oils contain very useful for children polyunsaturated fatty acids. Of course, caviar can be sometimes given to children, but not too much and often, as in a number of cases in children it causes allergies. With regard to fish oil, it can be used only on doctor's prescription because it contains vitamins a, d and polyunsaturated fatty acids in high enough concentrations, it is dosed as pharmaceutical drug.