Proper nutrition is the consumption of such an amount of nutrients with the right calorific value and nutritional value, which condition the maintenance of a healthy body weight and proper functioning of the body.
A balanced diet for a preschooler
A well-balanced diet aims to meet a preschool child's needs for essential nutrients, energy, and vitamins. These needs are determined by nutritional standards that take into account BMI, physical activity level, and developmental and growth needs. The preschool years are characterized by active development, both physical and mental, and therefore, it is important to ensure sufficient intake of the recommended amounts of energy and nutrients.
Particular attention should be paid to food products containing in their composition protein with high biological activity, calcium, iron and vitamins. This protein is best served in the form of milk and its various products, lean cottage cheese, fish. In order to maintain proper metabolic processes, the body should be provided with a certain amount of water, which facilitates the transport of nutrients, and also helps to excrete unnecessary metabolic products in the urine.
The energy we should obtain from consuming the products provided during the day is 1,400 kcal for this age group.
The distribution of meals during the day:
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breakfast – 25% (approx. 320 kcal)
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lunch - 30% (approx. 500 kcal)
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afternoon snack – 10 % (approx. 140 kcal)
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2nd afternoon tea - 10% (approx. 140 kcal)
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dinner - 25 % (approx. 320 kcal)
Healthy eating pyramid
According to the recommendations of the National Food and Nutrition Institute, a child should eat daily foods from the various groups presented in the healthy eating pyramid. This pyramid provides a visual representation of the proportions between individual food groups in the diet.
The individual levels of the pyramid are interpreted as follows:
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Products at the bottom of the pyramid - cereal products, vegetables, fruit should be included in the daily menu for the most part.
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Food at higher levels should also be consumed daily, but in smaller amounts.
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It is absolutely necessary to limit sugar, sweets, animal fats, products containing a lot of cholesterol, isomers of trans-unsaturated fatty acids.
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Drinking enough water and limiting salt intake.
Product groups presented in the pyramid
Grain products – at least 5 servings daily. From this group, choose coarse-grained grains. In addition to whole-grain bread, whole-grain rice, buckwheat, barley, and whole-wheat pasta are also recommended. Grain products are the body's main source of energy, are rich in fiber that regulates intestinal function, and contain many minerals and vitamins. Coarse-grained products are richer in nutrients because they contain more vitamins, especially B vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, the consumption of which is important in preventing diseases related to poor nutrition.
Vegetables and fruits – served with every meal. The daily menu should include both green vegetables (lettuce, spinach, broccoli), as well as orange vegetables (carrots, tomatoes, pumpkin), and fruit. Depending on the season, they can be fresh, frozen, or dried. Fruit juices are recommended, primarily unsweetened, or – if they are high in sugar – diluted with water. This group of products provides minerals, vitamins, flavonoids, and antioxidant vitamins (C, E, carotenes) with anti-atherosclerotic and anti-cancer properties. Fiber contained in vegetables and fruit has a beneficial effect on digestive function. However, it should be noted that fruits and fruit juices contain large amounts of simple sugars, the consumption of which should be limited. Therefore, it is advisable to consume more vegetables than fruit, and when choosing juices, choose vegetable or fruit and vegetable juices, as well as unsweetened fruit teas.
Milk and dairy products – these are products containing large amounts of calcium, a nutrient essential for building healthy bones and teeth. No other food product contains as much easily absorbed calcium as milk and its products. Milk also contains vitamins A, D, and B2, as well as the highest quality protein. To meet their calcium needs, children should drink approximately 700 ml of milk per day or replace some of it with dairy products such as yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, and cottage cheese or yellow rennet cheese.
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs and pulses, and nuts Meat products, fish, and eggs provide high-quality protein, iron, zinc, and vitamins from the omega-3 group. Legumes and nuts, as a source of high-quality protein and many valuable minerals and vitamins, are included in the meat product group. Children should consume two servings of these products daily. Lean meat products should be chosen, while fish, due to their content of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin D, should be chosen from those containing higher fats, such as mackerel, sardines, etc. When preparing meat and fish, boiling, baking, and steaming are recommended.
Fats – Most fat in the diet should come from fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. Vegetable oils are recommended – rapeseed oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, and olive oil. They should be used as an addition to meals. For frying, rapeseed oil and olive oil should be used.
It should be added that from all product groups we should always choose those that are lean, and limit products containing large amounts of cholesterol, e.g. offal and isomers of trans-unsaturated fatty acids - confectionery, pastry, hard margarines, chips, fast food.
The optimal number of meals for a preschool child
A child attending preschool should eat a small breakfast at home – half a glass of warm milk, a cup of warm cocoa, milk soup, etc. The preschool meal should cover approximately 701 tbsp (TP3T) of the recommended daily allowance for a child of this age. After returning home from preschool, they should eat a nutritious dinner containing products from the above-mentioned groups.
Małgorzata Krawczuk
dietitian of the Orange Choo Choo Kindergarten
