Healthy eating in children

Children need regular healthy meals to get the energy (calories) and nutrients they need to grow healthy and strong every day. As children get older, their nutritional needs change.

That's why it's important to be aware in advance of what's in store for them. For your convenience, we've created a list of foods that are good to have in your child's healthy diet. That way, you'll have useful information at your fingertips to guide you and make sure your children are eating the right foods.

Family nutrition

Before we focus on what healthy eating involves for children, we want to address something very important. Family nutrition at home! Eating all together at home helps children enjoy a variety of foods and spend more time with the people closest to them.

It's a good idea to eat together as a family at the table rather than with other activities, for example watching TV, tablet, mobile phones. This way you will prevent distractions.

Try putting a jug of water on the table to keep everyone hydrated.

There is also some evidence that children who drink extra water perform better on tests of attention and memory! The most important meal of the day is of course breakfast. Children who have breakfast at home have been shown to concentrate better throughout the morning.

Offer something sweet at both lunch and dinner so that children have a variety of different foods and nutrients. Healthy eating for children does not restrict sweets, but instead finds substitutes such as a muffin made at home instead of a muffin or other snack bought from the shop next to school.

Healthy eating for children, and adults, includes nutrient intake from the four main food groups. All of these should be offered every day.

#1 Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods

Every meal should be based on food from this group. This includes bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, and cereals such as couscous or breakfast cereal for main meals and muffins, or cereal bars for snacks. For children over the age of five, whole grain varieties are a better option, they are healthier and more filling.

#2 Fruits and vegetables

Aim for five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. These can be fresh, frozen, canned (in their own juice), dried or juice. Fruit juice can be given as a drink at mealtimes. Try to include both fruit and vegetables in main meals and fruit can be used as a snack or to make smoothies.

#3 Milk and dairy foods

This group provides children with protein and calcium, which are important for healthy bone development. Good sources include dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Non-dairy alternatives to cow's milk can be given from one year of age. Make sure they are fortified with calcium and unsweetened. If you need more advice, talk to your child's GP.

Ideally, your child should aim for three portions of calcium-rich food a day - for example, a 150ml glass of milk, a small bowl of yoghurt and a small piece of cheese the size of a matchbox. Children under five grow quickly and therefore have a higher energy need.

For this reason, children under two should eat whole milk and dairy foods. Semi-skimmed milk can be introduced from two years if they are growing well. Children over five years of age should follow a healthy diet suitable for the whole family.

#4 Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein

Meat, fish, eggs, nuts, pulses (such as beans, lentils and peas) and foods made from pulses (such as tofu and hummus for example) are excellent sources of protein and iron. A variety of these foods are necessary to include in a healthy diet in children two to three times a day.