Know these before fixing the menu for your kids

Eating a nutritious and well balanced diet is vital for the growth and well being of children. However, many parents are unaware about a variety of nutritious food that can be included in the kids' menu. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has already issued a directive to form food safety clubs in all the schools. The commission's instruction that junk food should be strictly avoided in the school canteens hasn't been executed in many schools.

Children should be encouraged to follow a well balanced diet which is loaded with nutrients and other essential vitamins. The food that we eat provides the energy required to perform the daily functions. It is a proven fact that people tend to have positive thoughts after having a fulfilling meal consisting of nutritious food.

The problems with today's diet

Around 38% of school children in Kerala suffer from malnutrition and other food borne diseases. The numbers reveal that more 70% of school students are anaemic as well. Most kids skip breakfast due to their busy morning schedules or they leave for school after having a hurried and unfulfilled breakfast. It is reported that kids prefer having snacks for lunch than a nutritious meal. Bakery food and more snacks would accompany the evening tea. Fast food mostly comprises their dinner. The usual 'eating out' on the weekends would complete their weekly unhealthy diet. This sadly is the average menu of a school student residing in the urban areas.

Meanwhile, kids who over eat do not consume anything healthy and nutritious. They love to gorge on fast food and snacks that are rich in fat.

An ideal diet for kids

Kids should never skip breakfast as it provides all the nutrients and energy required to take the day on an amazing note. The breakfast should supply up to 40 - 50 percentage of the nutrients required for a kid in a day. Kerala breakfast dishes like idli, dosa, puttu and idiyappam are excellent choices. Bengal gram and green gram curries or a nutritious sambar could be the perfect accompaniment for these dishes.

A glass of warm milk too would be amazing. Rice or chapathi are the ideal dishes for lunch. Fish, eggs, lentils and a small amount of meat would provide the required nutrients. It must be noted that leaves that are rich in iron should be strictly included in the lunch menu. It is high time that we ditch bakery snacks and fried food and include more nutritious items like flattened rice, steamed banana or ada (rice packets with jaggery and coconut filling). A lightly sweetened tea would be refreshing in the evening. These traditional snacks are incredibly healthy and are light on the stomach as well. It is better to avoid bakery foods loaded with artificial colourants and other harmful additives. You could repeat rice or chapathi for dinner as well. Two or three different types of fruits should be included in the kids’ diet. Besides, they should at least drink 4 -5 glasses of clean water in a day.

Girls should eat food items like leafy vegetables, dates and grapes that are rich in iron. Red meat like beef should be consumed in limited portions as it may lead to rapid growth and other hormonal issues.

What to avoid

Fried and oily food would harm the well being of the human body. It is better to say no to junk food, ice creams and chocolates. Fizzy drinks like cola and soda and other sweetened drinks shouldn't be consumed regularly. The containers in which food is packed to school should be selected carefully. Plastic bottles and containers should be strictly avoided. When warm food is packed in plastic containers, the poisonous substances in the plastic may get mixed with the food and reach the body. These may cause severe health issues and diseases like cancer.