Frequently Asked Questions About Feeding School-age Children

Buy this book »

Frequently Asked Questions About Feeding School-age Children

How can I get my child to eat more fruits and vegetables?

• Be a positive role model - eat more fruit and vegetables yourself.
• Keep a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables in the home.
• Keep juice in the refrigerator.
• Put a bowl of fruit on the kitchen table or counter.
• Eat fruits with meals or for dessert.
• Pack fruits or vegetables to eat at school.
• Wash and cup fruits and vegetables and keep them in a clear container (so they can be seen easily) in the refrigerator, along with low-fat dip or salsa.
• Serve two or more vegetables with dinner (including at least one your child likes).
• Serve a salad with a choice of dressing.
• Use plenty of vegetables in soups, sauces, and casseroles.
• Plant a garden with your child.
• Offer a variety of fruits and vegetables, but don't force your child to eat.

How can I get my child, who does not drink milk, get enough calcium?

• Serve low-fat flavored milk.
• Use low-fat dairy foods in recipes (for example, in puddings, milkshakes, soups, casseroles, and cooked cereals).
• Serve low-fat dairy foods for snacks (for example, cheese, yogurt, and frozen yogurt).
• Offer unusual dairy foods (for example yogurt juice drinks and new flavors of low-fat yogurt).
• Serve other calcium-rich foods (for example, tofu [if processed with calcium sulphate], broccoli, and turnip greens).
• If your child is lactose intolerant, try serving small portions of milk and other dairy foods frequently; milk with a meal or a snack; yogurt or lactose-reduced milk; aged hard cheeses (for example, cheddar, colby, Swiss, and Parmesan) that are low in lactose; or lactase tablets or drops in the milk.
• Serve calcium-fortified foods (for example, orange juice or cereal).
• If these strategies don't work, talk to a health professional about giving your child a calcium supplement.

How can I teach my child to make a healthy food choices away from home?

• Encourage your child to make healthy food choices when purchasing food at school., stores, and restaurants, and from vending machines.
• Review school and restaurant menus with your child and discuss healthy food choices.
• Identify on these menus foods that are low in fat and calories.
• Encourage your child to eat salads, low-calorie dressings, and broiled or baked meats.
• Encourage your child to avoid eating fried foods or to reduce the serving size (for example, by splitting an order of French fries with a friend).
• Teach your child to be assertive and to request food modifications (for example, asking the server to "hold the mayonnaise").

My child snacks on high-fat and high sugar foods. What should I do?

• Limit the availability of high-fat and and high-sugar foods (for example, chips, candy and soft drinks) at home.
• Keep a variety of easy-to-prepare and healthy foods on hand and teach your child to prepare them.
• Stock up on healthy snack foods (for example, pretzels, baked potato chips, popcorn, juice, fruit, vegetables, low-fat granola bars, and yogurt).
• Help your child to determine healthy food choices at school, stores, and restaurants, and from vending machines.

My child has become a vegetarian. Should I be concerned?

• With careful planning, a vegetarian lifestyle can be healthy and meet the needs of a growing child.
• A vegetarian diet that includes dairy foods and eggs usually provides adequate nutrients; however, your child may need to take an iron supplement.
• A vegan diet restricts the use of all animal products, and may be low in certain nutrients if not carefully planned; be sure to seek out resources such as The American Dietetic Association's Food Guide Pyramid for Vegetarians at http://www.eatright.org.

Source: Story, M. Holt, K., & Sofka, D. (2000). Bright Futures in Practice: Nutrition. Arlington, VA: National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health, Georgetown University.

Does Sugar Cause Hyperactivity?

Studies have failed to prove this myth to be true. Sucrose does not adversely affect behavior of children. Parents of hyperactive children often attempt to control sugar intake but are unsuccessful. Attempting to impose restrictions may exacerbate already strained parent–child interactions. However, a change in family lifestyle to adopt a healthier diet, increase physical activity, and increase attention to the life of the child may indeed have beneficial effects on nutritional status as well as behavior.