Guide to Children’s Nutrition

In today’s world, where convenience foods are often within arm’s reach, it can be challenging for parents to ensure their children are eating nutritious, balanced meals.

Amie Leckie, Health and Wellbeing Specialist at Heart Research UK, says: “Children can be quite picky, and dealing with a stubborn child who refuses to eat any vegetables can be a real challenge. However, making small, consistent changes in how we approach children’s diets can have lasting positive effects on their health, energy levels, and even behaviour. At the core of a healthy diet are three main principles: eating foods as close to their natural state as possible, limiting processed foods and eating balanced meals.”

Prioritising whole foods

When we talk about whole foods, we mean foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. For example, a banana is a whole food and banana chips are a processed food; a potato is a whole food, but crisps, which are made from potatoes, are a processed food. Whole foods should be the foundation of children’s diets as they are full of essential nutrients, which are crucial for a child’s growth and development.

“Whole foods include fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, lean proteins, and healthy fats,” Amie explains. “Fruits and vegetables, for example, are full of antioxidants and vitamins like C and A, which support immune function and eye health. Wholegrains like oats, brown rice, and quinoa provide steady energy throughout the day and help maintain healthy digestion.

“Lean proteins, such as chicken, fish, eggs, and beans, contain vital building blocks for muscle and support cognitive function. Including healthy fats from avocados, nuts, seeds, yoghurt and olive oil is important as these fats support brain development and hormone production.”

Childhood is a stage of rapid growth, and it is vitally important that we give their bodies what they need to grow properly. When children regularly eat whole foods, they get the nutrients they need to grow strong and stay healthy, while also developing their taste buds for healthy foods.

Limiting processed foods

Processed foods are foods that were once whole foods or a group of whole foods that have been modified somehow. When this happens, essential nutrients are lost and often, especially with pre-packed foods, ingredients have been added such as salt, sugar, sweeteners, flavourings and unhealthy fats.

Processed foods are everywhere, and they often appeal to children due to their convenience, added flavours and eye-catching packaging. For parents, it can be hard to avoid these, especially as children get older and start noticing food products in the wider world, rather than just what is in their house. Processed foods include sugary cereals, crisps, fizzy drinks, fast food, ready meals, packet noodles and packaged snacks.

The added ingredients in these products can lead to overeating, energy crashes, and may increase the risk of childhood obesity, diabetes, and other long-term health issues, affecting children’s behaviour.

Amie explains: “The key to limiting processed foods lies in focusing on balance and moderation rather than completely banning them. It’s okay for kids to occasionally enjoy these foods, but parents should be mindful of how often these foods are part of daily meals. Try to cook as many meals as possible from scratch and limit your reliance on convenience foods.
“A helpful tip is to make healthier swaps where possible, such as offering water or milk instead of sugary drinks or opting for wholegrain crackers and natural peanut butter as a snack, rather than crisps and chocolate. Start with small swaps and layer them as the weeks go by, so it doesn’t upset your little one too much.”

Creating balanced meals

Thinking about offering balanced meals can help parents ensure they are providing nutrient-dense plates that will keep children nourished and full. A balanced plate typically consists of a variety of food groups such as vegetables and/or fruits, wholegrains, proteins and healthy fats.

“A good example of a balanced meal for a child could be baked homemade chicken goujons using whole wheat breadcrumbs, homemade sweet potato chips, steamed broccoli drizzled with a little olive oil, and a side of fresh fruit such as apple slices or melon wedges. This combination offers a range of nutrients, including protein, fibre, carbohydrates and healthy fats, which are essential for growth and energy. The combination of these foods will help keep children feeling fuller for longer and keep their blood sugar stable, which means steady energy and fewer sugar cravings,” Amie says.

Encouraging kids to eat a variety of colours on their plate is a fun and effective way to ensure they are getting a variety of different vitamins and minerals. Different coloured fruits and vegetables contain different antioxidants and nutrients, so diversity is key. Fruits and vegetables are a great source of fibre, which helps keep the digestive system healthy. We’ve created a Rainbow Food Challenge to help encourage your children and yourself to try some new foods, so download your copy now.

Amie advises: “Parents can often feel a sense of failure if their children don’t eat what they make or try tactics to encourage children to eat by offering rewards and treats, which in the long-term don’t help establish healthy eating patterns. Parents cannot control what children will decide to eat on any given day, but they can, to some extent and at least in the home environment, control what foods are on offer, and lead by example and nourish ourselves with healthy food.”

Building healthy eating habits from a young age sets children up for a lifetime of good health, which includes heart health. By focusing on whole foods, limiting processed foods, and creating balanced meals, parents can provide the essential nutrients their children need to grow, thrive, and feel their best. It may take time and patience, but with consistent effort, the benefits of a nutritious diet will soon become clear in a child’s energy, mood, behaviour and overall wellbeing.