At lunch, usually, especially from the age of three, children eat outside the family context. THE

In any case, most meals are still organized by the family and, in particular, by the mother. Let's see how a healthy diet should be organized

Breakfast and snacks for children

Recent scientific literature gives more and more importance to breakfast : it is therefore essential that children in the morning consume a small meal appropriate to their needs.

Breakfast must be rich in nutrients, but easily digestible; the most suitable foods are milk or yogurt, cereals or bread and jam, a fruit. The bread must be simple, that is without adding fat, and preferably of hard or whole wheat flour.

Avoid snacks and industrial biscuits, often too rich in fat, but simple homemade cakes are good. If the newly awake children have no appetite, it can be useful to organize breakfast as a last activity before going out: usually the time called "anorexia of awakening" lasts about a quarter of an hour.

And for the mid-morning snack at school? In the context of healthy eating in children, the mid-morning snack must be nutritious but light: the ideal is a fruit, preferably in season.

As for the snacks, this is usually the time when, classically, children's gluttony is triggered the most, but there are healthy and delicious snacks at the same time: a small fruit salad with a spoon of fresh cream; a yogurt, perhaps enriched with a teaspoon of almond grain; a simple homemade dessert; a fruit and a square of dark chocolate.

In short, healthy nutrition does not mean sad food; you can find ways to satisfy children's greediness and nutritional needs, without giving up anything.

Main meals for children

Usually children, especially from the age of 3, have lunch at school; the main meal eaten in the family is therefore dinner . How should a good dinner be in the context of proper nutrition in children?

• Balanced and nutritious but easily digestible and not too rich in calories and fat.
• Prepared with care . Ready meals are not indicated, as they are often too rich in fat and poor in nutrients. Pay attention not only to the dietary aspect of the dish, but also to the taste.
• Half of the daily calories should be supplied by carbohydrates . It would therefore be appropriate to give complex carbohydrates (pasta, bread, rice) and not to abuse simple sugars in children's nutrition.
• 30% of daily calories can be supplied by fat, but only a third of these can be saturated fats. As a condiment, prefer raw olive oil . Limit frying and never reuse the oil previously fried.
• To flavor foods, do not abuse salt and prefer the iodinated one. Accustom children to foods seasoned with aromatic herbs and spices.
• Put food rich in fiber and fish, preferably blue, in your children's diet.
• The diet of children, like that of adults, must be varied: change often and avoid monotony, inserting seasonal fruits and vegetables. Try new foods often, experiment with new cooking techniques and new combinations. Involve children in preparing meals.
• Finally, ideally, all family members should eat dinner together.