When is the best dinner time for toddlers? & bull; hello healthy

We recommend that since childhood children have been accustomed to eating regularly. Having a regular eating schedule can maximize good nutritional intake for toddlers. Not only breakfast or lunch, dinner is also important for toddlers. Usually toddlers need 3 large meals and 2-3 snack meals a day. Then when should a toddler have dinner?

What time should toddlers have dinner?

Actually, a good time for toddlers to eat dinner is not too close to bedtime. Leave approximately 2 to 3 hours before the child's bedtime. This is because the body needs time to digest the food that enters the body.

If the child's bedtime is at 7 pm, then the toddler should have dinner at 5 in the evening. And so on. Usually a good time period for toddlers to eat dinner around 5 pm to 7 pm.

If a toddler is fed late dinner, he can starve. In addition, being late for a toddler's dinner can also make the time lag between dinner and bedtime too close. So that it can make the child's digestive system work harder while sleeping.

The importance of dinner for toddlers

Actually, not only dinner is important for toddlers. However, eating regularly, both breakfast, lunch and dinner is important to complement the nutritional needs of toddlers in a day.

Toddlers generally need about 1,000 to 1,400 calories per day. These calories can be obtained from food sources of carbohydrates (rice, noodles, bread, pasta, potatoes), animal protein (fish, chicken, meat), vegetable protein (tofu, tempeh, nuts), vegetables, and fruits. These five types of food should always be on the child's plate at every meal.

That's why all mealtimes are important and shouldn't be missed. If toddlers often skip dinner, the nutrients they get will be reduced so that their body weight does not increase. Even the worst can also experience malnutrition.

In addition, dinner can help toddlers sleep better, because their stomachs are full. When sleeping soundly, the body undergoes repair and renewal of cells, as well as a growth process, which takes place faster when the child is sleeping than when he is awake.

Tips for giving dinner for toddlers

Toddlers have fluctuating appetites. Changes in activity levels during the day can result in a large appetite for a while, followed by small meals or snacks and picky meals later. Dinner is the most frequently cause for concern, as the children may be tired or not hungry.

Don't panic if this happens. You don't need to force it, because most children are able to balance food intake with activity when they are told to eat. You can help by providing a variety of healthy and nutritious foods, then let your child choose. Offer children the same foods as other family members, with different textures and flavors for balanced nutrition.