How many times should your child eat a day? this is the answer from the experts

Your child often asks to eat outside of meal times? Or even often snacking on snacks but rarely eat? Don't get angry just yet, it could be because you don't know the right portion of children's meals for main meals or light snacks. How many times do children have to eat a day? Is it enough to add two snacks on the sidelines of the main meal schedule? Or keep it three times but don't have any snacks? If you are still confused, you can find the answer in this article.

The importance of arranging a child's meal schedule for main meals and snacks

If you have noticed that your little one really likes snacks or foods snacking at the wrong time, this is actually not very good because it can cause weight problems.

Not only that, eating light snacks uncontrollably can interfere with a child's appetite because they feel always full. Even if children eat snacks at the right time and portions, snacks can actually help the little one to reach a healthy weight.

According to Jodie Shield and Mary Mullen, authors of Healthy Eating, Healthy Weight for Kids and Teens from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, children and adolescents need to eat every 3 or four hours a day to meet their nutritional needs.

Then how many times a day should the child eat?

For children they need eat three times a day and snack twice a day.

As for teenagers, they need eat three times a day and snack once a day or it could be twice a day provided they are very physically active.

Involve the child to choose foods including light snacks, you can give a light snack a few hours after mealtime or one to two hours before mealtime. Giving children light meals a few hours after eating will prevent children from refusing food at mealtime because they feel full. A proper eating and snacking schedule can help your little one have a healthy weight.

Nutrition guide for children's food and light snacks

The nutritional needs of children to eat are actually the same as those needed by adults. In making children's food recipes, parents should base their menu choices on efforts to meet children's nutritional needs. Actually carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals, must be in the daily diet of children. Then, what nutrients should be present in children's meals and snacks? Here's a nutritional guide for you.

1. Protein

Protein is the main building block for cells in the human body. No wonder the healthy growth and development of children need this nutritional support. Luckily, there are many choices of food sources that contain protein. This compound can be found in milk, eggs, seafood and meat. Not only animal based, protein can also be found in plants. Nuts, vegetables, and whole grains are great sources of plant-based protein that can be used as ingredients in children's recipes.

2. Fiber

In order to support the child's digestive performance, fiber intake must be fulfilled. For that, children must be diligent in eating foods rich in fiber, such as cereals, fruits and vegetables. Although children rarely like foods of this type, parents can overcome them by applying children's food recipes creatively.

3. Calcium

In order to support children's growth, their calcium needs must be fulfilled. This substance is very important for strengthening bones and teeth. Food ingredients that are rich in calcium come from milk and processed products, such as cheese and yogurt. In addition, some leafy vegetables can also be a source of calcium that deserves priority.

4. Antioxidants

Healthy children have excellent immunity in facing the threat of disease from outside. For this one role, make it a habit for children to be given food sources with adequate antioxidant content. Antioxidants have a vital role in strengthening the immunity of the human body. Some foods that contain this compound include almonds, oranges, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, berries, and peppers.

5. Iron

One of the roles of iron in the body is to carry oxygen in the blood and keep children's spirits up. To meet the child's need for iron, lean meats, fish, dark green vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and iron-fortified nuts can always be given.

6. Folic acid

Another nutrient that must be included in children's food recipes is folic acid. This compound is important for the growth and development of brain cells in children. Folic acid deficiency puts children at risk for anemia. Some food sources that contain folic acid are asparagus, spinach, whole grain cereals, beans, green beans, and cabbage.

7. Carbohydrates

To support children's activities, an adequate amount of energy is needed, one of the sources is carbohydrates. Another use of carbohydrates is to help the body use protein and fat to build and repair body tissues. Some easy sources of carbohydrates are rice, cereals, bread, potatoes, and pasta.

8. Fat

Another energy source that is easily stored in children's bodies is fat. Sources of fat that can be served to children are milk, fish, red meat, and nuts.

9. Vitamins

Vitamins have a vital role in the development and growth of children. Vitamin A is very useful for supporting eye health, skin, and preventing infection. Meanwhile, besides being good at fighting colds, vitamin C also plays an important role in strengthening blood vessel walls, helping the wound healing process, and strengthening bones and teeth. Vitamin A can be obtained from carrots, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potatoes, broccoli, fish oil, egg yolks, and cabbage. Meanwhile, vitamin C can be obtained from oranges, strawberries, tomatoes, papayas, mangoes, cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes, melons, and spinach.

Seeing the many food ingredients that contain the important nutrients above, it is not difficult for parents to determine healthy children's food recipes. What is important, everything must be balanced and not to be deficient or excessive.