Ideal Nutrition

FAQs

Reluctant to eat vegetables

Q. We have several children in our nursery that will not eat or even try vegetables when offered. How could we try and encourage them?

A. Not eating fruit and vegetables is common in many children and adolescents. It is prudent to encourage children to eat at least between 3 and 5 small portions a day of different varieties as they are such a good source of vitamins, minerals, prebiotics and fibre. There are so many to choose from that eating vegetables can be made fun and interactive.

If children help prepare food, and learn more about them, they are more likely to try them. Encourage them to cut the vegetables into shapes, make faces, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower make great hair! Create a picture rainbow over a number of weeks using fruit and vegetables, adding further colours and pictures of the items as the children have learnt about and tried the different foods.

Have a juicing session at snack time encouraging the children to choose their own combination of vegetables and fruit, prepare them with help and guess the colour after they have made lots of noise and mess juicing!

Sometimes it can be the texture the child dislikes, so add vegetables to foods they do like, try mash carrot and potato together, blend vegetables into a sauce, like mushrooms, onions or peppers. Many children love tomato ketchup, find a low salt, low sugar brand that could be mixed with similar pureed vegetables for a more healthy sauce option they can dip potato wedges into. Finely grating vegetables, adding to casseroles, fish or meat pies, toppings on pizza’s or presenting as a finger food are other options.

Always encourage a child with gentle persuasion to try different foods, with a good policy of putting a very small portion on their plate each time, building on their confidence of seeing the colour and feeling the texture, seeing some of their peers eating and hopefully the child will eventually try them. Do not accept their first refusal of any food and take it off their menu, as you will soon create a really faddy eater.

For further information refer to Section 9 of the Distance Learning Pack in the Membership Area.

 

Why are we providing so many more special diets?

Q. We seem to have had an increase of children in our nursery with food allergies and intolerance’s with parents requesting special diets for their children putting pressure on all the different foods we prepare. Any tips?

A. Allergies and intolerances have increased over the last few years and according to some studies affect at least 5% of children under five years of age. The most common foods to provoke a reaction of the immune system are nuts, egg, fish, milk and soya products.

Unfortunately it is common place that parents make assumptions that their child has allergies and remove foods from their diet without seeking medical attention. However I would not wish to undermine the potential severity of an allergy to food, as it can be life threatening.

Intolerances are not always immediate but can build up over a period of time to foods like wheat and dairy products, as they are foods most commonly consumed daily from a very early age. By introducing the right recommended foods at the appropriate time, offering a child a fresh, balanced and varied diet greatly reduces the incidence of intolerances.

It is always good practice to investigate further and establish if the child has a medically diagnosed allergy or intolerance. Encourage parents to see a Dietitian and/or Paediatrician and seek an official diagnosis. The children can then be treated appropriately and avoid having healthy staple foods removed from their diet unnecessarily. Until that takes place careful planning and working together with the parents to provide the diet they request for their child is provided.

Knowing the signs of an allergic reaction are important and that treatment needs to be sought immediately. It can often be the second time the child eats the suspect food that they get an increased reaction. If the child starts to complain of any of the following: itching, vomiting, develops a rash or looks very flushed, has difficulty breathing and lips, tongue, throat or face starts to swell leading seek medical attention immediately. No one minds if it is a false alarm!

Some children may have medication that needs to be administered in the event of a reaction. All staff should be aware and have regular training of the procedure to administer if a child has a reaction, and still seek medical care after medication has been administered.

A menu can be planned to avoid the key allergens so most of the children are eating the same healthy variety of meals, with slight modifications made to accommodate the child with an allergy or intolerance. Even on those special occasions like birthdays a cake that is egg, dairy and nut free can be made easily, so few of the children have to miss out on the celebrations.

For further information on the introduction of foods into the weaning diet, the differences between allergies and intolerances and possible causes of increased allergies you can refer to Section 5 and Section 7 of the Distance Learning Pack in the Membership Area.

If you require additional support with special menus please contact Ideal Nutrition through the Enquiry page.

 

How contaminated is the fish we eat?

Q. We have introduced more fish into the menus as advised, but have concerned parents worried about the amounts their children are eating because of the risk of contamination of Mercury that is repeatedly featured in the press.

A. Fish, particularly the oily varieties of trout, fresh tuna (not tinned) herring, sardines, salmon mackerel and pilchards are known to be a very good source of Protein and Omega 3 essential fatty acids, often called ‘brain food’. Omega 3 supports brain development and function, aids the immune system and long term prevention of heart disease as well as protection of joint mobility and therefore a valid reason to promote oily fish in our diets at least 1-2 times a week.

Recent studies have shown that mercury levels absorbed by fish have increased, and only if we eat an excessive amount (x5 plus a week) are there potential risks to our health. Minimal amounts of Mercury absorbed from our food is not harmful for most of us, and the long term evidence at present is limited. There is evidence that advices pregnant women to limit their intake of oily fish to 1-2 portions a week. If excessive levels of mercury are ingested throughout pregnancy it can have a detrimental affect on the babies developing nervous system. The main fish affected are the larger varieties particularly marlin, swordfish, skate, tinned tuna and shark, therefore they are advised to avoid these varieties.

There is no firm evidence to indicate danger to children or adults if eating oily fish as part of a balanced diet. The evidence strongly demonstrates the health and developmental benefits particularly for children to have 1-2 portions of oily fish a week, as well as other fish like cod, place, and haddock to provide a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals. Great ways of introducing fish into the diet are salmon and cod fish cakes, mixed fish pie, tuna bake or sardines, pilchards or mackerel on fingers of toast, bagels, pitta bread or in sandwiches.

For further information on how Omega 3 assist the development of infants refer to Section 2 of the Distance Learning Pack in the Membership Area.

 

Do prebiotics and probiotics really make a difference?

Q. Do prebiotics and probiotics really make a difference to the immune system?

A. The benefits of Pre and Probiotics have been identified for many years, following research of how our natural defence system operates, establishing the presence of prebiotics in breastmilk and pre and probiotics in some of our other healthy foods.

Probiotics are live friendly bacteria that sit in our digestive system, mainly the large intestine, playing a key role of protecting us against harmful bacteria penetrating the gut lining and making us unwell. There is also evidence that points towards Pre and probiotics reducing the level of respiratory problems, like asthma in infants.

Initial colonisation of the gut with Probiotics takes place at birth and then stimulated and maintained through diet, initially from the prebiotics in breastmilk or formula milks with added prebiotics.

Prebiotics are specifically designed as a food source for the probiotics, and stimulate the persistent turnover of the healthy bacteria protecting our gut, as well as their presence in breastmilk they can also be found in specific vegetables, fruits, dairy products, pre and probiotic drinks and some cereals that can be introduced at the appropriate weaning phase.

Pre and Probiotics do play an important role for infants as they assist in establishing their natural immune system, reduce the incidence of infection and certain illnesses, and generally promoting the welfare of the gut and produce a much softer stool. The benefits of a diet high in pre and probiotics has been widely established over the last five years through research and therefore encouraged as part of our daily diet.

For further information on how Pre and Probiotics play an important role in our immune system and the foods they can be found in refer to Section 2 of the Distance Learning Pack in the Membership Area and further information and visual aids on the Members News Page.