What are the essential nutrients for my child?

According to a national INCA 2 survey, children too often lack vitamin C and D and zinc.

- Vitamin C: This vitamin contributes to the immune system. If your child is lacking in vitamin C it is because he is not consuming enough fruits and vegetables. Vary your preparations (salads, soups, soups, gratins, stuffed vegetables, pies, quiches ...) and give it practical snacks: cucumber sticks, clementines, apples, plums ...

- Vitamin D: This vitamin conditions the assimilation of calcium. The origin of this vitamin can come either from the skin exposed to sunlight or from food. Young children receive it in medicinal form (ampoules for example) but after 6 years, they no longer have any. From the fall and to face the winter, insist on foods rich in vitamin D. What foods contain it? Oily fish: herring, salmon, mackerel, sardines, ideally twice a week. Cheeses, fortified milk and dairy products and eggs.

- Zinc: This trace element participates in immune functioning. What foods contain it? foods of animal origin (meat, eggs, seafood), fruits and legumes (white beans, chickpeas, etc.).

- Fluorine: Primordial for the strength of the teeth. In addition to fluoride toothpaste and water (tap or bottled), it is advisable to use salt enriched with fluorine.


How to balance your child's day?

If your child eats lunch in the canteen at noon, try to get the menus from the school administration to be able to balance and vary the meals.
Normally your child should have starchy foods, vegetables (cooked or raw), protein and milk.
If your child has a dairy at noon, plan to have cheese in the evening  and if he has a protein at lunchtime, avoid giving it back in the evening.

If you have several children, the ideal would be to offer a complete dinner with on the menu : raw vegetables, meat or fish, vegetables and starches. For dessert: a dairy product and a fruit. At  less everyone will find their account. Make sure your child is actually eating. If at 4 p.m., he is very hungry, it is because perhaps he had a bad lunch at noon and in this case instead of doubling his portion of cookies or other sweet foods, you can bring him dinner.

What snack to give him?

Avoid offering them cereal or chocolate bars, pastries or pastries, which are too rich in fats and sugars. Leave this fun once a week so your child won't get used to it.
You can make him a sandwich of bread and chocolate or cheese, for example . Add a fruit or a compote without added sugar . Here is the perfect snack for your child.

If my child doesn't want to eat or doesn't like vegetables, what should I do?

Vegetables are essential so it is essential for you who cook for your child to make him love little by little.

First of all, you have to show him the example: take vegetables or raw vegetables in front of him at each of your meals. Then offer him the vegetables as a treat. Present the vegetables to him as a pleasure and not as an obligation. Innovate your recipes: present raw vegetables (carrots, cucumber, radishes, asparagus, cherry tomatoes) to soak in a cheese sauce for example.
Finally, cover up! Embed vegetables in your preparations : whether they are invisible mixed or chopped, your child will find it easier to taste. Example: brown your vegetables with minced meat and tomato sauce.
Take a recipe he loves: for example cream pasta and add finely chopped vegetables to him in his favorite recipe (for example mushrooms).

What if my child is overweight?

Overweight is more and more common in children. If your child is rounding up, don't ignore and deal with the problem in time . Consult your pediatrician or nutritionist to take the problem in time.
The main causes of overweight are certainly hereditary transmission but also an unbalanced diet: too sweet and / or too fatty. 70% of overweight adolescents remain so. You must therefore be concerned about your child's overweight as soon as it appears, starting by correcting bad habits and increasing his physical activity.


To summarize, according to the National Health Nutrition Program (PNNS), your child should have: 
Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese): 3 servings per day
Vegetables: at will - 400 g minimum per day
Fruits: 3 servings
Starchy foods (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, legumes): at each meal a sufficient quantity according to physical activity and growth
Proteins (meat, fish, eggs): once a day, i.e. 80 g
Fat (butter, oil, cream, mayonnaise, etc.): moderate amount
Sweet products (chocolate, cookies, ice cream, etc.): limited quantity
Drinks: minimum 1.5 l per day - if possible use water

Here are some recipe ideas to cook for your 7 to 9 year old child:
Recipe:

The vegetables ? Bof! So why not bake a cake ... with vegetables ?

Ingredients

    1 small zucchini
    1 medium tomato
    1 mozzarella ball
    1 egg
    5 cl of liquid cream
    Provence herbs
    salt
    pepper

Preperation

Preheat the oven to 180 ° C (th. 6).
Wash the vegetables. Cut them into thin slices along with the mozzarella.
Arrange the elements alternately in a small buttered dish: a slice of tomato, one of zucchini and one of mozzarella.
Pour over the beaten egg with the cream. Salt, pepper and sprinkle with herbs from Provence.
Bake for 30 minutes and serve.
 

Make it a homemade compote: with spices such as cinnamon or vanilla.

Here is a meringue compote recipe:
Ingredients: - 2 apples
1 pear
2 egg whites
1 lemon zest
Cinnamon

Preperation:
Cut your fruit into small cubes
Add 2 tablespoons of water and the lemon zest
Cook over low heat and cover for 15 minutes
Reduce your fruit to a compote
Add the cinnamon and delicately the whipped egg whites
Bake in th 4 oven for 30 to 40 minutes.
Serve hot is better :)
Easy and light recipe… And bon Appétit! :-)


Kids love quinoa, try the vegetable and chicken quinoa . Your child will love it :)

Chicken Quinoa
This recipe replaces: protein + 1 starch + 5 g of fat
Ingredients for 4 persons) :
4 chicken breasts
100 g of quinoa
2 tomatoes
2 red peppers
1 shallot
1 lemon
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of curry
Chive
A few pitted green olives
Salt and pepper

Preperation:
Cook your quinoa in boiling salted water for 10 minutes.
Slice your shallot, and cut your vegetables into small cubes.
Cut your chicken into strips and brown it with your vegetables for 10 minutes over medium heat.
Add the quinoa, lemon juice, spices and  olives and cook for 10 minutes over low heat, covered.
Just before serving, add the chives
Easy and light recipe… And Bon Appétit! :-)


In the next newsletters, we will see the feeding of a child from 10 to 12 years old and beyond. Pampering your child starts with his food first, then pamper him every day thanks to his food.