Infant feeding back to school

One of the keys that I revealed in my last post on LinkedIn is planning. This is essential to feed ourselves in the best possible way.

A new school year has just started and as the days go by the ideas of preparing sandwiches, snacks, breakfasts and dinners are running out … In fact, it is common for patients with children to take advantage of the nutrition consultation some visit to ask questions about infant feeding and ask me for ideas.

We start at the beginning of the day: Breakfast

Is breakfast necessary?

This question can have several interpretations. If we focus on children, my answer is yes, children should eat breakfast . There are those who do it when they get to school and others who have to have breakfast at home. What we cannot do is allow them to fast until mid-morning recess. A breakfast is considered complete when it incorporates 3 types of food: dairy, cereals and fruit. In this way, you could have breakfast, for example, bread with oil, 1 tangerine and 1 glass of whole milk. Breakfast will provide the energy that the brain needs to be able to concentrate in class and incorporate new knowledge. Children who skip breakfast score worse on problem-solving subjects than children who eat breakfast.

A breakfast is complete when it incorporates 3 types of food: dairy, cereals and fruit 

Should we vary the children’s breakfasts or can we always do the same?

Sometimes we think that variation is necessary and that the child will get bored if he always eats the same breakfast. This need not be so. There are children who like to always have the same breakfast, as long as it is a healthy option, we have to respect it. If your child is one of those who wants variety, let’s give him variety. Natural foods are not boring and they like them. Many times we adults are the ones who think «milk alone? We put a little chocolate or sugar or honey because if not… «but what? What’s wrong with a glass of plain milk? Nothing at all, in fact it is much better than adding any of these options. In the same way it happens with the fruit, an apple is not boring, nor a banana, nor a pear. Let’s not change fresh fruit for juices, or smoothies or smoothies.

Some examples of breakfasts to make before going to school can be:

• Milk with oat flakes and pieces of strawberries.
• Grape with fresh cheese and toast.
• Yogurt with mango and bread with sweet ham.
• Macedonia of natural fruit and bread with cheese.

What do I do if my child is not hungry in the morning?

Many parents explain that children leave the house without having breakfast or only with a glass of milk due to lack of hunger and they have a hard time getting them to eat something. If the child gets up in the morning without hunger, several circumstances should be evaluated:

1. What dinner and at what time . The pace of life sometimes causes us to eat late. If the dinner has been strong, abundant and late, it is likely that the next morning the child will leave without hunger. In this case, the dynamics of the dinners should be changed: advance the time and cook simpler and less caloric dishes.
2. If you have slept enough hours. If your child is one of those who has a hard time getting up every morning, he is also likely to not want to eat breakfast. In this case there is a clear reason, the dream. If you are sleepy you will not feel like having breakfast. This child needs to go to bed earlier to be rested and perform the next day.
3. What do we give you for breakfast . If you don’t like the breakfast we give you or you don’t feel like it, we won’t make you go to school on a full stomach. But be careful, not everything goes !!! Since he doesn’t want to drink milk, we put cocoa on it, since he doesn’t want to eat bread, we give him cereals with sugar and chocolate, since he doesn’t want to eat fruit, we give him a packaged juice, since he doesn’t want to eat anything, we buy him a pasta at the bakery, etc. They are not the right alternatives. It is not there that we have to negotiate to get a healthy breakfast.

We continue to eat breakfast, but now at school

At patio time, it’s time to recharge your batteries. Not all children have the same energy needs . There will be those that will go well with a piece of fruit and others that will need a sandwich. Here are some ideas to bring to patio time:

• 1 handful of peeled walnuts or roasted dry fruits (almonds or hazelnuts).
• 1 banana, 2 tangerines or 1 apple.
• Sandwich of: fresh cheese, jam, avocado and tomato, sweet ham or turkey (minimum 80% meat), French omelette or vegetable omelette (zucchini, artichoke, aubergine …), tuna, mackerel or sardines, roast beef, hummus, serrano ham, cured loin.
• Whipped yogurt without added sugar.

In short, avoid cookie packages, industrial pastries, cereal bars, chocolate bars, daily sausage sandwiches.

When leaving school, play snack

Snack is another key moment where most children fail. The advice is the same as for breakfasts. We will advise avoid processed and industrial products and opt for fresh food prepared at home. If we are going to do extracurricular activities , snack is a key moment to regain energy. I advise taking either 1 fruit or 1 dairy accompanied by a sandwich or some toast. For example:

• Bread with tomato and oil and 1 glass of milk.
• Yogurt with rolled oats, 1 pear.
• Ripe banana sandwich.
• Bread with cheese spread and new ones.
• Almonds and 1 kiwi.
• Whole wheat bread sticks and 1 fresh orange juice (with pulp).
• 1 scrambled egg with bread toast and cherry tomatoes.

I hope that these tips will help your daughters and your sons face the new course in a healthy way and with charged batteries.

And remember that no matter where you look at it, it is worth eating better.