It happens that small children do not like cottage cheese too much, but for the most part they are not indifferent to cheeses. If you know when and in what form it is better to start giving this product to your child, you can provide the child's body with calcium contained in both types of fermented milk products.
Given the specifics of the component and the development of the digestive tract in infants, it is forbidden to violate the recommended time limits. With caution, you need to treat the dosage of products, pay attention to its quality. Ideally, very young children are best served with homemade cheese made from low-fat cottage cheese.
The benefits of cheese for children
Natural and environmentally friendly sour milk product indicated for use by every child without exception. This is due to the following useful properties component:
- It has a lot of calcium. Without this substance, the normal development of the bones, teeth, nails and hair of the baby is impossible. It is in the first years of life that this microelement is most necessary for children, because. their organisms grow and develop very quickly. It is worth considering that calcium is absorbed only if there is vitamin D in the body. You can give it to your child additionally or regularly take him out for walks in sunny weather.
Tip: When cheese is given to a baby precisely for the purpose of preventing rickets, it is better to choose hard varieties. For comparison, in parmesan, the amount of calcium is 10 times higher than in such a healthy cottage cheese.
- Cheeses are rich in protein. Construction material, necessary for the production of amino acids (designed to support vital processes), is more easily absorbed by the child's body when it is in the composition of cheeses. The main thing to remember is that excessive amounts of protein are also not the goal. The abuse of cheeses can cause a strong load on the kidneys of the baby.
- Regardless of the variety, cheese contains an impressive amount of vitamins. An additional plus is that these components in the composition of the fermented milk product are also well absorbed by the imperfect children's body. This guarantees the child the strengthening of immunity, the establishment of metabolic processes, the stimulation of physical activity, and the improvement of general well-being.
You can count on receiving the listed positive effects when using even a small amount of the product. Of course, provided that only natural ingredients were used in its production, and not so popular today, milk powder, thickeners, dyes and stabilizers.
The optimal age for the introduction of the ingredient in the baby's menu
Answering the question, at what age is it best to give cheese to babies, pediatricians agree on one thing - not earlier than one year (some even think that it is better to wait until 1.5-2 years). This is due to the high content of protein and animal fats in the product, which put a heavy burden on the kidneys. In addition, in the manufacture of most varieties, rennet is used, which forces the baby's pancreas to work more actively. For children who have reached the age of one, these effects are no longer terrible, because. the digestive and excretory systems are sufficiently formed and are not afraid of additional loads.
At the same time, the daily volume of cheese for a child 1-1.5 years old should not exceed 5 g. Gradually increasing this figure, by 2 years daily allowance can be brought up to 20 g. It is not recommended to give cheese to babies daily, 2-3 times a week will be enough to get therapeutic benefits from a fermented milk product. Particular attention when introducing cheese into the diet should be given to children prone to dyspeptic disorders. Despite the obvious benefits, the product is quite heavy and, at the stage of addiction, can cause constipation in the little one. Most often this becomes a consequence of the use of hard cheeses.
The place of cheese in the diet of a small child
For children under the age of 3, cheeses can only be offered as a dietary supplement. For this, the component is rubbed and used to sprinkle familiar dishes. It is strictly forbidden to combine it with meat. Traditional sandwiches of white bread, butter and cheese will also have to be abandoned. All of the listed ingredients contain too much protein, the load on the kidneys will be excessive.
- We take a little cottage cheese of 5% fat content, put it under oppression to get rid of all excess liquid.
- The resulting crumbly composition is slightly salted, placed in a saucepan and put in a water bath.
- Constantly stirring the mass, wait until it begins to melt. When the child is three years old, it will be possible to add a little baking soda to the composition to speed up the melting process.
- When the workpiece turns into a molten mass, it must be poured into a clean container lined with gauze or a clean thin towel. We put a load on top and leave the structure for several hours until all the liquid is absorbed into the fabric.
Even if the cottage cheese refuses to melt (this happens if it is initially not dry enough), then there is no need to be upset. The curd mass heated and squeezed out in the same way also turns out to be very tasty and tender. It can be given to the baby with pieces of vegetables or lettuce leaves.
It will be useful to read the article about
Adults and children love cheese, so during the introduction of complementary foods, mothers are interested in at what age they can give their child cheese, which one and in what quantity.
Cheese is a very valuable and healthy food product, which must be introduced to the child in a timely manner. However, the introduction of this product into the diet of the baby should not be in a hurry.
The chemical composition of cheese is rich in macro- and microelements, vitamins, which are so necessary for the growth and development of the child.
| Macronutrients: | |
| Proteins, g | 26 |
| Carbohydrates, g | 1 |
| Fats, g | 26 |
| Trace elements: | |
| Potassium, mg | 100 |
| Calcium, mg | 1000 |
| Magnesium, mg | 50 |
| Iron, mg | 0,9 |
| Manganese, mcg | 100 |
| Copper, mcg | 70 |
| Sodium, mg | 860 |
| Phosphorus, mg | 540 |
| Zinc, mg | 4 |
| Vitamins: | |
| A, mg | 0,4 |
| B1, mg | 0,03 |
| B2, mg | 0,3 |
| B6, mg | 0,1 |
| B9, mcg | 19 |
| B12, mcg | 1,4 |
| C, mg | 2,8 |
| E, mg | 0,3 |
| PP, mg | 0,2 |
Having carefully studied the composition, I would like to note:
- Low carbohydrate content. By the way, there is practically no lactose (milk sugar) in cheese, it passes into whey during the production process. Therefore, for feeding children with cheeses are not included in the list of prohibited foods.
- High content of calcium, sodium, zinc, so important for the growth of children.
- High protein content, which is almost completely absorbed by the human body.
How to choose cheese for a child?
A real healthy cheese is made from milk, by fermentation in an enzymatic or acidic way. Then the separated milk protein is salted, pressed, packaged and sent for maturation.
Store shelves are literally littered with cheese, but most of their composition is terrifying. This is not even always cheese, but a cheese product containing stabilizers, dyes, flavors and other unnecessary additives.
When choosing a good cheese for baby food, be vigilant and give preference to a high-quality product with a natural composition.
For a first acquaintance, the following types of cheeses are ideal:
- maasdam;
- Cheddar;
- mozzarella;
- ricotta;
- oltermani;
- Poshekhonsky;
- Parmesan;
- Dutch;
- Russian.
Such types of cheeses as Suluguni, Adyghe, Georgian are brine, according to the technology of preparation, they are in concentrated brine for some time. Thus, the cheeses are salty, so you do not need to feed the baby with them, in order to avoid unnecessary stress on the children's kidneys.
At what age can cheese be introduced into a child's diet?
Vegetable purees, fruit purees, cereals, egg yolk, fermented milk products… Has your baby already tried everything and would like to treat him with cheese? And at what age can cheese be given to a child, despite their own desire and the baby's stretching arms? So, pediatricians recommend starting acquaintance with cheese no earlier than 10-11 months of age, and preferably after a year. Such restrictions are explained by the imperfection of the child's digestive system, which is not yet able to fully break down and assimilate this product. A large amount of salts in the composition of the cheese burden the kidneys, and fats make the liver and pancreas work hard.
After the age of 1 year, the baby's digestive system will improve, mature, the likelihood of allergies is significantly reduced, so now you can give your child 5 g of cheese, no more. If the child already knows how to chew food well, give him a piece of cheese. If there are still problems with chewing, the baby periodically chokes, it’s not worth the risk, just grate a piece of cheese and offer the baby in this form.
What is the norm of cheese per day in the diet of children?
You have reached the age when you can give cheese to a child, now it's a matter of quantity. Children aged from one year to 1.5 years are recommended to give cheese in the amount of 5-15 grams with a frequency of 2-3 times a week. Increase the pieces of cheese gradually, do not overdo it, even if the child eats this product on both cheeks. Remember that cheese is quite a high-calorie and heavy product for the digestive tract.
In the age period of 1.5-2 years, the daily norm of cheese increases slightly and amounts to 20-30 grams.
Cheese in the diet of children is used separately from butter and bread!
Cheese not to be given to children
No matter how strange it may sound, but there are types of cheese that are strictly forbidden to be given to children. What is there for children, adults, such "delicacies" are also undesirable to use. We are talking about processed (in trays and in the form of briquettes such as "Friendship"), smoked, sausage cheeses.
The listed types of cheese are prepared from low-quality raw materials. Cheese is used, which has an expiration date, which in some places has already begun to deteriorate or simply a waste of production (marriage, crooked, oblique, does not meet the standards for chemical indicators). Such unsuitable products are mixed with melting salts and sent to the production of processed cheeses (which include sausage, smoked and non-smoked). It is not for nothing that processed cheeses come with the addition of various flavorings and flavor enhancers.
Exquisite blue cheese is also not an essential product in baby food. On the contrary, it can cause poisoning or similar intestinal disorders.
Cheap cheese is usually tasteless and made from low-quality raw materials. So don't buy this product.
Can cheese cause allergies?
Children who are allergic to cow protein should not eat cheese, as this food is very rich in the allergen.
An allergic reaction to cheese can also occur in a non-allergic child, in which case it is worth postponing the introduction of cheese into the child's diet.
Allergy symptoms:
- diarrhea;
- vomit;
- rash or blisters on the skin;
- skin itching;
- nausea;
- dyspnea;
homemade cheese recipe for baby food
The most useful and safe cheese for feeding your child is homemade. It is easy to prepare, and there will be plenty of benefits. Plus, the rest of the family will love it too!
Ingredients:
- cottage cheese - 500 g;
- milk - 500 ml;
- chicken egg - 1 pc;
- butter - 50 g;
- baking soda - half a teaspoon without a slide;
- salt to taste (but it is better to undersalt).
Cooking:
- Pour milk into a saucepan, pour curd into the same place and put on fire. Bring to a boil and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The curd should start to melt and stretch.
- Pour the finished molten mass into a colander lined with gauze and let the whey drain (this will take about 2-3 minutes). To the touch, the protein mass will resemble soft, stretchy plasticine.
- Put the protein mass in another saucepan, add the egg, butter, salt and soda to it. Mix thoroughly with your hands.
- Put the pan back on the fire and melt the mass, stirring thoroughly and continuously so that all the ingredients are evenly distributed over the product. Remove the mass from the heat when it begins to lag behind the walls of the pan. In time, this will happen in about 5-7 minutes.
- Place almost ready-made homemade cheese in any dish and put it to cool first at room temperature, and then the cheese can be put in the refrigerator.
- Creamy homemade cheese is ready to eat!
Advantages of cheese All mothers know that it is very useful.
- It has a lot of up to 25% milk protein. And this is more than meat. Moreover, protein is valuable, digestible by 95%. Cheese proteins are easier to digest than meat proteins and even than milk proteins. Cheese protein may not cause allergies in babies who have had an allergic reaction to cow's milk. Because cheese protein is partially broken down during the manufacturing process. It is exposed to the action of enzymes and lactic acid bacteria.
- Cheese contains a lot of calcium, almost eight times more than milk and ten times more than in calcium. In processed cheese, calcium is about three times less than in hard cheese.
- Cheese has a lot of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, there are B vitamins, nicotinic acid.
disadvantages
Cheese is high in fat and salt. This limits its use in baby food.
What is possible?
The fat content of different varieties of cheese ranges from 7 to 75%
When and how much can
It is clear that such a product, if given as a separate dish in large quantities, will be difficult for a child with an immature digestive system to digest. Therefore, cheese is added to the child's menu only after a year. And in small volumes, as an addition to the main dishes.
It is recommended to start introducing cheese into the child's menu from the age of 1.. If a child receives enough milk, kefir and cottage cheese according to age, the recommended average daily intake of cheese is 5 g. This does not mean that it is strictly necessary to give a child 5 g of cheese every day. You can give a couple of times a week for 10-20 g. But not all at once and not separately. And as an addition to other dishes.
For a child under two years old, it is best to sprinkle with grated cheese, meat, fish puree. Or add it to cottage cheese or pasta.
When a child learns to chew food well, he can make sandwiches with cheese.
If the baby does not want to eat kefir, milk and cottage cheese, the daily amount of cheese in his diet can be increased to a maximum of fifty grams. But to start, all the same, it is necessary with small quantities. And distribute the daily amount of cheese evenly throughout the day, giving it in addition to other dishes.
Melted and smoked
The most useful for children are hard and semi-hard cheeses with a mild taste.
Processed and smoked cheeses are not recommended for babies. Since they contain a lot of spices, food additives. They have even more salt, sugar, milk, cream, margarines, vegetable oils, melting salts, lemon acid, flavor enhancers, flavorings and more.
Processed and smoked cheeses are not useful products for a child. You can give them in small quantities to children over 6 years old.
cheese allergy
Mild varieties of hard and semi-hard cheese are products with a low degree of allergenicity. Since in cheese, as well as in fermented milk products milk protein is in a partially cleaved state.
Highly allergenic foods include
- Soft cheeses.
- Moldy cheese - an allergy most often occurs to mold fungi.
- Processed and smoked cheese - an allergic reaction occurs to food additives.
I hope this article helped you decide when to give cheese to children. Stay healthy!
Cheese is a favorite product for many adults, therefore, with the start of the introduction of complementary foods to a child up to a year old, most mothers are interested in whether it is possible to give it to a son or daughter at an early age and which product to choose from a huge range for baby food.
What is useful
Cheese is classified as a delicious product, the correct use of which will only benefit:
- It acts as a source of proteins, from which children receive the entire spectrum of amino acids important for their body.
- It is rich in calcium and contains several times more than cottage cheese and other dairy products.
- Among the vitamin composition, there are especially many vitamins E, D, groups B, A and PP.
- In addition to calcium, the product contains phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, iron, sulfur and many other mineral salts.
- Fatty acids have a positive effect on the condition of the skin, the function of the brain and internal organs.
- Nutrients are well absorbed in the body, helping the child to grow and develop normally.
- Inclusion in the children's menu helps to expand the taste palette and diversify the dishes for kids.
- Since cheese is a hard food, chewing it will stimulate the development of the child's jaw apparatus.
- Helps to quickly cope with hunger and gives a boost of energy. It is recommended for underweight children.
Hard cheese can be given to children with lactose intolerance, since during its manufacture lactose goes into whey, and its residues are destroyed by bacteria while the product ripens.
Cheese is a highly nutritious food that provides the body with vitamins, minerals and energy.
disadvantages
- Since cheese is classified as a high-protein product, its use is not recommended for kidney disease.
- They should not be included in the diet of children with diseases of the digestive tract. They can cause constipation.
- It is a source of cholesterol and saturated fatty acids therefore, its significant presence in the human diet contributes to metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases.
- Excess salt in cheese can cause fluid retention after eating it, and also negatively affects kidney function.
- Some children develop allergies that can manifest as indigestion, skin rashes, asthma attacks, skin itching, nausea, elevated temperature body and other symptoms. A high risk of an allergic reaction is noted in children under one year old, so it is best to offer cheese to a one-year-old child, and if the crumbs have a tendency to allergies, then acquaintance with such a product should be postponed for even more late deadline. With age, the intestinal wall becomes more resistant to the penetration of allergens, and the child's immunity is strengthened, which leads to a decrease in the risk of allergies.
- If the recommended daily portion is exceeded, obesity may develop. Due to the high calorie content, such dairy products are given in small quantities.
- High fat content in many children provokes nausea, loose stools or intestinal colic. Such symptoms can appear after eating fatty cheese, even in small quantities.
Cheese is prohibited for use in obesity, constipation, kidney disease, cardiovascular system, can cause allergies
When eating cheese, you need to know a lot of nuances, the main of which you will learn by watching the program “Live Healthy”.
From how many months can you give?
Despite many useful features, most pediatricians do not recommend the inclusion of cheeses in the diet of children up to 10-12 months. This is due to the high content of protein and minerals, which the kidneys of infants of the first year can hardly cope with. For this reason, the product should not be given to a 6-9 month old baby. The first piece should be offered to the baby not earlier than 10 months, and better - from 1 year.
Calculate your feeding schedule
Kinds
The assortment of cheeses in our stores is quite extensive, but many of them are unacceptable to give to children in their first years of life.
First of all, cheese is not suitable for baby food:
- With mold. Its use threatens the child with allergies or poisoning, as well as such a dangerous infectious disease like listeriosis. And therefore, these varieties are not advised to be given to children up to at least 7 years of age, and some doctors recommend postponing acquaintance with such soft cheeses until 12 years of age.
- Smoked. Its method of manufacture makes it harmful to children and deprives many useful substances. You can include it in the diet of children not earlier than 6-7 years.
- Too sharp. It can adversely affect the child's digestive tract.
- Fused. Neither foil-wrapped cheeses nor creamy processed cheeses are suitable for feeding children, because they are very salty and overly fatty. In addition, they are made from waste, so they are not recommended for either children or adults.
- Pickled, for example, cheese, Adyghe, feta or suluguni. During the production process, these cheeses are kept in brine, as a result of which the product acquires a salty taste. However, too much salt is bad. little child, so they are not suitable for the children's menu.
- With various additives, for example, with nuts or peppers.
- Raw product. To reduce the cost, components harmful to children are added to them, so they cannot be labeled as “cheese” on the label. It is undesirable to give such products to children.
Cheeses with mold, seasonings and other additives are not suitable for baby food
You should also not feed children with fatty cheeses familiar to adults, for example, Edam, Gouda or Russian varieties. Their fat content exceeds 45-50%, which makes them unsuitable for the diet of children who are not yet 1 year old.
The most preferred fat content of cheese for a child is up to 30-35%. Give the kids semi-hard and hard cheese. Among foods with a minimum of salt, children are recommended Cheddar, Oltermani, Maasdam, Mozzarella or Ricotta.
The best option for the nutrition of a child, special products intended for children are called (with a corresponding mark). This cheese has a low fat content and a reduced salt content.
How to choose
When buying cheese to feed a child, pay attention to its composition and freshness. The product should not contain flavors, dyes, emulsifiers, flavor enhancers and other additives. Always check expiration dates, smell the product and be sure to taste it.
Do not skimp on the product that the child will eat, because cheap cheese is often of poor quality, may be immature or spoiled. Inspect also the packaging - products that are placed in polystyrene (PS) are undesirable for children, so it is better to buy a product in polypropylene packaging (PP).
Taste cheeses before you buy
How to feed
If your child is already 10-11 months old, you can introduce him to cheese by offering a tiny piece of such a product. Give hard cheese in the morning feed and monitor your baby's reaction to a new meal throughout the day. If such a test did not cause any health problems, you can include it in the crumbs' diet on an ongoing basis.
If the piece of cheese you are going to give your child is quite salty, it should be placed in clean water for 2-3 hours. During this time, change the water several times, pouring clean cheese cold water. After that, the product can be offered to the baby. Although its taste will change and the product will be more insipid, it will not bring harm to the child's body.
How much to give?
- A small amount of cheese 2-3 times a week is enough for a child under one year old. Let each serving be no larger than a pea. In a year, the daily amount is 5 grams, but it is still not worth giving such a product daily. Just two or three "cheese" days a week is enough.
- When the child turns 1.5 years old, the daily portion can be increased to 10-15 g, and from the age of two, about 20 g of such a product can be given per day. Hard cheese for a child of the first years of life is recommended to be given grated. It can be rubbed into vegetable dishes or omelettes, as well as added to casseroles.
Cheeses and fruits combine well without interfering with each other's digestion. But the combination of cheese with meat or butter in one dish for children under three years old is undesirable, because all these products contain a lot of fats and proteins, which increases the load on the children's body. From the age of 3, cheeses can be given to a child separately - in slices and on sandwiches.
* Milk *
410. Milk after a year.
Milk contains almost all the nutrients needed
human body: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, mineral salts and almost all vitamins. Children who receive good nutrition are provided with all these substances (except calcium) and without milk. Milk is the only food that contains a lot of calcium, so it is advisable that the child drink up to 1 liter of milk per day (in any form).
But remember that many children drink varying amounts of milk per day. different days. Therefore, the surest way to keep a child's love of milk is to never persuade him to drink more than he wants. If after a few weeks the child has not returned to his previous norm (750 g), consider in what other form you can give him more milk.
411. Instead of plain milk.
A lot of milk for cooking require porridge. Milk is an ingredient in a variety of puddings, from curd to rice pudding. With milk, instead of water, you can make vegetable and chicken soups. Milk can be used to cook pasta, mashed potatoes and many other dishes.
It is better not to add various substances to milk to change its smell and taste. But if necessary, you can add cocoa or hot chocolate to milk, you can drink it cold with the addition of some syrup. Usually chocolate causes diathesis and gastric disorders in young children, so it is not given until 2 years of age. Vanillin can also be added to milk. But do not make milk too sweet, so as not to interrupt the child's appetite.
Unfortunately, any novelty wears off quickly, so flavored milk can also quickly get boring for a child, especially if the mother persuades him to drink a little more on the first day when he drinks less than one glass. I would like to reiterate that when parents say to a child: “Drink some more chocolate milk” (or something else), then the child loses the desire to drink this milk.
Cheese is a very healthy dairy product. 30 g of hard cheese contains as much calcium as 230 g of milk. You need 3 times more processed cheese than hard cheese to get the amount of calcium in a glass of milk. There is little calcium in cottage cheese. In terms of calcium content, 1 glass of milk is equivalent to 300 g of cottage cheese.
Since cottage cheese is low in fat, it is very easy to digest and can be eaten a lot. Cottage cheese is eaten salted or mixed with grated cheese or boiled vegetables. Due to the high fat content, cheese should be given little by little. It can be eaten simply in slices or in the form of sandwiches; many dishes are sprinkled with grated cheese if the child refuses milk in all its forms. If he is allergic to milk, he must receive calcium in some other form, as prescribed by the doctor.
Butter or margarine should be introduced after a year and very gradually, adding it to vegetables and spreading it on bread. Cream should also be given little by little over porridge, puddings or fruit for a child with a good appetite. The body's digestive system takes time to adjust to increased fat intake.
* Meat, fish, eggs *
412. Meat.
413. Fish.
Fish (white, lean) can be gradually started to give for about a year. It is baked, boiled or fried. Crumble the fish with your fingers and remove any bones before giving it to a child. More fatty fish varieties are introduced into the menu gradually after a year. Some kids love fish, but most don't like it and there's no point in insisting.
414. Eggs.
It is a very valuable product in any form: hard-boiled or in a bag, in the form of scrambled eggs or used to prepare various dishes and drinks. It is advisable that the child eats one egg a day. If he likes eggs, sometimes 2 eggs a day is fine.
If the child does not like meat or fish, or if you cannot get them, then his protein requirement will be met by 3/4-1 liter of milk and 2 eggs per day, plus vegetable proteins contained in cereals and vegetables.
If the child does not like eggs or they cause allergies, then regular consumption of meat is all the more necessary.
*Vegetables*
415. Different types vegetables.
During the first year of life, the child probably tasted most of the following vegetables: spinach, peas, onions, carrots, asparagus, zucchini, pumpkin, tomatoes, celery, potatoes.
Up to a year, the child should move from mashed food to mashed with a fork and in the form of pieces. (Of course, some vegetables can also be given in pureed form.) The peas must be crushed so that the child does not swallow the peas whole. If up to a year you gave your child only easily digestible vegetables, then after a year try less popular and more difficult to digest vegetables: cabbage (including cauliflower), turnips, parsnips. Their sharp taste can be softened by boiling them in two waters. Some children like these vegetables and digest them well, other children refuse to even try them. Corn grains are given only after 2 years. Very young children swallow corn without chewing, and it comes out undigested in the feces. Give your child only soft corn. Cut the kernels not too close to the base so that the grain opens, at 3-4 years old you can give corn directly on the cob, but cut in the middle of each row of grains so that they open.
Easily digestible raw vegetables begin to be produced between a year and two, if the child has good digestion. The best of them: peeled tomatoes, lettuce, grated carrots, finely chopped celery. These vegetables should be well cleaned. Give them little by little at first and see how the child digests them. You can season raw vegetables with orange or sweetened lemon juice.
At the same time, if the child has good digestion, you can start giving vegetable juices. Raw vegetables and their juices are much healthier than boiled vegetables, in which some of the vitamins and mineral salts are destroyed during cooking and dissolved in water.
If a child has temporarily fallen out of love with just boiled vegetables, remember vegetable soups: pea, tomato, onion, spinach, beetroot, corn and mixed vegetable soups.
416. Vegetables can be replaced by fruits.
Suppose a child refuses vegetables in any form for several weeks. Vegetables are a very valuable product as a source of vitamins, mineral salts and fiber. But various fruits contain most of the vitamins and mineral salts and the same amount of fiber. If a child takes vitamins in concentrates, drinks milk and eats meat and eggs, he receives those salts and vitamins that are scarce in fruits. In other words, if your child doesn't eat vegetables but loves fruits, he has nothing to lose. Give him fruits 2-3 times a day and forget vegetables for a few weeks or even months. If you do not insist, then most likely the child will again fall in love with vegetables after a while.
* Fruit *
417. In what form should they be given.
During the first year of life, the child apparently tasted the following fruits, boiled or canned: pureed apples, apricots, prunes, pears, peaches, pineapples and raw ripe bananas, apples, pears. For a one-year-old child, some of these fruits can be given not mashed, but in pieces. Canned fruits that adults eat are not as healthy for children because of the too sweet syrup. If you give children canned compotes, then at least drain the sweet syrup.
Raw fruits such as oranges, peaches, apricots, plums, seedless grapes are given between a year and two if the child has good digestion. Raw fruits must be very ripe. Cut off the skin for a child under 4 years of age. If you leave it, then you need to thoroughly wash the fruit to remove the chemicals that were sprayed on the fruit trees.
Usually raw berries are not given until 2 years. Strawberries often cause rashes. Until the child learns to chew well, mash the berries so that he does not swallow them whole. Remove pits from cherries until he learns to do it himself by spitting them out. Whenever you start giving berries, do it gradually and stop if your child develops diarrhea.
Melons and watermelons should be given cautiously at 2 years, in small portions, mashed.
Dry fruits - prunes, apricots, figs, dates - can be given unboiled from 2 years. Dry fruits should be washed very thoroughly and given sliced as a fruit salad or whole.
* Porridge and dinner *
418. Kashi.
Your one-year-old child probably already eats various cereals made from children's convenience foods or boiled: oatmeal, wheat and others that the whole family eats. Feed your baby cereal for as long as he likes it, once or twice a day. Remember that children like either solid food or almost liquid. They usually do not like a viscous consistency. Therefore, make porridge liquid.
If your child is tired of one porridge, offer him another one that he did not like before. You can occasionally give boiled unpolished rice, hominy, semolina. Often children prefer dry cereals (buckwheat, millet, etc.), because they are eaten by adults and older children. Wheat and oatmeal are the healthiest because they are rich in vitamins and mineral salts (corn and rice cereals are less valuable).
419. Bread and cereals.
If the child is tired of porridge for breakfast, you can give him toasted bread, a bun made from wholemeal flour, rye or oatmeal. Bread is the same porridge, only in a baked form, and is just as useful. The fact that the bread is cold, and not hot, like porridge, does not matter and does not reduce either its nutritional value or digestibility. Brush the bread with a thin layer of butter or margarine (after a year). You can spread a layer of pureed fruit or a little jam on the bread if your child likes it that way.
420. Dinner.
Often mothers complain: "He is tired of porridge and I just don't know what to feed him for dinner." If you are going to give your child several meals for dinner, then you need to remember a simple rule so as not to feed him two hearty meals for one dinner and two light ones for the next. Here is the rule: 1) fruits or vegetables; 2) a hearty high-calorie meal.
A hearty dish can be porridge, which the child will like much more if you add slices of raw or boiled fruit, or finely chopped dry fruits, or honey to it.
An older child can be given sandwiches instead of porridge. It is still difficult for a one-year-old child to eat a sandwich, besides, he will still divide it into parts. But closer to 2 years, he will do well with a sandwich. For sandwiches, use rye or wholemeal bread. Spread it with a thin layer of butter, cottage cheese or melted cheese. You can add a little jam, honey or sugar if the child does not eat sandwiches without sweets. But I would not recommend to get involved in sweets. Sandwiches can be made with a wide variety of products: with raw vegetables(lettuce, tomatoes, grated carrots or cabbage), with boiled or chopped dry fruits, eggs, herring, chopped poultry or meat, with cheese (grated or melted, and later a slice). For children over 3 years old, a little mayonnaise can be put on a sandwich.
As a hearty meal for dinner, you can give broth or soup with rice, pearl barley or pasta, in which you can throw a little toast.
In addition to the egg received for breakfast, or instead of it, you can give an egg (in any form) for dinner. Place the egg on the bread, or crumble the bread into a soft-boiled egg.
You can give a simple cookie, spread it with something, or crumble it into a cup in warm or cold milk. You can crumble bread or toast into cold or hot milk.
Potatoes are a very satisfying dish and are quite suitable for dinner if the child loves them. Sometimes you can give pasta, vermicelli.
Instead of a hearty first meal followed by boiled or raw fruit, boiled vegetables or a vegetable or fruit salad can be given first, followed by milk or cereal pudding, and ice cream for an older child.
Bananas are a wonderful dessert and a very satisfying dish. They can sometimes replace porridge for breakfast. You can give curd mass or desserts prepared on gelatin (preferably with fruit). But they do not contain enough calories and therefore do not fully satisfy the child's appetite.
There are children who always eat little food containing starch, and it seems that they do not need it. They get enough calories from milk, meat, fruits and vegetables and gain weight normally. From these same foods they get enough B vitamins. So, the last thing you need to worry about is bread, cereals and other high-calorie foods, even if the child goes without them for several weeks.
* Less valuable and unwanted food *
421. Cakes, pies, cookies.
These products are undesirable for children, because they are prepared mainly from high-grade flour, sugar and fat. Since they are very high in calories, the child is quickly satiated, but almost does not receive vitamins, mineral salts, fiber and proteins. This kind of food is called "inferior". It only satisfies the child's appetite, but deprives him of the most important nutrients that he could get from other foods.
Of course, a child can occasionally eat pies and cakes (for example, on his birthday). If you give them regularly, then deprive him of the necessary nutrients. There is no point in making pies at home, if there is no special need for it.
Cream puffs are especially dangerous. Cream is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria, especially if the cakes are not stored in the refrigerator. Stale cakes are often the cause of severe poisoning.
422. Sweets.
They are also undesirable, as they quickly satisfy the appetite of the child and are harmful to his teeth. If the child is happy to eat porridge with fruit without sugar, then you do not need to add it. But, if a little sugar or a spoonful of honey, according to your child, makes porridge very tasty, then sweeten it without talking. But don't let him put in too much sugar. Gently and firmly move the sugar bowl away from him. Jelly, jam, canned fruits (except special canned fruits for children) contain too much sugar and therefore should not be fed frequently to the child. If he eats bread and butter only with jam, then spread it quite a bit, just for taste. If the whole family eats canned fruits, you can give them to the child too, but without the syrup. Raisins, prunes and dates, if the child eats them regularly, are harmful to the teeth, because they stick to them for a long time.
423. Sweets, fruit water, ice cream.
This is an inferior food, and usually children eat them precisely between feedings, which is especially harmful for both teeth and appetite. It will not hurt the child if he eats candy or ice cream for dessert after dinner with the whole family. But by all means avoid giving your baby sweets between feeds. And sweets are not recommended to be given regularly even on the third. In order not to accustom your child to sweets, do not keep them at home and do not buy ice cream and fruit water for your child. But a child of school age inevitably learns about the existence of such "joys". If the child only wants sweets from time to time, then it is better to give in to his desire so that he feels that he is "just like everyone else." But, if he constantly eats sweets, and especially if he has bad teeth, then parents should only allow sweets on special occasions.
424. Parents themselves often instill in their child a love for sweets.
Children love candy. Their "hungry", growing organisms require additional calories. But an unspoiled child is unlikely to eat a lot of sweets. Some young children do not like candy and sweets at all. In her experiments, Dr. Clara Davis found that if you let your child decide what to eat, then he will eat sweets in reasonable quantities.
I think that often parents unwittingly instill in their child an exaggerated love of sweets. For example, a mother says to a child: "Until you eat spinach, I will not give you ice cream" or "If you eat all the porridge, I will give you candy." When you make a promise but keep the promise (or any reward), it increases desire. The effect is the opposite of what the mother needs. The child eats spinach and porridge, which he hates, and he wants sweets and ice cream even more. As a joke, I would advise to bribe a child in a different way: "I will not give you spinach until you eat ice cream." In all seriousness, I advise you never to stick with one meal until your child has eaten another. Let him think that simple food is as good as sweet food.
425. Corn, rice and flour of the highest grades are less valuable products than wholemeal flour and oatmeal.
Corn and rice are poor in vitamins and valuable proteins (even before processing) compared to oatmeal, rye flour and whole wheat flour. Processing grain deprives it of most of its vitamins, minerals and fiber. Therefore, foods such as white bread, pasta, biscuits, rice, hominy, etc., should be given less frequently. Unpolished brown rice is healthier than polished white rice.
You may think that I am exaggerating the dangers of sweet and starchy foods. In many families, children eat approximately as follows: breakfast - porridge (very sweet) and bread with jam; lunch - pasta, white bread and jam; afternoon snack - ice cream and soda water; dinner - corn flakes, pies and pudding. Even if a child eats both meat and vegetables with such a diet, still 2/3 of his menu is "inferior" food.
426. Coffee and tea.
They are not suitable for children, because they fill the place in the stomach that belongs to milk, and in addition, they contain an exciting substance - caffeine. Most kids are quite active without caffeine. You can add a tablespoon of liquid tea or coffee to milk if the child likes to do everything "in an adult way." But it is better and easier not to give these drinks to the child at all.
* Frozen food *
427. Frozen foods are just as healthy for children as fresh and canned foods, if properly prepared.
Freezing affects food in the same way as cooking, that is, it brings it to a state in which it is better absorbed by both humans and bacteria. In other words, cooked and thawed food spoils faster than raw food.
Milk, products prepared with milk, vegetables, poultry, various fillings are easily perishable foods that cannot be kept out of the refrigerator for a long time.
* Meals outside the schedule *
428. Be prudent.
Many young children need a snack between two meals. But between feedings, not all food can be given and not at any time, so as not to interrupt the child's appetite.
Fruit and vegetable juices, fruits are quickly and easily digested and less than all other types of food contribute to tooth decay. Milk stays in the stomach for a much longer time and therefore can kill a baby's appetite. But there are children who cannot eat enough at one time and feel hungry and tired much before the next feeding. It is better for such a child to give milk outside the schedule. Then by the next feeding he will not be too exhausted and his appetite will be better.
Between feedings, do not offer your baby cakes, pies, or sweet biscuits. They have three drawbacks: they are high in calories, poor in vitamins and other nutrients, and harmful to teeth. Even hard crackers and bread stick to the teeth for a while and are therefore not particularly suitable for this purpose.
It is best to give the child a snack in the middle between two feedings or no later than 1.5 hours before the next feeding. But even this rule has exceptions. Some children, having drunk juice between feedings, still become so hungry and angry before the next feeding that, having found a reason for the tantrum, they refuse to eat at all. If you give such a child a glass of juice as soon as he gets home from a walk (even if there are 20 minutes left before dinner), this will improve both his mood and his appetite. So, what and when to give between feedings is dictated by common sense and the needs of your child. Many children do not need to snack at all outside the schedule. IN last resort you can change the feeding schedule and continue to stick to it for a long time.
Some mothers complain that the child does not eat well at the table, but asks for food outside the schedule. This problem arose as a result of the mother persuading and forcing the child to eat in set hours feedings and, on the contrary, refused to feed him between them. Persuasion only deprives the child of appetite. If this continues for several months, then one sight of the dining room is enough to make him sick. But as soon as dinner is over (although the child has eaten very little), his stomach returns to its natural state and requires food, like any healthy empty stomach. The solution to this problem is not to deny the child food at the wrong time, but to try to make the feeding procedure at the set hours so pleasant that he anticipates it with pleasure in advance. Food should be tasty and have an appetizing appearance, so that the child eats it with more pleasure than what is offered to him between feedings.
* Breakfasts, lunches, dinners *
429. Sample menu
Breakfast:
1) fruit or fruit juice;
2) porridge;
3) egg;
4) milk.
Lunch (or dinner):
1) meat, fish or poultry (or an additional egg);
2) vegetables (raw or boiled);
3) potatoes;
4) raw fruit (occasionally pudding);
5) milk.
Dinner (or lunch):
1) a hearty meal, for example: porridge or bread or sandwiches or potatoes or soup with crackers, croutons, pasta, vermicelli, etc. or eggs in any form with bread or (but not often) pudding, pasta;
2) vegetables or fruits, raw or cooked;
3) milk.
In addition: vitamins in concentrates - daily; fruits or juices between feedings, if needed; wholemeal bread - with every meal, if you like.
