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By HELEN W. SMITH
Extension Agent, Home Economics
This past Saturday, I taught a training session for family day care providers in Planning District 9 on “Nutrition for Young Children.” So I prepared some nutritious snacks using Rappahannock County apples for part of the program.
A child needs the same nutrients as an adult: protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, water, and even a small amount of fat (to absorb fatsoluble vitamins). However, a child’s need for ' nutrients is larger in relationship to his smaller size.
A child’s need are relatively high because he is growing and building body stores. Although total quantities are small pound for pound, five year olds need twice as much protein, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin A and C, and three times as much B6 and B12 as 25 year old men.
A child of five weighing 45 pounds, for example, needs as much iron, calcium, and even more vitamin D than a man who is 45 and weights 155 pounds.
There is no room in a child’s diet for “empty calorie” foods which contribute only calories and no nitrients. Example: a soft drink vs juice. The soft drink has water, sugar and flavoring (no nutrients), where as the juice contains water, vitamins, and minerals.
Serving Sizes Are Small
Serving sizes for a child are small. A good rule of thumb for fruits and vegetables is one tablespoon per year of age. A two year old gets two tablespoons of mashed potatoes, a four year old gets four tablespoons which equals 1/4 cups which is not very much. For perschool children a serving of breads and cereal is 1/4 to 1/2 cup cereal. For meats and meat substitutes plan on lean boneless meat about the size of a thin hamburger 2-1/2 to 3 inches in diameter.
Snacks Are OK
The digestive capacity of a perschooler is small in comparison to an adult. Therefore, he may not be able to eat 1/3 of his daily food needs at a meal. He will get hungry' between meals and need a snack. A regularly scheduled snack time is better than constant snacking.
Evaluating Snacks
Snacks should be nutritious and contribute nutrients that your child needs daily. A good snack looks
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