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Breakfast, lunch and dinner: how to set up the children's meals

Breakfast, lunch and dinner: how to set up the children's meals

Food is essential for the maintenance of the body of any person. And when we talk about children, this is even more important: the nutrients are the bricks that will make them grow healthy and complete.

Child eating healthy foods - "Photo: Getty Images"

is essential to avoid nutritional deficiencies, "says Cintia Cercato, the endocrinologist and president of the Brazilian Association for the Study of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome (ABESO).

And make no mistake: parents and caregivers play a key role in this. "The child does not have autonomy to choose and prepare meals, and they are the reflection of the parents' standard, as an example that can be positive and negative," says nutritionist Clarissa Fujiwara, nutrition coordinator of the League of Childhood Obesity Hospital of the Clinics (HC-FMUSP) and member of ABESO.

The responsibility is great, but calm, there are ways to get the children's menu set up with the right and necessary balance. See the experts' tips on how each child's meal should be:

Breakfast

Breakfast is one of the main meals of the day as it breaks the great fast we spend at night. Therefore, it is important to have nutrients that bring energy, such as carbohydrates.

"You can include a source in the form of bread or biscuit and a fruit," advises nutritionist Clarissa.

Fruits are even more interesting, by bringing in good amounts of fiber and vitamins and minerals, which change according to the colors of food. Therefore, varying options increases the range of nutrients in this diet.

Buns and cookies can bring in more fiber if they are whole, but do not force the child if he is not accustomed to this type of food. There are no problems in consuming refined carbohydrates when one is not being overweight. However, beginning to build this habit in childhood by offering whole foods as well, it is always a good choice.

In addition, protein sources should not be overlooked. "This nutrient can bring a lot of satiety and can be included mainly in the form of dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt," says Cintia, an endocrinologist.

The expert points out that these foods are interesting sources of calcium, an even more important mineral in childhood and youth, a phase that each creates its reserves of calcium for the rest of his life. Another important source of protein for breakfast is the egg, whose egg is rich in albumin. It can be offered scrambled, in omelettes with vegetables or even cooked. But avoid frying it.

Finally, fats can appear in this meal as well. Many of them are already present in proteins, such as dairy products and egg yolks. It is also in the butter and margarine that usually accompany breads and crackers. The ideal is not to overindulge: a knife tip is sufficient for coffee.

However, these are all sources of saturated fats. Poly and monounsaturated may also appear in this mixture in the form of grains and oilseeds, such as quinoa, linseed and nuts. In summary, the experts' teaching is to reconcile one or two sources of carbohydrates with one or two sources of protein.

Lunch and dinner

At lunch and dinner, the most recommended dish is divided into four parts:

2 parts must be filled with salads and vegetables

- 1 part with carbohydrate sources

  • - 1 part with protein sources .
  • Yes, just the vegetables, which are less accepted by the little ones, should be the biggest part of the dish!
  • "Fibers help your child feel satiated, not overdoing other foods on the plate, as they increase the volume of the meal without adding too many calories," says Clarissa.

However, you do not have to wait for your child to eat a lettuce salad with tomatoes. You can present vegetables in a variety of ways to make them more enjoyable. "We can only say that a child does not like a food after he has tasted it ten times," teaches Cintia Cercato.

In the protein group, the most classic are beef, pork and chicken, fish and eggs. They are of animal origin and already carry with them a load of fat, most often saturated - minus fish, which are rich in unsaturated fats.

There are sources of vegetable protein such as beans and other legumes (lentils, chickpeas, peas and soybeans). They accompany the rice very well, especially the beans. "Together, they form a combination of essential amino acids for the human body, especially for children," Clarissa describes.

But rice enters the carbohydrate group, which occupies the last part of the child's plate. Beyond it, you can turn to tubers: potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, manioc and cassava go very well on the plate and usually bring good amounts of vitamins.

Finally, do not forget the fats. They are already present in animal proteins (however, it should be remembered that meat should never be served with apparent fat). But they can also be added to the lunch plate in the form of olive oil or salad oil.

Can you have something for lunch and dinner? According to Clarissa, no problem, as long as it is limited to the amount of 200 ml per meal, ie an American cup. "The first choice of liquid in this meal is water and then a natural juice, but do not forget to compute that it equals to a portion of fruit in the day, explains the expert.

The dessert also requires care: a fruit is always the best option, but it can be interspersed with sweets sporadically. "The important thing is to avoid saying that candy is a special occasion because it devalues ​​the fruit for the child," reflects Cynthia.

And if you are in a hurry to prepare a meal with food, know that the sandwiches can also balance "You can and should use different protein options, such as a shredded chicken pate with cottage cheese and ricotta, or tuna pate with olive oil. , or a little bit of mayonnaise, ricotta pate and white cheese, "Clarissa says.

Also do not forget the fibers. Cintia reminds us to add vegetables like grated lettuce, tomato, carrot and beet. All this makes the snack more complete both in terms of nutrients and its size: eating a wholesome sandwich makes it even more satiating.

Intermediate snacks

It is no use making the main meals so balanced and leaving the intermediate snacks aside . The ideal is to balance the macronutrients you may have missed at other times.

"Encourage protein sources, especially dairy products, at this time as they have been less and less consumed," recalls Cintia. As for carbohydrates, a fruit or an integral biscuit are great options. In addition to including a mix of oleaginous to ensure the consumption of good fats.

What is a portion?

Quantities are also important for feeding the small. Clarissa Fujiwara exemplifies the size of a portion of each food:

Carbohydrate:

French bread: 1 unit

- Bread of form: 2 slices

- Cereals: 30 grams

- Fruits: a small unit or a handful of the small fruits

- Juice: 1 1 cup serving

  • Protein:
  • Cheese: 30 g (or a slice of 2 thumbs)
  • - Milk (200 ml)
  • - Rice: 1 serving spoon
  • or yogurt: one American cup (200 ml)
  • - Egg: 1 unit
  • - Sausage: 30 g (or 2 slices)

- Meat or fish: 1 filet of the size of the palm (80 g )

  • - Beans and legumes: 1 full shell
  • Fats:
  • Oilseeds: 1 cup
  • - Olive oil or vegetable oils: 1 tablespoon

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