Define Points to Keep in Mind while feeding a preschooler?
1. Do not force-feed the child.
2. Children naturally eat a variety of foods. Their sensory-specific satiety ensures that they tire of even their own favourite food.
3. Change the form. If milk is disliked, make kheer, kulfi or custarcd. Cocoa and chocolate flavouring is not the best choice but can give variety.
4. Good quality proteins should be given to ensure growth. A mix of vegetable proteins is recommended in those who do not opt for flesh foods. Give less bulky foods but rich in energy and proteins. Pulses, nuts, milk and milk products and eggs are recommended.
5. Encourage child to eat all food groups. Encourage vegetables, green leafy vegetables, and fruit in any form in daily diet.
6. New foods should be introduced one at a time. "Have a bite and taste" is a good policy. They are mostly wary of any new food.
7. Snacks have a special place in preschooler's diet. They are finger foods, easy to handle and eat independently. Care should be taken to make snacks, which are not fried and oily. Innovative methods of low fat snacks preparation should be tried. This helps in preventing faulty food habits formed at this age.
8. Prevent inclusion of junk foods, which provide only energy. Too many sweets biscuits, baked products like cakes and pastries, which have refined flour and sugar can cause dental caries.
9. Avoid nibbling. Have a 5-6 meal pattern, Keep gap of 3 hrs. And encourage physical activity and play to prevent obesity.
10. Tiffin to a preschooler needs special care and attention. Prefer simple meals, which are Liked even if they are cold. They should be adequate in proteins, vitamins and minerals needed for growth, for example, pea paneer pulao, sprout upma, paneer patty, carrot burfee etc, Select foods rich in vitamin A, iron, calcium and zinc. Meals should be attractive and served with care and personal attention.
11. Meals should be attractive and served with care and personal attention
12.Fried food, highly spiced, and highly flavoured foods are not liked. They are not eaten in adequate amount. Well cooked, bland but interesting meals are appetizing.
13. Too much attention at mealtime only makes child resort to unfair means of achieving their ends. On the other hand child left unattended but engrossed on a TV channel has no eating habit. Healthy mealtime environment of thefamily helps in good eating habits.
14. Parent's personal prejudices and dislikes should not affect child's feeding pattern. If caregivers dislike a food it should still be given to the toddler. Caregiver's personal choices should not be thrusted upon the child.
So that was an exhaustive list. Before we end our study here we would like you to carry out an activity given next. This will help you in understanding the feeding of preschoolers better.