Does your children always seem hungry? Just after they have eaten one meal, they are famished again in no time for the next! This is because they need the energy and nutrients from food to meet their growth requirements.
Many parents have been telling me how much more tired and stressed out they feel during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period, juggling working from home and catering to their children's meals.
Here's a list of what you can do to help your children eat well during this MCO.
THINK QUALITY NUTRITION
Not all foods are the same. Sure, your child can easily feel full just by eating a bag of chips, as he would eating a bowl of noodle soup. All foods contain calories, but their key nutritional content of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals vary greatly from one another.
Processed foods and drinks are deemed empty calories because they contain very little nutrients. When children fill up on empty calories, they aren't going to feel hungry to eat a proper meal with better nutrients.
PRE-PLAN A SIMPLE MENU
Work out a simple menu for the week that the whole family can eat. In your menu, make sure your child's meals consist of grains, vegetables, fruit, lean protein and dairy so they get a variety of nutrients.
Keep the meals simple and easy for you to prepare. Healthy meals don't have to be overly elaborate and time consuming. That just adds unnecessary stress.
A pre-planned menu also helps you draw up a better grocery list when you venture out for your family's marketing during this MCO period, so you don't end up buying unnecessary foods.
ESTABLISH A ROUTINE
It's easy to fall into a disorganised timing rut when we're all just sitting around at home or sleeping in longer than usual. And with this, eating time and hunger cues also go out the window.
I would suggest establishing a bit of structure to the day's routine, so that children's activities, online schooling, rest time and meals have their proper times in the day. This helps children to regulate their hunger too, and not just eating mindlessly every time they feel bored.
DON'T SKIP MEALS
Most children have online classes while schools are closed. Studying online still requires focus and attention, just as you would in a regular classroom.
Research shows that hungry children who skip meals will get hungry and lethargic. This lessens their ability to concentrate and pay attention. With my daughter, I follow her school's time-table with her meals and snacks for the day. I make sure she gets up sufficiently early so she can have a simple breakfast before her online classes start. Then, at mid-morning break, she has some fruit to snack on for fiber and some natural sweetness. Then, she has a proper lunch when it is lunch break time. I also ensure that she has her tumbler of water with her to sip on during her online classes to stay properly hydrated.
KITCHEN PLAY TIME
Use the time to do fun kitchen activities and simple cooking with your children. Trust me, children love doing kitchen activities and what better way to encourage them to eat healthy when they can brag that they made it! There are plenty of healthy recipes on the internet to try. If you have green fingers, use this time to teach your child how to grow vegetables, fruit and herbs at home.
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