Making mealtime nutrition time for toddlers

MANILA, Philippines - Is mealtime with your three-, four- or five-year-old becoming like a game of tug-o-war? While you try to creatively present their meals, your three-year-old starts to be picky with food, your four-year-old selectively eats vegetables or probably requests the same type of food over and over, and your five-year-old is glued to the television or would rather play than eat. Parents not only battle for their child’s attention during mealtime, they also worry if they are able to give them the right kind of food and nutrition to support their growth and development.

Tiffany Santuyo, a registered nutritionist and dietitian, explains that this is an essential stage for building your child’s healthy eating habits.  At ages three, four, and five, the child is at his most active and his curiosity is at its peak, thus, it is critical that a healthy eating habit is established to support this development phase.  

Menu planning will help parents face the everyday challenge of preparing food for their children. It helps make sure that the meals they prepare are balanced, and have the perfect combination of meat, dairy, rice and grains, fruits and vegetables so as to provide the right mix of brain and body-building nutrients they need.  Parents will also see that planning ahead saves time, energy, money, and produces less waste.  

“The key to menu planning centers on the following principles: strive for balance, emphasize variety, add contrast, think about color, and consider eye appeal,” shares Santuyo.  “For parents’ easier reference, Alaska NutriBuild 345 has introduced the Alaska NutriBuild 345 Nutriplate, which is a tool that gives parents a visual representation of the kind and amount of food that’s appropriate for their child’s age and needs,” she adds.

In addition, Santuyo emphasizes that menu planning should also include mealtime schedules.  “Remember, your preschoolers need structure, routines, and limits.  As such, it would help to plan regular meal and snack times.  You can reserve 20 to 30 minutes for regular meal times and 10 to 12 minutes for snacks,” she recommends. 

To give parents a more concrete example, Santuyo shares a sample menu that parents may serve their preschoolers.  

P0wer-packed breakfast

1/2 slice papaya

1 pc. scrambled egg (with or without meat bits)

1/2 cup rice

1 glass of milk

Yummylicious lunch

Pork sinigang (2 pieces meat and at least 1/2 cup vegetables)

1/2 cup boiled rice

1 pisngi of a ripe mango

Awesome dinner

1 small-size fish fillet

1/2 cup chopseuy

1/4 cup sweetened saba (with or without sago)

1 glass of milk

Milk is still an important part of your child’s diet.  As parents carefully plan the nourishment they give their child, they are also responsible for giving the right milk support to help provide the nutritional requirements for their preschoolers’ growth and development, as solid foods alone may not be enough.  Alaska NutriBuild 345 is packed with minerals that support the rapid demands for physical growth and endurance.  It has FOS/inulin that activates intestinal functions, assists in digestion, and reduces the risk of constipation and diarrhea.  Alaska NutriBuild 345 also contains EFA or Essential Fatty Acids that are important for normal growth in body and brain development, and a mixture of iron+zinc+iodine, which supports the development of brain functions.  In addition, it has choline and taurine which helps in the development of cognitive and memory functions, and DHA/ARA that supports healthy vision and cognitive development of young children.  All of these are essential to support the needs of your growing three to five-year-olds in order for them to be mentally alert and be able to adjust to their physical growth requirements.