What your child eats and drinks, when and how much, are all very important factors in their growth and development. Eating and drinking well helps your child to be happy, healthy and do well at school. 

Healthy Eating 

Kids have small stomachs, so it is important to spread their food out across the day and make sure they fill up with the right nutrients. This will help to give them the energy they need to learn and grow. 

You can also help your child to eat more fruits and vegetables by including vegetable sticks or cheese and tomato on wholegrain crackers, or fresh fruit at snack times instead of foods with high amounts of fat or sugar like potato chips or sweet biscuits. 

Preparing healthy snacks and lunches every day can be tricky. With a little bit of planning and some new ideas, however, it can be made fun and easy.   

Healthy Drinks

Healthy drinks are an important part of a child’s diet. It is good to not only provide healthy meals and snacks but also give your child water or plain milk too. 

Your child can stay hydrated by drinking water throughout the day. This is very important on hot days. Sugar-sweetened beverages should be limited and only consumed occasionally as they have added sugar and no nutritional value. 

Even fruit juices have high sugar content and do not have much fibre. If your child enjoys drinking juice, try to limit to half a cup per day or try giving them a piece of fruit instead!  

Have a look at the links below. 

Articles  

Helping children to eat more fruit and vegetables

Winter snacks for kids

Healthy eating for the younger Mob

Why your child's lunchbox is still full

Healthy lunchboxes 

Healthy snacks 

How much should kids be eating 

Drinks for Kids