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Young children
Appears in
Published 1986
Many children automatically want to eat the same meals as their parents, because they like to feel ‘grown up’ so there is generally no problem in introducing new foods and flavours to them. But it is wise never to make anyone eat what they do not want to. Some children, for example, do not take easily to strongly spiced food. Very young children will still be wanting some of their foods mashed or puréed.
Growing children need more protein than fully grown adults (with the exception of pregnant women who also need more). So provide meals with complete or complementary protein. Examples of complete protein foods are milk, eggs and cheese, and an easy way of ensuring it is to add skimmed milk to recipes when baking. Examples of complementary protein are combinations of cereal with milk, rice with legumes, or legumes and sesame seeds. Another example is any form of wheat with cooked dried beans, or soya beans and peanuts. Toast with baked beans is an excellent meal, but a sandwich of miso and sesame spread with added salad vegetables would be ideal.