Helpful Tips for Parents

• Breakfast is the most reliably linked meal to cognitive performance in school-age children. Prioritize a protein- and fiber-rich breakfast every morning.

• Picky eating peaks between ages 2–5 and is developmentally normal. Most picky eaters significantly expand their diets between ages 6–10 without intervention.

• Serve new foods alongside accepted foods. A new food appearing next to something the child loves reduces threat and increases willingness to try.

• Family meals where everyone eats the same food are the most powerful eating behavior intervention available. Children whose families eat together have better diets across childhood and adolescence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are organic foods necessary for preschoolers?

The EWG's "Dirty Dozen" list identifies conventionally grown produce with the highest pesticide residue — prioritizing organic for these items (strawberries, spinach, kale, peaches, pears, nectarines, apples, grapes, bell peppers, cherries, blueberries, and green beans) reduces pesticide exposure most cost-effectively. For items on the "Clean Fifteen" list, organic offers minimal additional benefit. Any fruit or vegetable, organic or conventional, is better than no fruit or vegetable.

Related reading: See also our rainbow snack board guide and our cooking projects guide for more ideas on this topic.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• 🥦 Healthy Food Knowledge — Learning about different foods, food groups, and what nutrients do in the body builds the food literacy that supports a lifetime of informed, health-conscious eating choices.
• 🤝 Family & Cultural Connection — Sharing meals and preparing traditional family foods connects children to family history, cultural identity, and the social bonds that family mealtimes — one of the strongest protective factors in child development — provide.
• 🌿 Where Food Comes From — Understanding that food grows from seeds, is harvested, and travels to the table connects children to the natural systems that sustain all human life — and measurably increases willingness to eat vegetables children have grown.
• 🔄 Trying New Things — Regular exposure to new foods in a positive, low-pressure context teaches children that trying something unfamiliar is safe and often rewarding — a disposition toward novelty that accelerates learning in all domains.

Raising a Healthy Preschooler

Helping your preschooler to eat well and be physically active are keys to lifelong health. Be a positive role model for your preschooler. Setting good examples of healthy eating and fitness is much more effective than instituting rules about food intake and exercise. As you plan daily activities with your preschooler, integrate these food and activity guidelines for optimal health.

Choose Healthy Foods for Your Preschooler

Simply pick foods for your preschooler because they provide good nutrient value for the calories. In other words, choose foods that are nutrient-dense. Foods that are fresh or less processed are generally the most nutrient-dense. Important food choices for preschoolers are fresh fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy products or dairy alternatives such as soy milk, and whole grains such as oatmeal, whole grain bread, and brown rice. Other nutrient-dense foods are nuts and seeds, beans, and lean meats such as chicken and fish. Keep soft drinks and sweet treats to special occasions only.

Help Your Preschooler Achieve a Healthy Weight

Healthy eating and physical activity should be family priorities. Reinforce your preschooler's active approach to life with at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Take walks, walk to errands when possible, play at the park, dance to music. One way to determine if your preschooler has a healthy weight is to find out their Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is calculated using height and weight information and is known to be an indicator of body fat. Although BMI is not always accurate, BMI can overestimate body fat in individuals with large frames or with lots of muscle mass for instance, it is one way to gauge healthy weight in your preschooler. Visit http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnpabmi/Calculator.aspx for more information and to determine your child's BMI.

Be Aware of Important Nutrients for Your Preschooler

Know which foods provide important nutrients for preschoolers. Experts believe that children are at risk of not getting enough calcium, fiber, potassium, vitamin E, and magnesium in their diet. Visit articles on these nutrients to learn about good food sources.

Food Safety is Important for Your Preschooler

Wash hands often. Avoid unpasteurized milk and juices, raw eggs, raw or undercooked meat, poultry, fish and shellfish, and raw sprouts.

Use the Food Guide Pyramid to Plan Preschooler Diets

Healthy diet plans are available as a framework for the day's foods. The Food Guide Pyramid is one example of a diet plan that can be used to meet the needs of preschoolers. Be familiar with how much from each food group is recommended to meet your preschooler's nutrient needs.

Sources:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005, 6th Edition , Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, January 2005. www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines

U.S. Department of Agriculture. www.MyPyramid.gov , 2005.

I'm Kati Chevaux , the Nutrition writer at PreschoolRock.com. Let's talk about how to how to help our preschoolers eat well and develop life-long healthy eating habits. Contact me with your preschool nutrition questions and healthy eating ideas.

HOME | SITEMAP | ADVERTISE | CONTACT | REPRINTS | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS OF USE

Preschool Nutrition is Copyright 2006 - Kati Chevaux

PreschoolRock.com is Copyright 2006 - Stacey Lloyd - All Rights Reserved.