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| FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (Child Nutrition) |
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| Question 1 |
How can I get my 8yr old son to eat more vegetables? (Rajeev S) |
| Answer 1 |
Depends quite a lot on how often you serve them and how often you eat them yourself. Set an example for your children by filling your own plates with veggies and making positive comments about their taste. Serve fruits at breakfast as shakes or juices and veggies with meals as salads. Try sneaking vegetables in soups, stuffing for paranthas, raitas, cutlets or mithais like carrot halwa or dudhi kheer. It may take some time, so be patient and keep trying
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| Question 2 |
When do I introduce solid foods for my four month old daughter? Are there any signals to look out for?(Meenakshi P)
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| Answer 2 |
It is advisable to begin weaning your baby when she starts showing developmental signs that indicate her readiness for eating solid foods. These signals can be her ability to sit with good head control, putting toys or objects in her mouth and trying to chew them or even watching others with interest, when they are eating. Babies who are born at term start showing these signs by 4-6 months, while the pre term babies might take a bit longer.
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| Question 3 |
My daughter refuses to drink milk. How do I substitute calcium in her diet? (Mansi T)
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| Answer 3 |
Although the easiest route to giving children the calcium they need might be pouring a glass of milk or serving a bowl of curd or grilled cheese sandwich, not every child can — or will — consume dairy delights. Calcium for such children can then be supplemented by adding dark leafy vegetables, legumes like chick peas, sprouts, nuts(almonds) ,soybean ,sesame seeds (til laddoos) and whole grains like naachni/ragi in their diets.
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| Question 4 |
My 13-year-old son usually binges through the day and skips the main meals. Is snacking bad and should it be avoided? (Subhalaxmi A)
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| Answer 4 |
Snacking in children is inevitable and you need not worry about it or forbid the children from eating snacks. Just ensure that the snack choice is appropriate and is eaten in between meals and not as a meal replacement. Try to increase the fiber count of his diet while making him eat whole grains, whole pulses and salads during meals. This would keep his appetite and bingeing habit in control. Always keep healthy snack options like fruits, nuts (almonds & peanuts) sprouts bhel, vegetable frankies (made with whole wheat flour and filled with stir fry vegetables), milk products like curd, cottage cheese (paneer), roasted or steamed corn, etc available. At times, children binge out of boredom, so indulging in a sport or some fun activities like swimming and dancing helps.
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| Question 5 |
I could not breast feed my child and had to put her on formula milk. Is it going to affect her growth and development? (Srividya S)
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| Answer 5 |
Although breast milk is the best nutritional choice for infants; breastfeeding may not be possible for all women due to professional commitments or specific medical considerations. So for such mothers who are unable to breastfeed or who decide not to, formula milk serves as a good alternative. If you feed your baby with a commercially prepared formula under your doc’s supervision, you can be assured that your baby's nutritional needs will be met.
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| Question 6 |
Can you please suggest some breakfast options for kids which can be had on the go? (Madhur A) |
| Answer 6 |
Yes, I agree it becomes a challenge to get kids ready and eat breakfast in time for school. But it’s crucial to keep trying. Keep grab-and-go alternatives such as bananas, wheat biscuits, nuts, cereal bars, flavored yoghurt and chapatti roll with jam or cheese sandwiches handy, which can be carried and even had in the school van. Ensure that they get some carbohydrate (bread/roti), protein (milk/eggs/curd/cheese) and fiber (juices) for breakfast or mid morning snacks. |
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