The school stage is the period in which the child begins to acquire habits and customs with everything related to food. It is a stage of vital importance, since the acquired alimentary habits will determine to a great extent the decisions that take when it is adult.
From HLA San Carlos Dénia, the nutritionist, Mª Ángeles Martín Ballester, together with Cristina Soria Soler, student of the Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics of the University of Alicante give us some advice on how to feed our children of school age.
Advice and Objectives
Food during this period of life has the following objectives:
- Ensure a complete energy and nutritional contribution that achieves optimal growth and development of the child.
- Prevent diseases in adolescence and adult stage.
- Promote healthy dietary habits.
- Promote physical activity as an important part of health.
We must bear in mind that, during childhood, children's eating habits are conditioned by several factors, such as decisions about the food that their parents or guardians take, which are responsible for the purchase and preparation of food. foods; On the other hand, we have school canteens, in which children receive a very important part of their daily diet. It is the duty of health professionals, together with parents and educators, to coordinate themselves to achieve a healthy diet and adequate hygienic and alimentary habits during the first years of the child's life.
Therefore, the school canteen must provide a quality meal, both at a nutritional level and according to hygienic and sensory criteria through proper nutritional education. Menus should incorporate elements of all food groups in appropriate proportions as the main ingredients.
- Raw or cooked vegetables and vegetables: as a first course or as a side dish.
- Legumes: 1 or 2 times per week.
- Foods from the cereal group: rice, pasta and potatoes will be the main ingredient of the first course 2-3 times per week preferably in its integral form.
- Lean meats, assorted fish and eggs will alternate as the main element of the second dish, always accompanied by a salad or vegetable and vegetable side dish supplement.
- Fish: at least 1 or 2 times per week.
- Desserts: piece of fruit and / or a dairy, preferably natural yogurt.
- Wholemeal bread: at least once a week.
In addition, menus must be adapted to the special needs of children, whether due to food allergies or intolerances, religious beliefs, metabolic diseases.
It is important that at home, the family take into account certain dietary recommendations to complete the child's daily diet:
- If you know what the child has eaten at school, it will be easier to prepare complementary rations at home.
- Breakfast should never be lacking in food. This first meal of the day will provide about 25% of the daily energy and nutrient requirements. Fruit with cereals or whole wheat bread and milk or dairy products will set up an appetizing and adequate breakfast.
- The snack is the ideal time to consume a dairy derivative, bread and seasonal fruit.
- Dinner should not be too copious. Perhaps it can be configured with a scheme similar to the noon meal but in less quantity.
- It is not advisable to abuse sugar, sweets and sweets, it is more appropriate to consume fruits, natural nuts and low-fat dairy.
- Wholemeal bread, whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables, in addition to mineral salts and vitamins, also provide fiber and other substances of great health interest.
- The consumption of soft drinks and sweetened drinks should be moderated by replacing them with water.
- The little manipulated foods lose less nutritional elements. Excess sauces and fried foods should be avoided.
Daily food rations
It is important to know the nutritional qualities of different foods, which we classify into groups according to the nutrients that predominate in them. A balanced diet implies a contribution of adequate nutrients in the amounts necessary for the organism. The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend that of the total energy ingested, around one 45-60% come from carbohydrates, one 20-35% fat healthy and one 10-15% of proteins.
To cover these nutritional requirements, the following daily food rations are recommended:
- Food group Daily servings
- Farinaceous (preferably integral) 4-6 rations / day
- Vegetables and vegetables ≥ 2 rations / day
- Fresh fruits ≥ 3 rations / day
- Olive oil 3-6 rations / day
- Nuts 3-7 rations / week
- Milk and derivatives 2-3 rations / day
- Meat, fish, eggs and legumes 2 rations / day
- Fish and seafood 3-4 rations / week
- Lean meat 3-4 rations / week
- Eggs 3-4 rations / week
- Legumes 2-4 rations / week
- Water 4-8 rations / day
- Superfluous foods (nutritionally unnecessary): Sugary drinks, sausages, chips, candy, pastries, etc. Occasional and moderate consumption
The joint work of food and nutrition professionals, dieticians-nutritionists, the collaboration of parents, teachers and school canteen staff will help the child acquire the proper eating habits to ensure optimal growth and development.
