Foods baby should not eat
Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
Salt
Babies should not eat much salt, as it's not good for their kidneys.
Do not add salt to your baby's food or cooking water, and do not use stock cubes or gravy, as they're often high in salt.
Remember this when you're cooking for the family if you plan to give the same food to your baby.
Avoid salty foods like:
- bacon
- sausages
- chips with added salt
- crackers
- crisps
- ready meals
- takeaways
Sugar
Your baby does not need sugar.
By avoiding sugary snacks and drinks (including fruit juice and other fruit drinks), you'll help prevent tooth decay.
Saturated fat
Do not give your child too many foods that are high in saturated fat, such as crisps, biscuits and cakes.
Checking the nutrition labels can help you choose foods that are lower in saturated fat.
See more on food labels.
Honey
Occasionally, honey contains bacteria that can produce toxins in a baby's intestines, leading to infant botulism, which is a very serious illness.
Do not give your child honey until they're over 1 year old. Honey is a sugar, so avoiding it will also help prevent tooth decay.
Whole nuts and peanuts
Whole nuts and peanuts should not be given to children under 5 years old, as they can choke on them.
You can give your baby nuts and peanuts from around 6 months old, as long as they're crushed, ground or a smooth nut or peanut butter.
If there's a history of food allergies or other allergies in your family, talk to your GP or health visitor before introducing nuts and peanuts.
See more on food allergies in babies and young children.
Some cheeses
Cheese can form part of a healthy, balanced diet for babies and young children, and provides calcium, protein and vitamins.
Babies can eat pasteurised full-fat cheese from 6 months old. This includes hard cheeses, such as mild cheddar cheese, cottage cheese and cream cheese.
Babies and young children should not eat mould-ripened soft cheeses, such as brie or camembert, or ripened goats' milk cheese and soft blue-veined cheese, such as roquefort.
There's a higher risk that these cheeses might carry a bacteria called listeria.
Many cheeses are made from unpasteurised milk. It's better to avoid these because of the risk of listeria.
You can check labels on cheeses to make sure they're made from pasteurised milk.
But these cheeses can be used as part of a cooked recipe as listeria is killed by cooking. Baked brie, for example, is a safer option.
Raw and lightly cooked eggs
Babies can have eggs from around 6 months.
If the eggs are hens' eggs and they have a red lion stamped on them, or you see a red lion with the words "British Lion Quality" on the box, it's fine for your baby to have them raw (for example, in homemade mayonnaise) or lightly cooked.
Hens' eggs that do not have the red lion mark should be cooked until both the white and yolk are solid.
So should duck, goose or quail eggs.
Avoid raw eggs, including uncooked cake mixture, homemade ice creams, homemade mayonnaise, or desserts that contain uncooked egg that you cannot confirm are red lion stamped.
Rice drinks
Children under 5 years old should not have rice drinks as a substitute for breast milk or infant formula (or cows' milk after 1 year old) as they may contain too much arsenic.
Arsenic is found naturally in the environment and can find its way into our food and water.
Rice tends to take up more arsenic than other grains, but this does not mean that you or your baby cannot eat rice.
In the UK, there are maximum levels of inorganic arsenic allowed in rice and rice products, and even stricter levels are set for foods intended for young children.
Do not worry if your child has already had rice drinks.
There's no immediate risk to them, but it's best to switch to a different kind of milk.
Raw jelly cubes
Raw jelly cubes can be a choking hazard for babies and young children.
If you're making jelly from raw jelly cubes, make sure you always follow the manufacturers' instructions.
Raw shellfish
Raw or lightly cooked shellfish, such as mussels, clams and oysters, can increase the risk of food poisoning, so it's best not to give it to babies.
Shark, swordfish and marlin
Do not give your baby shark, swordfish or marlin. The amount of mercury in these fish can affect the development of a baby's nervous system.
Further information
For more information and advice about babies and food, see:
- food allergies in babies and young children
- your baby's first solid foods
- baby and toddler meal ideas
Your baby's first solid foods
When to start introducing solid foods
Introducing your baby to solid foods, sometimes called complementary feeding or weaning, should start when your baby is around 6 months old.
At the beginning, how much your baby eats is less important than getting them used to the idea of eating.
They'll still be getting most of their energy and nutrients from breast milk or first infant formula.
Giving your baby a variety of foods, alongside breast or formula milk, from around 6 months of age will help set your child up for a lifetime of healthier eating.
Gradually, you'll be able to increase the amount and variety of food your baby eats until they can eat the same foods as the rest of the family, in smaller portions.
If your baby was born prematurely, ask your health visitor or GP for advice on when to start introducing solid foods.
Why wait until around 6 months to introduce solids?
It’s a good idea to wait until around 6 months before introducing solid foods because:
- breast milk or first infant formula provide the energy and nutrients your baby needs until they're around 6 months old (with the exception of vitamin D in some cases)
- if you're breastfeeding, feeding only breast milk up to around 6 months of age will help protect your baby against illness and infections
- waiting until around 6 months gives your baby time to develop so they can cope fully with solid foods – this includes solid foods made into purées, cereals and baby rice added to milk
- your baby will be more able to feed themselves
- your baby will be better at moving food around their mouth, chewing and swallowing it – this may mean they'll be able to progress to a range of tastes and textures (such as mashed, lumpy and finger foods) more quickly, and may not need smooth, blended foods at all
Signs your baby is ready for solid foods
There are 3 clear signs which, when they appear together from around 6 months of age, show your baby is ready for their first solid foods alongside breast milk or first infant formula.
They'll be able to:
- stay in a sitting position and hold their head steady
- co-ordinate their eyes, hands and mouth so they can look at the food, pick it up and put it in their mouth by themselves
- swallow food (rather than spit it back out)
The following behaviours can be mistaken by parents as signs that their baby is ready for solid foods:
- chewing their fists
- waking up in the night (more than usual)
- wanting extra milk feeds
These are all normal behaviours for babies and not necessarily a sign that they're hungry or ready to start solid food.
Starting solid foods will not make your baby any more likely to sleep through the night. Sometimes a little extra milk will help until they're ready for solid foods.
Get tips to help your baby sleep well
How to start solid foods
In the beginning your baby will only need a small amount of food before their usual milk feed.
Do not worry about how much they eat. The most important thing is getting them used to new tastes and textures, and learning how to move solid foods around their mouths and how to swallow them.
They'll still be getting most of their energy and nutrients from breast milk or infant formula.
There are some foods to avoid giving to your baby. For example, do not add sugar or salt (including stock cubes and gravy) to your baby's food or cooking water.
Babies should not eat salty foods as it's not good for their kidneys, and sugar can cause tooth decay.
Tips to get your baby off to a good start with solid foods:
- Eating is a whole new skill.
Some babies learn to accept new foods and textures more quickly than others. Keep trying, and give your baby lots of encouragement and praise. - Allow plenty of time, especially at first.
- Go at your baby's pace and let them show you when they're hungry or full. Stop when your baby shows signs that they've had enough. This could be firmly closing their mouth or turning their head away. If you're using a spoon, wait for your baby to open their mouth before you offer the food. Do not force your baby to eat. Wait until the next time if they're not interested this time.
- Be patient and keep offering a variety of foods, even the ones they do not seem to like. It may take 10 tries or more for your baby to get used to new foods, flavours and textures. There will be days when they eat more, some when they eat less, and then days when they reject everything. Do not worry, this is perfectly normal.
- Let your baby enjoy touching and holding the food.
Allow them to feed themselves, using their fingers, as soon as they show an interest. If you're using a spoon, your baby may like to hold it or another spoon to try feeding themselves. - Keep distractions to a minimum during mealtimes and avoid sitting your baby in front of the television, phone or tablet.
- Show them how you eat. Babies copy their parents and other children. Sit down together for family mealtimes as much as possible.
Texture progression
Once you've started introducing solid foods from around 6 months of age, try to move your baby on from puréed or blended foods to mashed, lumpy or finger foods as soon as they can manage them.
This helps them learn how to chew, move solid food around their mouth and swallow.
Some babies like to start with mashed, lumpy or finger foods.
Other babies need a little longer to get used to new textures, so may prefer smooth or blended foods on a spoon at first.
Just keep offering them lumpy textures and they'll eventually get used to it.
Safety and hygiene
When introducing your baby to solid foods, it's important to take extra care to not put them at risk.
Key food safety and hygiene advice:
- always wash your hands before preparing food and keep surfaces clean
- cool hot food and test it before giving it to your baby
- wash and peel fruit and raw vegetables
- avoid hard foods like whole nuts, or raw carrot or apple
- remove hard pips and stones from fruits, and bones from meat or fish
- cut small, round foods, like grapes and cherry tomatoes, into small pieces
- eggs produced under the British Lion Code of Practice (stamped with the red lion) are considered very low risk for salmonella and safe for babies to eat partially cooked
Always stay with your baby when they're eating in case they start to choke.
Choking is different from gagging. Your baby may gag when you introduce solid foods.
This is because they're learning how to deal with solid foods and regulate the amount of food they can manage to chew and swallow at one time.
If your baby is gagging:
- their eyes may water
- they might push their tongue forward (or out of their mouth)
- they might retch to bring the food forward in their mouth or vomit
Equipment checklist
- High chair. Your baby needs to be sitting safely in an upright position (so they can swallow properly). Always use a securely fitted safety harness in a high chair. Never leave babies unattended on raised surfaces.
- Plastic or pelican bibs. It's going to be messy at first!
- Soft weaning spoons are gentler on your baby's gums.
- Small plastic bowl. You may find it useful to get a special weaning bowl with a suction base to keep the bowl in place.
- First cup. Introduce a cup from around 6 months and offer sips of water with meals. Using an open cup or a free-flow cup without a valve will help your baby learn to sip and is better for their teeth.
- A messy mat or newspaper sheets under the high chair to catch most of the mess.
- Plastic containers and ice cube trays can be helpful for batch cooking and freezing small portions.
Find out more:
- tips to help your baby enjoy new foods
- children's food: safety and hygiene
- foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- how to stop a child from choking
- baby and toddler safety
Feeding your baby: from 0 to 6 months
Breast milk is the best food your baby can have during their first 6 months of life.
It's free, always available and at the perfect temperature, and is tailor-made for your baby.
First infant formula is the only suitable alternative if you do not breastfeed or choose to supplement breast milk.
Other milks or milk substitutes, including cows' milk, should not be introduced as a main drink until 12 months of age.
"Follow-on" formula is not suitable for babies under 6 months, and you do not need to introduce it after 6 months.
Babies do not need baby rice to help them move to solid foods or sleep better.
When using a bottle, do not put anything (such as sugar or cereals) in it other than breast milk or infant formula.
Vitamins for babies
It's recommended that breastfed babies are given a daily supplement containing 8.5 to 10 micrograms (µg) of vitamin D from birth, whether or not you're taking a supplement containing vitamin D yourself.
Babies having 500mls (about a pint) or more of formula a day should not be given vitamin supplements.
This is because formula is fortified with vitamin D and other nutrients.
All children aged 6 months to 5 years should be given vitamin supplements containing vitamins A, C and D every day.
Find out more:
- benefits of breastfeeding
- how to make up baby formula
- vitamins for children
Feeding your baby: from around 6 months
When they first start having solid foods, babies do not need 3 meals a day. Babies have tiny tummies, so start by offering them small amounts of food (just a few pieces, or teaspoons of food).
Pick a time that suits you both, when you do not feel rushed and your baby is not too tired.
Start offering them food before their usual milk feed as they might not be interested if they're full, but do not wait until your baby is too hungry.
Allow plenty of time and let your baby go at their own pace.
Keep offering different foods, even foods your baby has already rejected.
It can take 10 tries or more before your baby will accept a new food or texture, particularly as they get older.
Your baby will still be getting most of their energy and nutrients from breast milk or first infant formula.
Breast milk or infant formula should be their main drink during the first year. Do not give them whole cows' (or goats' or sheep's) milk as a drink until they're 1 year old.
You can continue breastfeeding for as long as you both want.
Introduce a cup from around 6 months and offer sips of water with meals. Using an open cup or a free-flow cup without a valve will help your baby learn to sip and is better for their teeth.
First foods
You might want to start with single vegetables and fruits.
Try mashed or soft cooked sticks of parsnip, broccoli, potato, yam, sweet potato, carrot, apple or pear.
Include vegetables that are not sweet, such as broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
This will help your baby get used to a range of flavours (rather than just the sweeter ones, like carrots and sweet potato) and might help prevent them being fussy eaters as they grow up.
Make sure any cooked food has cooled right down before offering it to your baby.
Foods containing allergens (such as peanuts, hens' eggs, gluten and fish) can be introduced from around 6 months of age, 1 at a time and in small amounts so you can spot any reaction.
Cows' milk can be used in cooking or mixed with food from around 6 months of age, but should not be given as a drink until your baby is 1 year old.
Full-fat dairy products, such as pasteurised cheese and plain yoghurt or fromage frais, can be given from around 6 months of age. Choose products with no added sugar.
Remember, babies do not need salt or sugar added to their food (or cooking water).
Finger foods
As soon as your baby starts solid foods, encourage them to be involved in mealtimes and have fun touching, holding and exploring food.
Let them feed themselves with their fingers when they want to. This helps develop fine motor skills and hand-eye co-ordination.
Your baby can show you how much they want to eat, and it gets them familiar with different types and textures of food.
Offering your baby finger foods at each meal is a good way to help them learn to self-feed.
Finger food is food that's cut up into pieces big enough for your baby to hold in their fist with a bit sticking out.
Pieces about the size of your own finger work well.
Start off with finger foods that break up easily in their mouth and are long enough for them to grip.
Avoid hard food, such as whole nuts or raw carrots and apples, to reduce the risk of choking.
Examples of finger foods include:
- soft cooked vegetables, such as carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, parsnip, butternut squash
- fruit (soft, or cooked without adding sugar), such as apple, pear, peach, melon, banana
- grabbable bits of avocado
- cooked starchy foods, such as potato, sweet potato, cassava, pasta, noodles, chapatti, rice
- pulses, such as beans and lentils
- fish without bones
- hardboiled eggs
- meat without bones, such as chicken and lamb
- sticks of pasteurised full-fat hard cheese (choose lower salt options)
Baby-led weaning
Baby-led weaning means giving your baby only finger foods and letting them feed themselves from the start instead of feeding them puréed or mashed food on a spoon.
Some parents prefer baby-led weaning to spoon feeding, while others do a combination of both.
There's no right or wrong way. The most important thing is that your baby eats a wide variety of food and gets all the nutrients they need.
There's no more risk of choking when a baby feeds themselves than when they're fed with a spoon.
Find out more:
- help your baby enjoy new foods
- drinks and cups for babies and young children
- food allergies in babies and young children
- foods to avoid giving babies and young children
Feeding your baby: from 7 to 9 months
From about 7 months, your baby will gradually move towards eating 3 meals a day (breakfast, lunch and tea), in addition to their usual milk feeds, which may be around 4 a day (for example, on waking, after lunch, after tea and before bed).
As your baby eats more solid foods, they may want less milk at each feed or even drop a milk feed altogether.
If you're breastfeeding, your baby will adapt their feeds according to how much food they're having.
As a guide, formula-fed babies may need around 600ml of milk a day.
Gradually increase the amount and variety of food your baby is offered to ensure they get the energy and nutrients they need.
Try to include food that contains iron, such as meat, fish, fortified breakfast cereals, dark green vegetables, beans and lentils, at each meal.
Your baby's diet should consist of a variety of the following:
- fruit and vegetables, including ones with bitter flavours, such as broccoli, cauliflower, spinach and cabbage
- potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy foods
- beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other non-dairy sources of protein
- pasteurised full-fat dairy products, such as plain yoghurt and cheese (choose lower salt options)
As your baby becomes a more confident eater, remember to offer them more mashed, lumpy and finger foods.
Providing finger foods as part of each meal helps encourage infants to feed themselves, develop hand and eye co-ordination, and learn to bite off, chew and swallow pieces of soft food.
Remember, babies do not need salt or sugar added to their food (or cooking water).
Feeding your baby: from 10 to 12 months
From about 10 months, your baby should now be having 3 meals a day (breakfast, lunch and tea), in addition to their usual milk feeds.
Around this age, your baby may have about 3 milk feeds a day (for instance, after breakfast, after lunch and before bed).
Breastfed babies will adapt their milk consumption as their food intake changes.
As a guide, babies fed infant formula will drink about 400ml daily.
Remember that formula-fed babies should take a vitamin D supplement if they're having less than 500ml of formula a day.
All breastfed babies should take a vitamin D supplement.
By now, your baby should be enjoying a wide range of tastes and textures.
They should be able to manage a wider range of finger foods, and be able to pick up small pieces of food and move them to their mouth. They'll use a cup with more confidence.
Lunches and teas can include a main course, and a fruit or unsweetened dairy-based dessert, to move eating patterns closer to those of children over 1 year.
As your baby grows, eating together as a family encourages them to develop good eating habits.
Remember, babies do not need salt or sugar added to their food (or cooking water).
Feeding your baby: from 12 months
From 12 months, your child will be eating 3 meals a day containing a variety of different foods, including:
- a minimum of 4 servings a day of starchy food, such as potatoes, bread and rice
- a minimum of 4 servings a day of fruit and vegetables
- a minimum of 350ml milk or 2 servings of dairy products (or alternatives)
- a minimum of 1 serving a day of protein from animal sources (meat, fish and eggs) or 2 from vegetable sources (dhal, beans, chickpeas and lentils)
Your child may also need 2 healthy snacks in between meals.
Go for things like:
- fresh fruits, such as apple, banana or small pieces of soft, ripe, peeled pear or peach
- cooked or raw vegetable, such as broccoli florets, carrot sticks or cucumber sticks
- pasteurised plain full-fat yoghurt
- sticks of cheese (choose a lower salt option)
- toast, pitta or chapatti fingers
- unsalted and unsweetened rice or corn cakes
The World Health Organization recommends that all babies are breastfed for up to 2 years or longer.
You can keep breastfeeding for as long as it suits you both, but your child will need less breast milk to make room for more foods.
Once your child is 12 months old, infant formula is not needed and toddler milks, growing-up milks and goodnight milks are also unnecessary.
Your baby can now drink whole cows' milk. Choose full-fat dairy products, as children under 2 years old need the vitamins and extra energy found in them.
From 2 years old, if they're a good eater and growing well, they can have semi-skimmed milk.
From 5 years old, 1% fat and skimmed milk is OK.
You can give your child unsweetened calcium-fortified milk alternatives, such as soya, oat or almond drinks, from the age of 1 as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
Children under 5 years old should not be given rice drinks because of the levels of arsenic in these products.
Find out more:
- what to feed young children
- foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- drinks and cups for babies and young children
- vitamins for children
Get Start4Life pregnancy and baby emails
For information and advice you can trust, sign up for weekly Start4Life pregnancy and baby emails.
Proper nutrition of children is underestimated by many. After all, our parents, grandparents somehow grew up without this knowledge. But in fact, the older generations, who grew up in conditions of total scarcity, did not have to fight temptations. They just didn't exist. And the products that were available were much more suitable for the definition of proper nutrition than the food that children now eat. And it's not even about fast food, the dangers of which are known to almost everyone. Nutritionists and other children's doctors spoke about what foods children should not eat and how to teach them to eat right in an interview with MIR 24.
“Nutrition is one of the main factors determining the normal development of a child, it has the most direct impact on his growth and health,” says pediatrician, senior medical consultant of Teledoctor 24 Maria Mamedova . - It is most important to observe the principles of rational nutrition in children of early and preschool age. This period is characterized by intensive growth processes, improvement of the functions of many organs and systems, especially the nervous system, enhanced metabolic processes, and the development of motor activity.
What not to eat for babies and preschool children
Vinogradov pediatrician Vladislav Zyablitsky , in addition to harmful foods for children of all ages, pediatricians emphasize foods that children under 3 years old should not eat. Here they are.
- Seafood such as shrimp, mussels, crabs (allergic).
- Sausages, sausages, sausages (overflowing with flavors, dyes, preservatives).
- Lamb, fatty pork, meat of waterfowl (geese and ducks) - contain an excessive amount of refractory fats of animal origin.
- Melon and grapes (increase gas production and increase the load on the pancreas).
- Everyone's favorite delicacy is ice cream (has an increased level of fat content, sugar content, harmful additives that can cause allergies).
- Honey if the child is prone to food allergies.
- "Adult" non-adapted milk (dangerous with allergies, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, decreased immunity of the child's body, metabolic disorders, atherosclerosis and arterial hypertension in the future).
- Cakes, cakes, sweets, chocolate, puff or shortbread cookies, other confectionery. They are crammed with food additives, sugar, fat, but contain almost no nutrients.
- Cocoa - due to the high fat content of the drink and the invigorating alkaloid theobromine.
- Do not give tomatoes until 1 year of age (they overload the kidneys).
- Only after 1.5 years is it permissible to give the child garlic, onions, bell peppers in small amounts.
- Pickled cucumbers and pickled tomatoes should not be given until 2 years of age (due to bacteria).
- Nuts, especially peanuts (very strong allergens).
- Celery (excessively activates the activity of the pancreas).
- Red and black caviar is forbidden up to 5 years (very allergenic, includes preservatives; contains excess salt, which is fraught with kidneys).
For the same reason, salted fish is prohibited.
- Mushrooms - the child's body does not contain enough enzymes to digest them. In addition, mushrooms accumulate radioactive substances and heavy metals.
Strictly not recommended for all children, regardless of age: salty crackers, chips, french fries, hamburgers and other fast food.
“The best way to avoid a child's love for such food is not to go to places where it is sold. Confidently walk past the bright signs of fast food restaurants, ignore the aroma of pies in a kiosk near the subway, forget about noodles and instant soups. After all, this food is a direct path to obesity, diabetes, to malfunctions of the immune and cardiovascular systems,” says Maria Mammadova. The pediatrician adds a few more to the list of products prohibited for preschoolers.
- Semi-finished products . It is fast, convenient, but not useful for children whose gastrointestinal tract is imperfect - the processes of digestion, the production of enzymes and bile in preschool children are still immature.
The nutritional value of semi-finished products is a dubious question, and one can only guess about the qualitative composition of their components. For the production of semi-finished products, vegetable proteins are often used, which are inferior to meat and fish in terms of amino acid composition. Excess salt in ready-made semi-finished products creates an unnecessary burden on the child's kidneys, food additives provoke allergies, spices irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa, starch and soy are poorly digested, causing functional disorders of the digestive system.
- Minced meat for children's food is best prepared by yourself, as the store-bought often contains a lot of fat, connective tissue, and bird skin. The same applies to minced fish: it is prepared from low-value fish varieties, and only a production specialist can control the quality of the product.
- Sausages . Some parents sometimes replace a full-fledged meat or fish dish on the children's table with sausages - for the same reasons of saving time.
The cost of a kilogram of the most optimal quality sausages is almost equal to the price of meat (veal, beef, pork), and sometimes even higher. But this does not mean at all that meat of a certain category is present in the composition of the product in the amount stipulated by the regulations. According to GOST, premium sausages consist of beef, pork, powdered milk or cream and eggs. If the product is of a lower grade, then it contains up to 10% trimmed meat, starch and a protein stabilizer. However, on the shelves of shops there are mainly sausages made according to specifications - according to the standards created by the manufacturing enterprise itself. That is why the composition of the product changes and becomes “richer”: various fillers (cheese, paprika), soy, sodium nitrite (color stabilizer) and monosodium glutamate (flavor enhancer), ascorbic and citric acid, as well as salt and spices are added to it. All these components, depending on the concentration in the product, adversely affect the health of the child.
- Smoked meat and fish products today are often produced not by the traditional method of smoking, which is also not very useful, but with the use of a special (and very harmful to the human body) substance that gives the product the necessary taste, smell and color.
- Carbonated soft drinks . This is a fully synthetic product. And even a certain percentage of natural juice in the composition of some "soda" is not able to compensate for the harm that artificial dyes, preservatives, flavors, sweeteners and carbon dioxide cause to a fragile body. They not only affect the gastrointestinal tract of the child, spoil the tooth enamel, but can also provoke a lot of serious diseases. The best drink for a child is water (clean drinking, from two years old - non-carbonated, but not medicinal), freshly squeezed juice diluted with water, fruit or dried fruit compote, berry juice.
- Vegetables and fruits "out of the can" . There are very few vitamins in products of enhanced heat treatment and long shelf life.
Canned vegetables contain a lot of salt and vinegar, fruits - a lot of sugar. And if this is not home preservation, then also synthetic preservatives. Children should be introduced to such products no earlier than seven years. It is better to freeze vegetables, fruits and berries in summer and autumn in order to cook delicious vegetable stews, casseroles, berry fruit drinks and fruit desserts in winter. Or buy ready-made frozen products, remembering that the shock freezing method is the most gentle.
- Mayonnaise and ketchup . Homemade mayonnaise, a product with a high fat content, can be given to a child only after three years, in small quantities and not systematically. From ready-made mayonnaise, which contains flavors, flavors, dyes, thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers and preservatives, it is better to refuse altogether. Ketchup also does not apply to baby food. There are a minimum of vitamins and nutrients in it, hot spices will harm the children's body, and they are produced using all the same preservatives and synthetic additives (to improve color, taste, aroma).
You can, but be careful: from sweets to spices
This group includes products that children, according to Maria Mamedova, can use under certain conditions, although they can only be introduced from the age of three and they should not be present in the diet constantly.
Sweets . Experts believe that chocolate is contraindicated for children under three years old. It creates an extra load on the pancreas, causes allergies, excites the nervous system of the crumbs, and can provoke caries. An alternative to chocolate is sweets made from carob, a sweet powder made from the pulp of carob. It tastes like cocoa, is very healthy and, unlike chocolate, has no "side effects".
The later the child gets acquainted with sweets, the better. But since everything sweet is a source of easily digestible carbohydrates that the body needs, as a dessert, you can occasionally offer your child a little marshmallow, marshmallow, marmalade, jam (while remembering the dangers of synthetic dyes and flavors).
It is even better to replace store-bought sweets with berries and fruits, honey (if there is no allergy), dried fruits, sweets and homemade jam.
Flour products . Their regular use provokes excess weight. You can sometimes allow your child to eat a bun or a pie (for an afternoon snack), but it is better to limit yourself to biscuit cookies or drying. Products made from puff, shortbread, pastry, which include margarine, should be completely abandoned - its components increase the level of cholesterol in the blood and provoke the development of vascular diseases in the future.
Herbs and spices . They make the taste and aroma of food richer, but seasonings for children's food must be selected very carefully. After a year, greens (dill, parsley, cilantro) can be added to the child’s food, from 1.5-2 years old - onions, garlic (in hot dishes), from 3 years old - bay leaf. Spices used in adult dishes can irritate a child's esophageal mucosa or provoke allergies.
Ready mixes of spices, various flavoring seasonings should not be added to food for a child, because in addition to the main components, they contain a lot of salt and various preservatives.
Instant porridges . It is very convenient to use them - you do not need to wash the cereal, wait until it is cooked. It is enough just to pour boiling water over a portioned bag, in which everything is already included - sugar, fruit or chocolate, cream or milk. And also - flavors, flavor enhancers and other synthetic additives. The nutrients and vitamins that whole grains contain are lost during the numerous processing steps. Therefore, the use of such porridge in baby food is justified only in emergency cases. For example, on the road - it's still better than eating sausage or fast food.
How to teach a child to eat healthy food?
“First of all, by example,” says Maria Mamedova. - If the house does not eat junk food, then the child will daily want what he is used to from an early age. Scientists say that even during pregnancy and breastfeeding, the future mother's cravings for certain foods are passed on to the child.
It is important to prepare the right snacks in advance so that children between meals do not grab cookies or candy from the table, but fruit or granulated bran. Delicious and healthy at the same time.
If there is soda or sweet store-bought juice in the refrigerator, you can give a 100% guarantee that the child will drink it first of all, and not the vital clean water. Therefore, the water filter should be in the most visible place so that it constantly catches the eye.
“Watch what your child eats and praise the correct choice. Focus on those products, the consumption of which leads to health, beauty and excellent sports achievements: depending on what he is passionate about,” says Maria Mammadova.
Most unhealthy foods can be replaced with healthy ones. Potato and corn chips will replace dried fruit slices. Instead of candy, you can eat dried fruits and dried berries. It is important not to confuse with candied fruits, in which there is no less sugar than in candies.
Eating regularly reduces the number of snacks, which means better control of what children eat. If breakfasts, lunches and dinners are held at a common table with adults, then the opportunities to intercept a couple of sweets instead of soup are significantly reduced. But healthy snacks are also not harmful, this is the key to the good functioning of the digestive system. Make them accessible and child-friendly. What can be used if there is no time to cook?
- Cut carrots, sweet peppers, cucumbers into containers.
- Popcorn free of artificial additives and saturated fat is a great whole grain snack.
- Pour fruit and vegetable smoothies into small bottles.
- Place the bowl of fruit in the most visible place.
Let the children participate in the menu design, so they become more interested in the result.
It's always nice to get exactly what you ordered, what you like, for dinner. Do not force yourself to eat unloved foods, no matter how useful they may be. You can always find an equally useful replacement. And pay attention to the fact that healthy products are of high quality.
Reduce the amount of simple sugars in your diet. To do this, it is not at all necessary to put the child on a diet - just look at the label of those products that you buy out of habit, not paying attention to the composition.
- Replace your traditional loaf with whole grain bread.
- Instead of sweet yoghurt, choose natural yoghurt with a fat content of no more than 1-3%.
- Make homemade cookies instead of store bought.
- The best replacements for store-bought drinks are water and fruits or fruit and vegetable smoothies.
- Try to avoid trans fats. They are most commonly found in processed foods, fast food, fried foods, frozen pizzas, pies, cookies, margarines, and sandwich mixes.
- If fried foods are a big part of your diet, try gradually switching to stews, steamed or baked foods.
It is important to maintain a pleasant atmosphere while eating. It is better to postpone the showdown and "debriefing" for another time. TVs and tablets should also be turned off. When a person is busy watching a cartoon or TV show, his brain does not think about food, which adversely affects digestion and leads to obesity.
“By the way, the correct process of eating can be learned from babies,” says Maria Mamedova. “They only eat when they are hungry, they chew their food thoroughly, giving it all their attention. And they stop eating as soon as they are full. At the same time, children under three years old cannot be forced to eat foods that they do not like. And they choose, as a rule, exactly those that the body needs at the moment.
Schoolchildren and adolescents: six elements of their healthy diet
In school-age children, the need for basic nutrients and energy remains high and is due to physiological and biochemical characteristics: accelerated growth and development, differentiation of various organs and systems, especially the central nervous system, and the intensity of metabolic processes.
“It is important to follow a differentiated approach to determining nutritional needs depending on the type of student's activity,” says Maria Mamedova. - So, for schoolchildren studying in specialized schools with increased mental and physical stress (mathematical, with the study of foreign languages, sports schools, etc.), the total calorie content of the diet should be increased by 10% of the age norm. During the child's stay in health-improving institutions (holiday camps, forest schools, etc.) due to increased energy consumption (intensive physical education, swimming, hiking, etc.), it is also advisable to increase the calorie content of the diet by 10% with a uniform increase in all nutrients and preservation a balanced diet."
According to the expert, a properly established diet is of great importance for school-age children. It is most expedient to establish the following diet: 1st meal - at 8:30; 2nd - at 12:00-13:00, 3rd - at 15:30 - 16:00, 4th - at 19:00. Breakfast and dinner should be 25% of the daily calorie intake, second breakfast - 15%, and lunch - 35% of the daily calorie intake.
If possible, school breakfasts should be hot. If this is not possible, then a milk-fruit breakfast (milk, bun, sweet curd cheese or processed cheese, fresh fruit) can be recommended. Lunch should consist of soup, a second course of meat (fish) and a side dish, a sweet dish (compote, jelly, juice or fresh fruit). It is desirable that before the first course there is a salad of fresh vegetables or a vinaigrette. A teenager can already be offered radishes, radishes with sour cream or vegetable oil, tomatoes, fresh cucumbers with green onions and sour cream instead of salad before meals. Vegetables stimulate appetite, promote the release of digestive juices and improve digestion.
According to Maria Mammadova, there are six groups of products that are simply vital for the full growth and development of a teenager.
- Complex carbohydrates . These are the main suppliers of energy, which is so necessary with rapid growth. They are found in cereals and cereals.
- Products containing protein . These are animal meat, poultry and fish. Protein is the main building material for soft tissues and internal organs. And, by the way, meat, especially red meat, contains iron, a lack of which can cause anemia in a teenager.
- Vegetable fiber . It is nothing but vegetables, root vegetables and fruits. Fiber is necessary for the normalization of the gastrointestinal tract and cleansing the body of toxins due to the natural antioxidants contained in these products.
- Vegetable fats . These are vegetable oils and various nuts. Eating these foods can be a great way to help a teenager avoid the common problems of hair loss and brittle nails at this age.
- Milk and dairy products . These are irreplaceable suppliers of calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus in the nutrition of adolescents.
- Pure drinking water . For normal functioning of the body, you need to drink an amount of water per day at the rate of 30 ml per 1 kg of body weight.
That is, a teenager who weighs 50 kg should drink 1.5 liters of pure water, not counting other liquids.
And if the younger generation adheres to these simple nutritional recommendations, health and normal development will be ensured.
“If in adolescence a person does not get used to healthy food and does not begin to eat right, then it will be quite difficult for him to change his habits and eating habits. And the problems associated with malnutrition can manifest themselves not only in being overweight, but also in the development of various diseases, ”says the doctor.
If you are serious about improving your child's diet, do not try to do it in one day. Here are a few steps to help you transition smoothly to a new diet.
- Start replacing your usual foods with healthier ones. At the same time, you can tell the teenager why you decided to do this, what knowledge you lacked before and where you got it.
- Make sure that the child does not get the feeling that you are depriving him of something.
Let the impression be the opposite: we as a family decided to try something new, gain interesting experiences and improve the quality of life.
- Go shopping together, read the ingredients on a box of corn flakes, and try to choose ones that are free of refined sugar and artificial flavors.
- Find out more about nutrition, a balanced diet and physical activity, and most importantly, share this knowledge with your children. Ask them to tell you what is happening with their body, then they will become more aware of the issue and observe the effect of changing nutrition. And maybe they will look for information about it themselves.
Parents are able to form an optimal eating behavior in a child. But remember that eating right yourself and setting a good example for children is much more important than talking long and hard about the benefits of healthy eating.
7 foods that are undesirable for children under one year old
Of course, modern mothers know that sausages should not be given to babies, soda and cream cakes. What else can not eat children under one year old? We made a list of 7 less obvious foods.
1. Salt
Excess salt in the diet is harmful to the baby's kidneys and can lead to swelling and dehydration. Of course, a lack of salt is also not useful, but in real life, with a normal diet, it practically does not occur: salt is contained in sufficient quantities in most foods, and there is no need to add salt on purpose. And if for us, adults, baby purees and cereals without salt and sugar seem tasteless and disgusting, don’t worry, for a baby, the situation is completely different.
The taste perception of young children is not yet spoiled by excessively sweet and salty foods, flavors and flavor enhancers. If your child refuses mashed broccoli, then most likely he just does not like the taste and texture of broccoli, and not at all the lack of salt.
2. Sugar
Everyone knows the dangers of excess sugar - dental problems, obesity, associated cardiovascular diseases and the risk of developing diabetes. However, it can be very difficult to refuse a cookie or candy to a child familiar with the sweet taste, and tears are usually inevitable. What to do?
The secret is simple - introduce foods with added sugar into your baby's diet as late as possible, at the earliest in the year, although it is better to wait until two years. The National Nutrition Optimization Program for Children aged 1 to 3 years recommends limiting sugar in the diet of babies 1 to 3 years of age to 25-30 grams per day, taking into account the sugar found in special baby foods, juices, yogurts, etc.
3. Honey
It would seem that honey is a wonderful and healthy alternative to sugar, so why is it not recommended for babies under one year old? In fact, the reasons some. First, honey can contain spores bacteria Clostridium botulinum. The immune system of adults and children older people can easily cope with them, but in babies they can cause a deadly disease called infantile botulism.
Secondly, honey is the strongest allergen, so it is better to postpone acquaintance with it until a later age.
4. Fruit juices and drinks
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released in 2017 New recommendations for adequate intake of fruit juices in infants, young children and adolescents who begin with advice to completely avoid fruit juice for feeding infants life. According to AAP, excessive juice consumption can lead to diarrhea, overeating or, conversely, malnutrition, as well as to occurrence of dental caries*. At the same time, babies can and should be offered Whole fruit, mashed or pureed.
A various fruit drinks and nectars in addition to natural sugar from fruits often contain added sugar, which makes them perfectly unsuitable for feeding babies up to a year.
Breeding of juices and nectars with water does not completely solve the problem, since it does not reduce dental risks. If your child refuses to drink water, try compotes and fruit or herbal teas.
5. Foods that are easy to choke on
The danger of a product to children is determined by several characteristics: consistency, shape, and size. Most often babies gagging slippery, round, sticky, fibrous and hard products.
The most dangerous are all round and large enough to block the airways: lozenges, grapes, cherry tomatoes, nuts**. Not far behind in sad dangerous food rating other candies (especially sticky ones), fish bones and meat and, in fact, the meat itself ***.
Remember that theoretically a child can choke on any food, so never leave your baby unsupervised eating.
6. Egg white
Have you ever wondered why in all complementary feeding schemes is it the yolk, not the whole egg? Nothing surprising: egg protein is one of the strongest allergens. Up to a year is better limit the baby to only the yolk, and introduce the protein a little later.
Only make sure the eggs are thoroughly cooked. Raw and half-raw eggs may contain a bacterium that causes salmonellosis, a disease deadly for young children.
7. Cow and goat milk
Surprised? Whole cow's milk is the main cause of allergies in children under one year old. In addition, it contains a large amount of lactose, milk sugar, which some babies have difficulty digesting due to the fact that their gastrointestinal tract is not yet sufficiently developed. There are studies linking the early introduction of animal milk into the diet as a substitute for mother's milk or infant formula with an increased risk of iron deficiency anemia and type 1 diabetes. ****
Goat milk is actually not much different from cow milk, goat and cow are evolutionarily close, goat milk proteins are very similar in structure to cow proteins, and almost as often cause allergies.
It is advisable to introduce cow's milk into the diet of a child not earlier than 1 year. Interestingly, this rule does not apply to special children's fermented milk products, they are easier to digest and useful for babies.
