Proper nutritional supplementation helps children develop fully both physically and intellectually, especially at the age of 0-3 years, when children develop outstandingly physically. Therefore, the daily diet at this age should focus on nutritional balance and in accordance with the incomplete digestive and absorption apparatus in children. In this article, Cleanipedia will share with parents a nutritional menu for children from 0 to 3 years old.
Balance the groups of substances in the meals of children 0-3 years old
Baby’s daily meals are very important. If parents do not balance 4 nutritional groups in one meal, try to balance this amount of nutrition within 1 week. In particular, parents should pay attention to the supply of nutritional groups from a variety of foods. Here, parents can refer to food sources according to nutrition groups to choose for their children’s daily meals.
1. Starch
Starch, also known as carbohydrates or carbs, is a starchy substance that provides the main energy for children’s movement and development. In foods, there are many types that contain natural starch such as rice, corn, oats, sweet potatoes, legumes …
According to the habit, most mothers tend to provide starch for their children from rice such as rice, porridge… To maintain energy for children with a diverse source of starch, mothers should add more foods. More diverse products with menu including: mashed potatoes, oat porridge, cooked rice combined with beans such as chickpeas…
In addition to the diverse nutritional supplement benefits, changing the processing ingredients also helps children enjoy and enjoy the nutritional menu for 1-year-old babies, nutritional menus for 2-year-olds, and nutritious menus for children. Suitable for 3 year old baby..
2. Protein
Protein is very important in brain development and growth promotion. Foods containing protein include: animal protein and vegetable protein. Animal proteins such as meat, milk, eggs, fish, shrimp… are often valued because they have high value. If the child’s animal protein intake reaches about 50% of the child’s nutrition, the child usually grows well and is healthy.
Vegetable protein is often found in foods such as tofu, sesame, peanuts, broccoli… Parents should not attach too much importance to animal protein but underestimate vegetable protein. A good combination of two types of protein in the child’s diet will help them absorb it more easily. In addition, overemphasizing protein content and neglecting other nutritional groups can create a burden on a child’s liver and kidneys, sometimes leading to excess protein but still undernutrition.
3. Fat
This group of substances also provides a high source of energy for children and is very beneficial in helping children eat well. Among some of the good fats found in olive oil for weaning babies , Gac oil… also contains a lot of healthy vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, K…
For children in the weaning stage, parents should add 1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil when cooking for children. In addition to some of the above vegetable oil groups, animal fats such as chicken fat are also recommended by experts in adding fat to children’s meals.
4. Vitamins
This is a group of substances that need not too much content but are difficult to absorb and are extremely important in the formation of the immune system and promoting metabolism in the body of children.
You need to note that vitamin supplements in the child’s diet must be balanced. The situation of supplementing with a certain substance in this group, whether lacking or in excess, causes an unstable situation for the development of children. For example, vitamin C plays a very important role in the formation of antibodies for the immune system of children. However, too much vitamin C can lead to diarrhea in young children.
5 Minerals
The role of minerals is very important for bones, teeth and blood supply to the body. Some essential minerals commonly found in everyday foods can be listed as:
- Calcium
found in milk, eggs, shrimp, crabs, snails, mussels, tofu, almonds, yogurt…
- Iron
found in beef, animal organs such as heart, liver, dark green vegetables such as kale, broccoli …
- Zinc
Foods rich in zinc are usually shellfish such as oysters, oysters, mussels, legumes such as chickpeas, lentils or whole grains…
Like vitamins, the addition of minerals needs to be balanced in proportion, avoiding hindering the absorption of the child’s body, easily causing an excess of one type but a deficiency of the other.
Nutritional needs by age
Is nutrition for children from 1-3 years old really important? Depending on the age of the child, the amount of food that needs to be provided in addition to the right quality also needs to be well controlled in the quantity. Parents should monitor the child’s height and weight and control the nutrition regime to assess the child’s development.
Nutritional menu for children 0 – 1 year old:
Mothers should try to maintain breastfeeding for babies at this age. If possible, maintain breast milk for 18-24 months. Breast milk provides antibodies to help the baby perfect the immune system better. The energy needs of this age range often range from 100 to 110 kcal/kg. When your baby turns 5 months old, you should start learning to prepare for a smooth “start-up” of the weaning period.
Nutrition menu for 1 year old baby model 1
- Breakfast: Oatmeal mini pancakes with sliced banana and nut butter, Breast milk or milk in a cup
- Morning snack: Ripe melon slice, plain yogurt, vanilla or fruit. Water
- Lunch: Meatballs cut into small pieces, Pasta or pasta, Boiled sweet potatoes, Breast milk or formula.
- Afternoon snack Wheat crackers; Water
- Porridge dinner with salmon, carrots and beets, breast milk or water, Tutti muffins,
- breast milk or formula before going to bed.
Nutrition menu for 1 year old baby model 2
- Breakfast: Small mushroom omelette; Berries with plain yogurt; Breast milk or milk in a cup; Morning snack of apple slices with nut butter; Water
- Lunch: vegetable tofu soup; Potato chips; Ripe pear slices; Breast milk or formula
- Afternoon Hummus snack with 100% whole grain pita; Cherry tomatoes (cut in quarters); Water
- Dinner: boiled chicken; 100% whole grain or roll; Water
- Snack before bed: banana yogurt wrap; Breast milk or formula
Daily menu for 1 year old
Breakfast ● 120 grams iron breakfast cereal or one hard-boiled egg. ● 60 ～ 120ml whole milk (with or without oatmeal). ● Half a banana cut into pieces. ● 2 ～ 3 strawberries cut into pieces. Morning Snack ● A slice of toast or a whole-wheat muffin (can also be a tablespoon of cheese or peanut butter or yogurt). ● Full cream milk 120ml. Lunch ● Half a chicken or fish sandwich, served with egg salad or peanut butter. ● 120 grams of green vegetables. ● Full cream milk 120ml. Afternoon snack ● 30 ～ 60g cheese (cubes or strips) or 30 ～ 45g fruit or berries. ● Full cream milk 120ml. Dinner ● 60 ～ 90g chopped or diced meat ● 120g cooked orange or yellow vegetables. ● 120g whole wheat noodles, rice or potatoes. ● Full cream milk 120ml.
Nutritional menu for children 1-3 years old:
Children from 8 – 12 kg need about 800 – 1200 kcal / day to function and develop. When calculating the daily amount of food, parents can apply the ratio of protein:fat:carbohydrate = 15:20:65 to make a menu for their children.
The conversion ratio of substances in kcal is as follows:
- Starch: 1 g for 4 Kcal
- Fat: 1 g for 9 Kcal
- Protein: 1 g for 4 Kcal
Nutrition menu for 2-year-old baby model 1
- Breakfast: ½ cup fat-free or low-fat milk; ½ cup iron-fortified cereal or 1 egg; 1⁄3 cups fruit (e.g. banana, cantaloupe, or strawberry); ½ slice whole-wheat toast
- Morning snack: 4 crackers with cheese or ½ cup chopped fruit or berries; ½ cup of water
- Lunch: ½ cup low-fat or fat-free milk; ½ sandwich — 1 slice of whole-wheat bread, 1 ounce of meat, a slice of cheese, vegetables (avocado, lettuce, or tomato); 2–3 carrot sticks (sliced) or 2 tablespoons other dark yellow or dark green vegetables; ½ cup berries or 1 small (½ ounce) low-fat oatmeal cookie
- Afternoon snack: ½ cup fat-free or low-fat milk; ½ apple (sliced), 3 prunes, 1⁄3 cups grapes (sliced), or orange
- Dinner: ½ cup fat-free or low-fat milk; 2 ounces of meat; 1⁄3 cups pasta, rice or potatoes; 2 spoons of vegetables
Nutrition menu for 2-year-old baby model 2
- Breakfast : breast milk or bottle 240 ml milk with mineral water ; Bread + butter or jam ; Fresh fruit, preferably chewable or can be brewed
- Lunch: Chopped vegetables and porridge cooked with 1 teaspoon of oil in 4 oils: Sunflower, Rapeseed, Olive Oil, Grape Seed). Lunch is about 200g – can be adjusted according to your taste. Protein is meat or fish or 1/2 hard-boiled egg (white + yellow); Fresh fruit, preferably chewable OR milk (preferably infant formula)
- Snack: Soft fruit or toast + jam and glass of milk
- Dinner: Chopped or pureed vegetables and pureed porridge and 1 tablespoon of oil in 4 oils: Sunflower, Rapeseed, Oléisol, Grapeseed in the weight of 130 to 200 g depending on your taste; Fresh fruit, preferably chewable OR milk (preferably infant formula); Breast milk or bottle feeding 240 ml growth milk with weak mineral water
- Optional: Baby cereal when applying this nutritional menu for 2-year-olds.
Hopefully, the sharing of Cleanipedia will help parents worry less about taking care of their children. Don’t forget to visit Cleanipedia regularly for good tips on taking care of your home and family.
