New Year's celebration tips for parents: Ensure healthy nutrition for kids
Photo: How to feed children during the New Year holidays (freepik.com)
New Year holidays are a time for joy, fun, and delicious treats. However, amid all the festive events, it's important not to forget about children's health, particularly their nutrition. How can you create a festive atmosphere for kids while ensuring a balanced diet?
RBC-Ukraine (Styler project) has prepared several effective tips for parents.
Breakfast – foundation of day
Even on holidays, breakfast remains the most important meal of the day for a child. It provides energy for the entire day and helps avoid overeating sweets. Some healthy options include an omelette with herbs, cottage cheese with fruit, or oatmeal with honey and nuts.
Control over sweets
The New Year table is often filled with candies, cakes, and other treats. However, excessive sugar can negatively impact a child's well-being. Try offering alternatives: fruit salads, homemade jelly, or baked goods with minimal sugar.
Healthy drinks instead of sodas
Holiday drinks also matter. Instead of sugary sodas, it's better to offer children:
- Homemade compote made from dried fruits.
- Warm, non-alcoholic apple cider.
- Berry smoothies or tea with lemon and honey.
Children as little chefs
Involve your child in preparing festive dishes. Together, you can make "Christmas trees" from vegetables, star-shaped sandwiches, or cheese balls- "snowballs." This not only develops an interest in food but also motivates the children to try what they've made themselves.
Control portion sizes
Children don't need large amounts of food. Serve meals on small plates to avoid overeating. Stick to the principle of "less is better," especially when it comes to calorie-dense dishes.
Healthy snacks
The festive table should offer alternatives to heavy and fatty dishes. Offer:
- Vegetable sticks with yogurt sauce.
- Sandwiches with turkey, cheese, or egg.
- Nuts and dried fruits.
Meal schedule
Holidays should not disrupt a child's usual eating schedule. It's best to have main meals at the same time as usual. This helps avoid fatigue, mood swings, and maintain good well-being.
Activity – part of the celebration
Plan active activities between meals: a walk outdoors, family games, dancing, or sports fun. This helps children stay active and burn off extra calories.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
