Good food for kids

Expert session Questions and Answers

Before exercise a small snack or milk , after exercise normal diet . Balance of carb proteins and fruits . Excess protein is not good for kids. After the exercise handful of dry fruits can be given

Cold is not related to immunity and food . Ensure that she has enough physical activity . Check Hb too.

Avoid only banana and grapes and only during cold . Can have them otherwise. Banana by itself cannot cause cold but can aggravate it.

Make’junk food’ at home! Healthy burger , Pizza with lots of veg, sprout bhel etc.

Milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, soya and tofu contain B12. These can be given

Paneer, Dal, sprouts, mushrooms are good protein sources . You can add protein powder to milk (check content) . 1 g protein per kg is generally enough.

Not your mistake! Ensure proper chewing and don’t let him gulp food. He will overcome it.

Introduce new foods along with his favourite food, it helps. You can twist food and make it more interesting. Give him pizza but make a healthy one at home. Similarly you can make burgers, noodles also at home. Use more vegetables and whole wheat instead of maida.

No tonics please! Ensure good play, avoid snacking before the major meal and most importantly RESPECT his appetite. Just ensure that his growth is appropriate.

Please restrict breads and even if you do give, ensure it’s multi grain bread. Also restrict milk to twice a day (400 ml) a day.

He may need an assessment. Hb may be needed and also deworming

It is advisable to give fruits in evening along with milk. Milk and dry fruits should be given in the morning. After that you should insist only on proper meals. It might be difficult in the beginning but be firm and he will come around. Also natural sugars in fruits, honey, jaggery , dry fruits are not unhealthy! Avoid refined sugars and concentrated sweets like mithai, chocolates , Sweetened beverages etc

Substitute sugar with jaggery, jaggery syrup and date syrup. Make sweets using these products. Even in milk don’t add sugar. You can add dry fruit powder or these syrups in it

As less as possible, particularly if the child is showing overweight tendency . Growth should not exceed 3 kg in a year. 6-9 years is the age when kids can become overweight.

Soya milk, Low Lactose or lactose free milks. Curd, Buttermilk (50 % less lactose). However lactose intolerance in temperorary 

You can give a glass of banana shake or any other seasonal fruit along with almonds, figs, walnuts. This is enough to take care of the evening appetite and stil not make them over full.

Try giving only fresh curd which is at room temperature and not the refrigerated one. Curd generally does not cause cold (Traditional belief) . No scientific evidence.

Other foods should be made a part of the diet. You can make parathas using vegetables like peas, spinach, potatoes, paneer.

Yes. Add it on top of rice, roti and dal.

Complex carbs like oats and millets (jowar bajra) are healthier. Polyunsaturated fats are healthier but overall fat intake should be lowered. Trans fats ( vada pav, farsan items) are the worst.

Make bhakri with jowar bajra or nachni twice a week. Add oats for breakfast. Have a mix as all cereals have different nutritional qualities . Millets are rich in iron and calcium.

Could be growing pains . Give Vitamin D supplement. Must have 2 glasses of milk daily . That should be enough.

Cheese is a good source of calcium and proteins but high in fats. Restrict the amounts given to avoid obesity. Chocolates, ice cream should not be given often as it can cause cavities.

No. It’s usually Pityriasis alba and common in school going kids .

Ensure right diet with fruits and veg. Train in correct posture for passing stools . Stool softening agents may be needed

Home food is generally fine . Ensure exercise (Most adolescents busy with only academics).

Dry fruits like almonds, dates, dried figs are a good source of calcium.

I will give you one practical advise that worked with my son. I took him for a casual visit to a dentist for general cleaning. Dentist spoke to him about cavities and how they remove it. That was enough to scare him and he himself restricted the intake of sweets out of fear of that chair.

Cut down on milk , make her squat down.

Egg is an excellent source of proteins as it provides all the essential amino acids. It is very good to add it to his daily diet.

Yolk and white are both important. Make omelette or scrambled egg.

This is absolutely fine!

Non veg is the best source of first class proteins. Other sources of proteins are pulses, sprouts, soy, milk, eggs and meat.

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Dr Umesh Vaidya – Healthy Food For Kids

Dr. Umesh Vaidya – Healthy Food For Kids is the topic that he will be discussing with the parent. Dr. Vaidya is a medical practitioner or Doctor by profession. He is a paediatrician, Neonatologist and author of books on Nutrition. He is a governing member of the West Zone at the National Neonatology Forum and is the President of State Chapter of the National Neonatology Forum. His expertise lie in child care practices, infant food, childhood illnesses and general health of kids.

Dr. Umesh Vaidya is well known in India for his passion for quality neonatal care and has a keen interest in both parental and internal neonatal nutrition. He has co-authored a book on preterm care for parents.

The Session
Dr Umesh Vaidya – Healthy Food For Kids is the topic where he will be answering growing concern and questions from the parents. For more details, visit our website.