The Mediterranean Diet For Kids

Maintaining Children's Health with the Mediterranean Diet

I strive to keep myself healthy and fit, and as a mother of four and a grandmother to three lovely grandchildren, I aim to inspire my family to stay healthy as well. I've written this blog to share how simple it is to ensure our younger generation remains healthy, mentally sharp, and emotionally content.

Why Choose the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean diet is often hailed as “the best diet” by health professionals due to its numerous benefits. Not only is it considered the best, but it’s also easy to get kids to follow. Additionally, this diet is affordable, promotes healthy lifestyle habits, and fosters family unity. Your family will enjoy nutritious food and a healthy lifestyle. The Mediterranean diet has been shown to prevent long-term illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, setting your children up for a healthy life. By establishing good eating habits now, your kids will make healthier choices both now and in the future. Research also indicates that this diet helps reduce anxiety and boost confidence, which is an added benefit.

Simple Changes!

Start by swapping one food or ingredient for another. For instance, replace white rice and pasta with brown rice and colorful pasta. Colorful noodles are fun and encourage kids to decorate their pasta dishes with various colored veggies. Cooking with kids at home is exciting and makes them feel more involved. They are more likely to eat the food if they’ve helped prepare it.

Fantastic Benefits!

The Mediterranean diet is nutritious, diverse, easy to source, affordable, and includes all food groups. It aligns with the Australian dietary guidelines.

What to Eat and Why.

Fruits and Vegetables, the Number “1” – The vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables are crucial for a child’s healthy body, protecting them from diseases and supporting bodily functions like clear vision, healthy skin, bones, and teeth.  Let the kids pick their favorites at the supermarket, promoting a variety of colors.

Base your meals around fruits and vegetables. Try a fruit salad topped with a bit of yogurt or roasted vegetables with a side of fish nuggets.

Incorporate whole grains like brown rice; wholegrain products provide energy, fuel the brain and nerves, and protect against diseases. Include lentils, chickpeas, or canned four-bean mix, seafood, and eggs. These are excellent sources of protein, essential for building muscles and hormones. Hormones act as the body’s instruction manual.

Encourage small amounts of cheese and yogurt, as calcium strengthens bones and enables proper nerve function.

Use only olive oil and healthy fats like avocado, nuts, and seeds. These foods contain nutrients necessary for cell building, healing cuts, and muscle movement.

Limit red meat to 1-3 small (65g or palm-sized) pieces per week; fish and lentils are healthier options. Avoid processed meats like bacon or sausages and processed packaged foods like chips and snacks such as instant noodles. These foods are high in salt, sugar, unhealthy fats, and preservatives, which can negatively impact health and lead to weight gain.

Drinking water helps transport vitamins and minerals throughout the body, eliminates waste, and protects joints from wear and tear. Encourage kids to drink plenty.

Add some fun to life with a healthy dessert!! Try this one! Delicious peanut butter banana n-ice cream!

How to Encourage Kids to Adopt New Eating Patterns

• Be consistent

• Keep it simple

• Make it a family activity

• Involve kids in meal preparation

• Introduce new foods gradually

• Include them in shopping

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How to Encourage Kids to Eat Fish and Legumes, Yes It’s Possible!

Make eating fish easy by serving small portions so kids can get accustomed to it. Crumb and air fry it, make fish kebabs, avoid fish with a strong smell, and take them fishing so they can catch it themselves. Here are two great easy recipes that are family favorites: Crispy fish nuggets and delicious legume bolognese!

Snack Ideas – Kids Love Snacks

• Celery boats – celery sticks cut lengthwise and filled with peanut butter topped with sultanas or a little cheese (not too much filling as peanut butter and cheese are high in fat).

• Vegetable sticks with hummus dip

• A handful of unsalted nuts

• Low-salt air-fried popcorn with their friends!

• Strawberries with friends