When a baby reaches six months old and starts to eat solid food, some moms think that what they eat are good enough to be eaten by babies. Some moms also think that as long as food is soft, can be chewed by their babies, they are also good to give for snacking. Sadly, some of the snacks given are high in sugar, sodium, fat and preservatives. This is not correct.
Because young kids have small stomachs, they may not be able to meet all of their body’s nutritional needs during meal time. World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 3-4 meals/day with 1-2 snacks for 9-23 months of age. Purposeful and healthy snacking also ensures good nutrition. It helps to stave off unnecessary hunger pang that can promote overeating. It also fosters development of eating habits that may have lifelong consequences.
It is critical to remember that parents initially make these snacking choices for their kids. When snack time comes, it is vital that options safe, healthy, and tasty for children are incorporated into their diets.
To help jumpstart healthy eating, here are expert-approved smart and healthy snacking tips—
- Recognize hunger cues. Children will decide when they will eat and how much they want, but what they eat is in your hands. That said, learn to recognize your child’s hunger cues. Instead of overriding them, provide healthy options to satiate their hunger.
- Keep portion sizes reasonable. Too much food in-between meals will have your child too full to eat during the main mealtimes. Let them ask for more if they are still hungry.
- Timing is important. Offer snacks 2 to 3 hours before the next meal. Let them take their meals sitting down, and discourage any activities done while eating.
- Variety is key. According to experts, combine at least two from the 5 food groups (example: fruit group with grain, vegetables with meat group) This ensures that we meet the nutrient requirements from varied sources.
- Incorporate FUN during snacktime. Provide an array of exciting colors, flavors and texture.
- Key in Safety in preparation and selection of appropriate snack items. Make sure your child is ready each time you introduce solid food. The size and texture of the food also must be appropriate to the ability of the children to digest the food choices (no choking, no gagging).
To help moms in providing a nutritious and enjoyable snack for their kids 10 months old and above, CERELAC introduces its newest product—NEW CERELAC® NUTRIPUFFS®.
CERELAC® NUTRIPUFFS® is made with whole wheat and real fruit bits, and is a source of iron, B1 and Fiber. It comes in two exciting flavors—Banana Strawberry and Banana Orange. CERELAC® NUTRIPUFFS® also comes in a fun star shape that makes snacking enjoyable for kids, and a size and texture specifically designed to help babies develop their chewing and fine motor skills.
QUICK FACTS
As babies get exposed to solid food, they also begin to develop feeding skills (eating from a cup/plate and self feeding). Unfortunately, some children also get introduced to food high in sodium, sugar and artificial preservatives at an early age.
Cerelac has developed Nutripuffs, a cereal-based baby snack for children 10 months to 3 years. It is available in 2 variants: Banana & Strawberry and Banana & Orange and costs PHP74.50 a pack. The product is made with whole wheat and fruits rich in vitamins B1, Zinc, and Iron.
Zinc is a mineral that aids healing and is essential to the immune system. It is most commonly found in seafood, whole grains, beans, and nuts.
Iron is essential to processes in the blood and in metabolism. Food rich in Iron include seafood and meat as well as grains and nuts.
B1 is a member of the B complex nutrient group. It helps the body process carbohydrates and is present in grains, cereals, and nuts.
Aside from being packed with nutritional value, Nutripuffs are also specially designed to aid in refining fine motor skills.
Babies aged 10 months to 3 years old are developing their ability to coordinate the different muscle groups in their body.
Experts agree that it’s really important that parents’ and babies’ needs are met. In this case, it can be as simple as providing the kids with a fun snack packed with the nutrition they need.
Catch CERELAC® NUTRIPUFFS® in leading supermarkets and drugstores nationwide. It is also currently available in Lazada.com.ph.
Photo credit for the baby: http://bit.ly/2odrKF2
