Written by Paris Kazemian
The biggest challenge is typically kids aren’t getting the necessary vitamins and nutrients in the summer The most important thing to keep in mind during the summer is keeping your kids properly hydrated. In this topic we want to talk about kids’ diet in summer.
If kids are outside being active and sweating, they need to stay hydrated and though it may be tempting to just let the kids grab whatever they want out of the fridge, it’s important to keep control over what they drink.
Sugar-sweetened drinks are not recommended at any time. That includes sweet teas, lemonade, juice or soda even no-sugar soft drinks. Instead, we can add fruit to water for flavour, or even sparkling flavoured waters as a way to keep things fun and interesting.
Fruit Juice?!
Although fruit juice is okay in moderation, it should be limited. Kids, especially when they’re thirsty, can drink several cups of juice at a time, so you want to keep them from drinking too much sugar.
Energy Drink?!
If they’re young and just being moderately active, playing with friends, they don’t need it. If they’re an older kid or teen and playing baseball or soccer all day, there is a place for sports drinks but water should always be the priority.
Ice Cream in kids’ diet
Summer is high time for ice cream, popsicles, and other tasty, cold treats to help kids stay cool. But just because you want to keep them healthy doesn’t mean you have to ditch these items altogether. And, yes, there are plenty of alternatives you can choose from.
We know Ice cream contains calcium. Studies have shown that calcium (Ca) can inhibit iron (Fe) absorption, regardless of whether it is given as Ca salts or in dairy products. This may cause concern as increased calcium intake commonly is recommended for children and as a result, they are usually at risk of iron deficiency.
Foods Contain High Amount of Water in kids’ diet
Fruits and veggies generally have great water content. Fruits like watermelon, melons and berries are great sources of water, veggies like cucumbers, celery and capsicum have a lot of water, too.
Homemade Frozen Delights in kids’ diet
You can also whip up homemade treats. Not only can this be more convenient and save you some money, but you have more control over the ingredients.
Some ideas include:
- Blend various fruit and yogurt combinations and pour them into reusable popsicle moulds.
- Cut up various fruits and dip them in chocolate or yogurt then freeze them.
- Use frozen fruits like bananas, mangoes, or strawberries to create homemade ice cream.
Snack Foods
Many popular snacks like chips and pretzels are high in refined carbohydrates, which turn to sugar in the body. And that’s not a great combination for kids at any time but especially during a busy time like summer. Those sugars are quickly digested and don’t sustain a child’s energy or keep them feeling full as long.
The goal is to give kids food that gives them more sustainable energy throughout the day and keeps them feeling full so they don’t fall into a cycle of over-eating. Fruits, veggies, healthy fats, and proteins are the best choices. We might think that it’s simply about giving them calories but we really want to make sure the calories we give them will keep them full and won’t be burned so quickly.
Keep The Schedule Consistent
An important aspect of summer eating is keeping kids’ eating schedules consistent with the school year. “When kids are in school, they don’t have free access to snacks whenever they want and we want to keep that same pattern going while at home too.
It’s okay for kids to have (healthy) snacks every couple of hours, it’s just important to keep that structure in place. Keeping them on their main three meals a day and then having planned snacks is a good way to approach it. as a parent, you might not always be able to swing it. But as much as you can keep them to that set meal structure, the better behaviour it sets.
Some Practical Ideas
- Meal planning is a great way to provide the necessary structure and ensure healthy meals and snacks at any time of the year. But some ideas work especially well in the summertime.
- when you are preparing meals, be sure to get all necessary food groups – protein, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and dairy – into the meal. Changing up options and even getting different foods on the plate can be fun for younger kids and get them more engaged in eating healthy foods.
- While salads are generally a great option, consider changing things up a bit. For example, pick a protein, like chicken, and then lay out all the options to create a salad bar for kids to build their own. Try different varieties, like some healthy Mexican salad options.
- Another option is soups. Many people don’t know that they can serve soups cold, as well, you can make yourself a large batch of summery soups and freeze them. Then, when you need it, you can either heat them for serving or defrost them a bit to serve cold.
- Cold pasta salads are another great summer item that can be stored in the fridge and dished out over several days. Using whole grain or bean-based pasta which can deliver both fiber and protein, you can throw things on there like a little cheese or turkey pepperoni as well as veggies like bell peppers and zucchini.
- And if you’re running low on time – not uncommon during a busy summer! – you can keep quicker meals like sandwiches and wraps healthy by relying on whole-grain bread and mixing in fruits, veggies, and proteins. A combo like spinach, chicken, and hummus in a wrap, with some strawberries on the side, isn’t just delicious, but nutritious and filling. Remember to get the kids involved and always make it fun.
