Do’s
- Encourage kids to eat every 3-4 hours
- Include protein in every meal and snack
- Have a hearty, protein-rich breakfast
- Provide healthy fats
- Provide healthy snacks and drinks
Don’ts
- Skip breakfast
- Give lunch money every day
- Eat at bedtime
- Have the same menu every day
Some Tips
Sandwiches
- Not okay for everyday
- Not a good composition (usually high in simple carbs, little protein, often little to no vegetables or good fats)
- If making a sandwich, think healthy “cold cuts” – home-cooked chicken/turkey breast, thinly sliced
Healthy snacks are important
- Don’t forget the protein
- Prevent cravings later
- Maintain blood sugar to prevent “crash” during mid-morning and mid-afternoon
Choose the right drinks
- Keep water intake up
- Consider dairy alternatives – e.g. rice, coconut milk
- Can you have too much fruit juice? Yes! (Click here for more information)
Some Meal Suggestions
Breakfast
- Hard-boiled or poached eggs
- Fruit
- Rice cakes and nut butter (if tolerated/allowed) or “alternative nut butter”
- Protein shake/smoothie – berries, greens, avocado, clean protein powder
- Quinoa/amaranth porridge
- Whole or puffed grains cereal with fruit, nuts and dairy alternative
Lunch
- Leftover dinner
- Salad (or veggie sticks) with grilled chicken
- Quinoa or other grain salad with poultry or fish and veggies
- Homemade stew (beans, lentils, chicken, vegetables)
Dinner
- Poultry, fish, bean/lentil mix
- Salad, steamed/sautéed vegetables
- Whole grain: brown rice, barley, quinoa, sweet potato, yam
- Limit white potato and corn
Snacks
- Apple wedges with almond butter (if tolerated/allowed) or “alternative nut butter”
- Veggie sticks with hummus
- Kale chips
- Rice crackers with bean-guacamole
- Roasted chickpeas
