Diet chart with Indian recipes for 5 year child

You should focus a bit more on the nutritional requirements of the kids in the 5^th year. The brain fully develops at this age and proper physical growth begins from this phase.

Besides, the schooling almost became a part of the routine and kids may show up tantrums mostly on foods.

5 Years kid healthy eating

• He or she can be able to eat by him. It’s not a bad thing even if the child doesn’t eat on his or her at times. Feed the kid healthy. Kids are smart and they will learn on their own.
• Provide multiple healthy options to choose from.
• Give a lot of textures, colors, flavors, and options to choose from.
• The food should be appealing and satiate their taste buds.
• Your child should be eating foods from all food groups from grains to fruits and even meat, in the case of non-vegetarian.

What most parents experience at this stage?

• Kids become fussy to drink a glass of milk even with enhanced flavors.
• Never eat fruits and vegetables.
• Seek for candies, chips and fries.
• Finish the meal in two gulps,.
• Mommies blackmail the child to eat.

More than all these, kids at this age drink a lot of beverages and little water! These are some major mistakes that might affect the growth and development.

This is the age that serves as the entry point to obesity at a younger age. Focusing on healthy eating patterns with choicest foods is crucial. Similarly, kids should be taught about the importance of healthy eating at this age.

They have good grasping power and can understand it quickly.

Focus more on nutrients

Nutrition during the preschool year is very important for the kids in terms of energy for learning and higher activities more than physical growth.

Apparently, you have to feed the balanced diet, rather introduce the balanced diet in your preschooler eating pattern.

Kids easily go dehydrated, especially active kids who play a lot.

Kids who don’t eat well may go malnourished of iron. This is something major that most mommies should consider. If your child seems to be exhausted and dull most of the time, he or she may lack iron.

Foods you should serve to 5 years old child (this is not a staple, but make your own call on this)

Grains – Bread, rice, pasta, crackers, cereals, wheat, millets (any one or two at least one meal a day)

Fruits and vegetables – as much as they want, all choices PLUS one glass of fruit juice is ideal (veggies can be cooked in any form except fries (at least not daily) and raw fruits or fruit salads)

Dairy Products – 2 – 3 glasses of milk (if not one glass of milkshake with 2 glasses of milk), cheese, butter, ghee, and yogurt. (Don’t avoid fat)

Meat and Fish -2 servings maximum (preferably during lunch)

Fats – Use oils and fats to cook food and don’t restrict cooking with oils. Oils and fats are essential for brain development in kids. Coconut oil, sesame oil, vegetable oil, cheese, butter, etc.

Lots of water and liquids as and when needed.

Foods to avoid for 5 years old child

While it is literally not possible to avoid certain types of foods (say bottled beverages) try to limit as much as possible.

• Transfat – This is the unhealthiest fats of all, which is deposited as extra calories in the body, causing obesity.
• Canned and tinned juices tagged as “fresh, organic and healthy juices.”
• Limit consumption of biscuits, cookies, and crackers
• Some varieties of leafy green vegetables
• Large pieces of meat (kids won’t be able to chew)
• All raw foods – Nutrition is important, but they need not follow a raw diet. Cooked foods are healthy for children and don’t let them feed on grass.
• Sticky foods like marshmallows, peanut butter, etc.

As told in the 4 years diet chart for the kids, teach them, let them pick the choice of fruits and veggies they like, list of foods they want to eat and make them priority in choosing the foods.

If your child is a picky eater?

My boy/girl is a picky eater! She is just playing and totally avoids eating the foods! Here I have a few solutions for you!

Do you remember when you started feeding solid foods to the baby? If not try to recall. You have introduced only one solid food at a time.

Got it right? Now, follow the same practice to let your picky eater transform into a foodie! Introduce one new food at a time, even if it is a fruit salad.

Children need to try at least 5 times to enjoy the new food before they really accept it.

Introduce new foods to the baby when he or she is really hungry. This proves the old saying TRUE! When you are hungry, you don’t care about how it tastes! Go for it.

No SHORT ORDER COOKING. Remember it. If you cook three or four items, have at least once food that your child likes the most. Just like the rest of the family eats all food items, tell your child she also should eat all like others.

Don’t try to be a MASTER CHEF. It is not required. Most children require simple, recognizable and delicious foods. Even the flavor comes last.

Many kids don’t eat mixed foods (and yes it is the reason that most kids even adults avoid salads, be it fruits or vegetables rather than taking a whole fruit). Cook simple foods.

Got stuck with a favorite food? It is normal and there is no harm. You can always add other foods as additional options to the foods they stuck with.

For instance, if your child loves to eat potato curry every day, add veggies, try different styles and make it versatile.

De-worm your child once in every 6 months to keep the gut healthy.

Do not force the child to eat the food which she really doesn’t like. There is definitely a reason why your child eats refuse particular food. So, give multiple options to choose something better he or she likes.

Additional Tips:

• Make yourself an example to your child.
• Plan regular meals and snacking schedule (need not be too strict on that), yet make eating time regulated.
• If your child is really not hungry (you can easily identify) don’t force him to eat.
• Use the child-sized cups, plates, and spoons.
• Do not encourage television while eating.
• Involve them in preparing food (need not be cooking) let them pick vegetables, set the table, place the plates, etc.
• Serve small portions and give the second serving when they ask.

Diet chart? Don’t cook special meals for the child. Let the child eat what you cook for the family. Let the child relish home-cooked foods, even if it deep-fried and toasted in butter.