Archive for the 'Kids Corner' Category

Underweight Kids

The other end of the scales.

By Angela Buntic

 

For parents, the eating habits and weight of their children are common concerns. But while we are all aware of the rising rates of obesity, what about children who are underweight? In some cases, it is normal for a child to experience phases where growth is not increasing steadily, however there are some simple ways to encourage weight gain if needed.

It is often thought that ‘skinny kids’ are the lucky ones who can eat all the chocolate, chips, lollies and soft drinks they like; however foods high in saturated fat, refined sugar and salt are not healthy for anyone, including those who are underweight.

A healthier approach is to add concentrated sources of energy to foods already eaten by your child – foods that contain energy and nutrients.

Try adding melted butter or margarine to cooked pasta, rice and vegetables, and spread a thicker layer on toast. Add a few tablespoons of skim milk powder to a bottle of full cream milk to increase its energy content, and then use that milk in their cereal or to make hot chocolate. Add grated cheese to vegetables, pasta and meat sauces. Include avocado, nuts and seeds, sun-dried tomatoes, cheese or olive oil in salads. Add cream to thicken soups, to desserts such as fruit salad and to mashed vegetables. Include fruit juice in the diet as well as other high energy drinks such as milk shakes and smoothies. Add sugar, honey or jam to fruit, desserts, cereals and hot drinks, or spread onto bread and crackers.

Serve the main meal when your child is hungry. Don’t allow snack foods (such as lollies) before dinner and be aware of how much your child drinks at mealtime. Try separating drinks from meals to increase appetite.
 
Also, remember to give lots of positive encouragement when your child does eat well and give them their meals in a relaxed and comfortable environment. Keep in mind these high energy foods are just for the underweight kids – if you provide it for everyone, the whole family will put on weight!
If you are concerned about your child’s weight, seek advice from your GP, pediatrician or Accredited Practicing Dietitian (APD).

 

If you have a question for our nutritionist email us at editorial@foodinfocus.com.au

 

Angela Buntic is an Accredited Practicing Dietician at Bondi Junction Medical Practice, Suite 6015B, Level Westfield Shopping Town, Bondi Junction, 02 9389 

Published on September 18, 2008 in Ask our nutritionist. Closed

Apple Crumble with Real Vanilla Custard

You don’t need to feed your kids junk food to help them put on weight. You probably wouldn’t want to either. But a good, wholesome treat now and then can really help. Use fresh, natural ingredients to keep your meals healthy and nutritious, but rather than using low-fat alternatives, stick to the full-strength options – full cream milk amd whole eggs. Your children will love the taste and the natural fats will help them to attain a good body weight, while keeping their eating habits in check.

Crumbleapple crumble
6 Granny Smith apples
1 cup flour
125g butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup rice crispies

Preheat oven to 180°C. Peel and cut the apples into eighths. Place and layer the apple wedges in an ovenproof dish. In a separate bowl, rub the flour, butter, sugar and cinnamon together till it resembles breadcrumbs. Add rice crispies to the mixture. Loosely sprinkle mixture over the apple, making sure there is an even layer. Bake for 30 minutes till the top is bubbling and golden. Serve hot or warm with hot or cold custard.

Custard
1L whole milk
1 vanilla pod, cut lengthways
5 free-range egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar

In a heavy saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla pod to a simmer over medium heat. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar till pale. Pour the hot milk over the eggs making sure to whisk quickly so the eggs do not curdle. Return the mix to the saucepan and cook over low heat. Using a wooden spoon, stir till the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

Published on September 18, 2008 in Kids recipes. Closed

Hide ‘n’ Seek Meatballs

Believe it or not, tempting fussy eaters can actually be a lot of fun. By smuggling veggies and healthy ingredients into your children’s meals, they will never know that their favourite foods are actually good for them as well. Take our meatballs and tomato sauce for example (always a favourite with kids), they’re jam-packed with celery, carrots, garlic and onions, which will help boost your child’s daily vegetable intake. You can also make the dish more exciting by adding brightly-coloured pasta made from spinach, pumpkin or beetroot. So put on your ‘sneaky’ cap and let your mischievous side run wild!

 

Napoli saucemeatballs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium or ½ cup chopped onion
½ cup cubed carrots
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup sliced leek
½ cup cauliflower florets
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper
dried oregano (optional)

Meatballs
½ cup broccoli florets
500g lean mince beef
¼ cup finely grated carrots
¼ cup cubed cheddar
salt and pepper

For the Napoli sauce, in a medium saucepan heat the olive oil on medium and gently sauté all the vegetables till soft. Turn off the heat and puree with a hand blender. Return to a low heat and add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar and seasoning. Cook for 20 minutes.

For the meatballs, steam the broccoli and when soft, blend into a smooth puree. Allow to cool. In a bowl mix together the beef mince, grated carrots, cheddar and broccoli puree. Season before forming and make small bite size balls. Heat some olive oil in a pan on medium and fry the meatballs till golden brown on each side. You might have to cook them in batches. Add them to the Napoli sauce and heat them up for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with pasta and grated cheese. Makes 46 small meatballs

Tip: Be creative and sneak in other veggies, like sweet potato. Simply cook, puree and add to your Napoli sauce base.

Tip: Meatball options are endless – you can add chopped water chestnuts for crunch or finely chopped herbs and spinach for colour. Just be sure to add breadcrumbs to help bind the mixture if you add any water-laden vegetables.

Published on August 13, 2008 in Kids recipes. Closed

Fussy Eaters

Say goodbye to bribes and pleads with these tips to tempt even the fussiest of kids.

By Angela Buntic

 

Getting kids to eat a wide range of nutritious foods can be a challenge. Toddlers develop very definite ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’ as a way of showing their independence. However, with some small changes and easy tricks, you can outsmart your ‘food refusing’ toddler and turn mealtimes into a pleasant experience, not a power struggle.

 

Crunch time

Vegetables usually top the list of foods kids refuse to eat. Although steamed broccoli and cauliflower contain valuable vitamins and fibre, kids generally prefer crunchy food. Crisp salad vegetables and fruit are just as nutritious as cooked vegies, so try adding lettuce, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, peas or sliced apple to meals.

 

 

fussy eaters

 

Hide ‘n’ seek

Add nutritious foods to the kids’ favourite dishes. Include grated carrot, grated zucchini and diced mushroom to a homemade bolognaise sauce. The kids won’t notice them and you’ll deal better with food refusal knowing they’re secretly getting vegies via their favourite pasta sauce. The hidden extras you slip into their favourite foods are just as nutritious as when they are eaten alone.

 

 

Copycat

Make food fun. Take your kids to a farmers market on the weekend; they have a huge range of fresh fruit and vegetables not on offer in the supermarkets. Ask your kids to choose a special vegetable they would like to help cook for dinner. Children are great copiers – if you eat a wide variety of foods and try new dishes, your kids are more likely to do the same.

 

 

Trick or treat

Try to avoid using food as a reward for good behaviour or as a bargaining tool. ‘Eat your vegetables and then you can have dessert’ teaches a child that eating vegetables isn’t pleasant and dessert is the ‘good bit’. Rather than promising kids ice cream if they are good, making the food more desirable, offer to reward them with a favourite song or special story.

 

 

Mousetrap

It’s easy to fall into the trap of making a separate meal for fussy eaters, but this simply reinforces their behaviour. Try to cook the same meal for the whole family, including a range of foods your toddler usually likes to eat. If food is left on the plate there is no need to bring attention to it, simply clear the plate away. Don’t offer any more alternatives, you already offered a wide range. Remember a healthy child will eat when they are hungry.

 

Eating fruit and vegetables is just a normal part of life, so keep the experience normal. There is no need to shout, bribe or plead. Remember food habits learnt in childhood can last a lifetime, so it’s worth the effort to create healthy food habits.

 

 

If you have a question for our nutritionist email us at editorial@foodinfocus.com.au

Angela Buntic is an Accredited Practicing Dietician at Bondi Junction Medical Practice, Suite 6015B, Level Westfield Shopping Town, Bondi Junction, 02 9389 9699

Published on August 13, 2008 in Ask our nutritionist. Closed

Oatmeal Bikkies

There’s nothing kids love more than eating raw cookie dough (not to mention a couple of us adults too!). Raw egg, however, can be unsafe for young children and discretion should be used when letting your kids lick the leftovers in the baking bowl.

For a tasty batch of biscuits, try these delicious oatmeal bikkies. Similar to Anzac biscuits, they contain no egg, making them yummy and safe, eaten before or after their time in the oven.

But, if you can manage to make your children wait until they’re cooked, cooled and wonderfully chewy, they’re perfect to dunk in a glass of cold milk… about the only thing kids love more than eating raw dough!

Oatmeal Bikkies

1 cup plain flouroatmeal bikkies
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup or honey
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 tablespoons boiling water

Heat the oven to180°C. Grease or line a large baking tray with baking paper. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, oats, coconut and brown sugar. Stir. In a small saucepan, melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup. Bring to the boil and continue cooking for a 2-3 minutes until thick. Mix the bicarbonate of soda with water. Carefully pour the bicarb mix into the hot syrup (it will get very frothy) and stir to combine. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix well. Spoon dollops of the dough onto prepared tray and bake for 15-20 minutes depending on the size of your biscuits. Cool and store. Will keep for a week in an airtight container. Makes 10 large biscuits

Tip: Make sure to leave a couple of centimetres distance between each biscuit as they will spread in the oven.

 

Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen

Published on May 1, 2008 in Kids recipes. Closed

Kids and Calcium

While a great source, dairy isn’t the only way to ensure your kids are getting the calcium they need.

By Angela Buntic

 

Calcium is a mineral stored in our bones and teeth providing them with structure and strength. It’s especially important for kids and teenagers to eat foods containing calcium as they’re still growing and building new bone. But how much is enough?

 

kids and calcium

Three serves of dairy foods will provide most kids with their recommended intake of calcium, where a serve is one cup of milk (250ml), a carton of yoghurt (200g), one cup of custard (250ml) or two slices of cheese (40g).

 

But what if your child doesn’t like milk or other dairy? My advice is to try offering small amounts of dairy with foods they already enjoy, like a pot of yoghurt to dip strawberries in, cheese sprinkled on pasta or blended fruit smoothies.

 

Although dairy foods top the list of calcium sources, other foods including canned tuna, broccoli, white beans and almonds contain moderate amounts. Some processed foods such as breakfast cereal, bread and orange juice are fortified with calcium, which can be useful for boosting dietary intake.

 

Dairy foods are one of the five core food groups recommended for a healthy diet, and although they are known for their calcium content, they also contribute other essential nutrients including protein, vitamin B12 and zinc. Research has shown children who regularly consume dairy foods have better quality diets containing an adequate intake of essential nutrients than those who eliminate dairy foods or only eat them rarely.

 

If your child is lactose intolerant, they may still be able to eat some dairy foods. Cheese is usually well tolerated as it contains virtually no lactose, while yoghurt contains natural bacteria that can help to digest lactose. Even small amounts of milk may be tolerated with meals.

 

If you believe your child may be lactose intolerant, it is important to see a GP or pediatrician to get a professional diagnosis. If your child refuses dairy, and same goes for any whole food group, see a dietitian to help ensure a balanced nutritional diet for your child.

 

If you have a question for our nutritionist email us at editorial@foodinfocus.com.au
Angela Buntic is an Accredited Practicing Dietician at Bondi Junction Medical Practice, Suite 6015B, Level 6, Westfield Shopping Town, Bondi Junction, 02 9389 9699

Published on May 1, 2008 in Ask our nutritionist. Closed

Carnival Fruits

When it comes to sweet treats, kids do love their chocolate. But you needn’t go overboard to keep them happy – a little chocolate can actually go a long way. Simply throw in some colourful sprinkles and a medley of fun-shaped fruits and you’ve got a carnival-esque collection of treats no child will be able to turn down. Bursting with sweet fruit flavour (and just a drizzle of chocolate), they’re a healthy alternative, but with all the fun!

fruit carnival
There are no hard and fast rules here. In fact, for true carnival flair the more carefree the better. Here’s a couple of ingredients we used…

Banana
Mango
Grapes
Pineapple
Rockmelon
Watermelon
Marshmallows
Chocolate – milk, dark and white
Crushed peanuts
Toasted coconut
Selection of sprinkles

Cut fruits into desired shapes. Melt chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds on high. Stir. If required, melt for an additional 30 seconds. Drizzle melted chocolate over fruits and decorate as desired.

Tip: You can use any fruit under the sun. For older children, you can also use caramel instead of chocolate, but be careful as it is very hot.

Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen

Published on April 22, 2008 in Kids recipes. Closed

Lunchbox Leftovers

With a chop, stir and a pour, turn last night’s leftovers into a gourmet schoolyard lunch.

With the end of the holidays here, send your kiddies back to school with something a little more interesting than your standard sandwich. But you needn’t go over the top, in fact, far from it. Last night’s leftovers provide a treasure trove of tasty options, not to mention being a great way to clear out your fridge. Use leftover spaghetti Bolognese in a crusty bread roll with crisp lettuce for a gourmet snack, or make a delicious frittata out of Sunday night’s roast. Your children will be the envy of the playground, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised when their lunch box actually comes back empty…

Roast Chicken and Corn Fritattalunchbox leftovers

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ brown onion, finely chopped
2 medium potatoes, cut into small cubes and cooked
1 cup cooked chicken meat, shredded or cut into small pieces
½ cup corn kernels or peas
4 eggs
pinch of dried oregano
salt and pepper
¼ cup grated cheese

Preheat oven to 170°C. Spray a medium ovenproof dish with vegetable oil spray.
Heat the olive oil in a frypan on medium. Cook onions till translucent and soft. In a bowl combine the onions, potatoes, chicken and corn/peas. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with the dried herbs and seasoning. Place the chicken mix in the prepared dish and top with the egg mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes till golden and firm. Serves 4-6

Tip: You can use any meat or vegetable you have left over from the night before. Roasts work wonderfully. The fritatta will keep, covered in the fridge for 2 days.

Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen

Published on April 22, 2008 in Kids recipes. Closed

Play dough

Brightly coloured, mushy and squishy, it’s little wonder that play dough is a perennial favourite with kids the world over.

The ultimate in creative pastimes, look on in awe as your kids wile away the afternoon turning blobs of goo into works of art. And although store-bought versions are good, why not make your own – it’s all part of the fun. What’s more, it’s completely edible, so there’s no need to worry if your kids take an accidental nibble…

2 cups flourplay dough
1 cup salt
4 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 cups water
4 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons food colouring

Mix the flour, salt and cream of tartar in a large saucepan then gradually add the remaining ingredients. Cook over medium heat until a ball forms. Remove from the heat and knead till smooth. Store in a zip-lock bag.

Tip: Make sure to remove all excess air and store in an airtight bag. The dough will keep for months. If it dries out, simply add a few drops of water and re-knead.

Holiday Decorations

Take play dough a step further and use it to make decorations for the Christmas tree, or a multi-coloured mobile for the bedroom. It’s a great way to get the kids involved and to get their creative juices flowing. Be as inventive and imaginative as you can. Use seeds, old bottle tops, wine corks or anything you have lying around in the house to decorate the play dough shapes. The kids will love going on a treasure hunt!

Bake play dough shapes in the oven at 150°C for 40 minutes or till hard. Once cool, decorate the shapes by using glue.

Tip: Remember to make a hole in each shape before baking so you can thread some string threw it later for hanging. You can use a skewer, straw or pointed knife to make the holes.

Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen

Published on April 22, 2008 in Kids recipes. Closed

Fruity-licious Iceblocks

With vivid colours and a sweet tang, these iceblocks look and taste just like store-bought treats.

Using nothing but fresh fruit, these frozen afternoon treats burst with natural flavour. They’re like a delicious smoothie, but on a stick. You can use any combination of fruits and vegetables you have in your fridge. Experiment – it’s a great way of getting your kids involved. All you need to do is invest in a couple of iceblock moulds, dust off your blender and away you go.

Funky Flavour Ideasiceblocks

* Carrot, kiwifruit and pear with a squeeze of orange
* Banana and avocado with a touch of lime
* Fresh strawberries and raspberries with a squeeze of lemon

How to …

Loosely chop all the ingredients and pop into a blender. Add some sugar and blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add some water while blending. Pour into moulds and freeze till set.

Tip: Once frozen, the mixture will loose some of its flavour and sweetness, so make sure to add enough sugar. Make a couple of different flavours at the same time. If you run out of moulds, put the remainder of the mix in ziplock bags and use old-fashion wooden sticks.

 

Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen

Published on April 22, 2008 in Kids recipes. Closed