Winter is here, and many parents are wondering how to organize their children’s meals in order to avoid colds, what to offer them, and at what times, as they may try to eat more than necessary, without respecting adequate intervals for a healthy diet. To help us solve this dilemma, Karyn Reyna, our clinic’s nutritionist, gives us some recommendations to strengthen their defenses through food prepared and consumed at home.

Which fruits and vegetables should we prioritize?

Fruits to consider are orange, tangerine, kiwi, sweet cucumber, banana, and passion fruit. Regarding vegetables, offer at least 3 colors of fresh vegetables such as lettuce, tomato, spinach, arugula, white onion, carrot, and avocado.

What type of beverages are the most recommended?

The best drink to accompany meals will always be natural water. However, we can also drink natural soft drinks (not bottled) such as lemonade, orangeade, chicha morada, carambola, apple, and emollient, even more after the child has eaten vegetables because it favors the absorption of iron. Drink warm to hot beverages.

How to organize meal times when your children are at home?

Consider that the first meal is breakfast and should be consumed, at the latest, 1 hour after the child has woken up. A small meal 3 hours later can be 1 fruit, carrot sticks, nuts, cubes of fresh cheese, Greek yogurt, or fruit salad with granola. Lunch should be a meal that everyone eats at home and always prioritizing the main course over soup. In the mid-afternoon, a small meal with water. Dinner should be consumed, preferably, before 7:00 p.m.

Here is an alternative:

Breakfast 7:00 a.m. Oatmeal with fruit + 3 quail eggs

Mid-morning 10:00 a.m. Rice crackers with avocado cream + lemonade

Lunch 1:00 p.m. Lentils with tenderloin with juice + passion fruit

Mid-afternoon 4:00 p.m. Greek yogurt with granola

Dinner 6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Same food as lunch, but in smaller quantities.

Our specialist recommends:

Each meal should be served in a quiet environment, without the child seeing any electronic devices, to achieve mindful eating.

Karyn Reyna
Nutritionist at Clínica Ricardo Palma