THE ROLE OF NUTRITION IN EARLY DEVELOPMENT

Nutritious, wholesome meals provide children with the food they need to thrive every day. Developing healthy habits is the key to helping children build a balanced diet and understand the importance of nutrition.

At Heritage House Childcare & Early Learning Centres, we ensure every child is served nutritious food packed with yummy goodness. When nutrition is paired with physical activity, children receive the energy they need to grow successfully.

In this blog, we’ll discuss the importance of healthy eating habits for early development and how you can establish them in your child’s daily routine.

 

The Benefits of Nutrition

Promotes Bone and Teeth Growth
High bone density and healthy teeth are crucial to early childhood development. Vitamin C in many fruits and vegetables helps build healthy teeth and gums. Vitamin D also strengthens your bones by helping the body absorb calcium.

Strengthens Muscles
Muscle growth and a healthy diet help children reach and maintain a healthy weight for their age, reducing the risk of developing obesity or chronic issues. Eating foods with protein, calcium, and various vitamins builds muscle strength, which supports children with mobility and physical exercises.

Supports Cognitive Development
Healthy brain function aids children with language and numeracy skills, concentration and memory. These skills will help children perform better academically in the future, as they can pick up new things quickly and focus on the tasks at hand. Nutrition also contributes to better mental health, preventing the risk of regularly feeling irritated, fatigued or distressed.

Boosts the Immune System
A healthy immune system helps children fight infections and recover from illnesses quickly. It also lowers the risk of developing chronic conditions and growing deficiencies, such as low iron. Fibre reduces the chance of developing heart disease, and potassium helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels. Both Vitamin C and Folate assist in healing cuts and wounds.

What Should be Included in Your Child’s Diet?

In addition to drinking plenty of water, the Australian dietary guidelines recommend that children enjoy food from these five food groups every day:

• Fruit
• Vegetables, legumes and beans
• Grain (cereal) foods like breads, rice, noodles and pasta, and mostly wholegrain or high cereal fibre varieties
• Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds
• Milks, yoghurts, cheeses, or alternatives with mostly reduced fat

How to Encourage Healthy Eating

Here are some ways to encourage independence and spark curiosity about nutrition in children:

• Create a consistent mealtime routine with your child. Always eat as a family and avoid using devices at the table.
• Allow your child to control their food intake. This helps them know how to listen to their bodies.
• Visit the local grocery store or community garden together so they can participate in picking nutritious ingredients.
• Grow herbs or vegetables at home if possible.
• Discuss regularly what your child likes to eat and what they know about how different foods are grown.
• Cook meals together to show them what they are eating and teach them about the cooking process.
• Encourage your child to try a new fruit or vegetable regularly. Be patient with them throughout this process.
• Limit their intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt or added sugar. Practice moderation with junk food and sweets at home.

Nutrition at Heritage House

At Heritage House, our curriculum is founded on the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), and our meals are delicious and packed with nutritious goodness. Our chefs are experienced in dealing with fussy eaters, and we’re confident in helping children develop a positive relationship with food.

We celebrate your child’s progress as they grow — acknowledging the small, consistent steps they take towards being independent and knowledgeable about healthy eating.

To learn more about how we approach nutrition at our centres, book a tour of your local centre or contact us today!