Ordering What You Child Needs at a Family Friendly Restaurant in Ottawa
Nutrition for kids is a tricky business. They are developing and growing so quickly that it’s hard to keep up, and make sure they eat food that can provide all the nutrients they need. Family restaurants in Ottawa always aim to provide healthy menu options for children, but it’s up to the parents to support a balanced diet and good habits. Here we examine the four food groups and what children need grow big and strong:
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables provide many different nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that children need to grow and develop properly. Dark greens (like broccoli, spinach, and romaine lettuce) and orange vegetables (like carrots, sweat potatoes, and winter squash) have a higher concentration of essential vitamins so try to serve them every day. The Canada Food Guide recommends that children aged two to eight should be eating four to five servings of fruits and vegetables. Family-friendly restaurants in Ottawa often use wraps and delicious dips to encourage kids to eat their vegetables—you can do the same.
Grains
Grains like bread, rice, quinoa, and pasta are an excellent source of fibre, as well as vitamins and minerals. Fibre helps promote healthy food digestion to keep everything running smoothly. Parents normally don’t have any problem getting their kids to eat grains, but you should try to increase the amount of whole grains in their diet. Needing only three to four servings a day, it’s an easy food group to accommodate in a child’s diet.
Milk and Dairy
It’s recommended that children have two servings of milk or milk products every day. This includes yogurt, cheese, and even soy alternatives. These products contain a high amounts of calcium, vitamins, and healthy fats that children need to grow healthy bones. When your family visits an Ottawa restaurant, ordering skimmed, one per cent, or two per cent milk is a simple serving option that contains vitamin D—which helps the body process calcium.
Meat and Alternatives
Everyone knows that chicken, beef, and fish are great options for children, but by mixing meat alternatives like beans, lentils, tofu, eggs, and nuts into their diet, parents have a lot of great options for meals. You may also be surprised to learn that children are only recommended to have one serving of meat a day. These foods contain a large about of protein, which is used to fuel muscle growth.
Be a Good Role Model!
Don’t forget that the best way to encourage healthy eating habits in children is to set a good example. If they see that Mom and Dad aren’t eating vegetables at dinner, why should they? Whether it’s at home or at family restaurants in Ottawa, taking the time to order healthy options for them and yourself is a great way to encourage healthy eating habits for life.
