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How To Improve A Child's Dietary Habits?
Question: My elder son is 12 years old. He eats only Rice & Dal. He does not eat any chapatti, vegetables, non-veg etc.
Brief Answer:
Variety is spice
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Rice and Chapatti are carbohydrates and both staple food. Dal is protein.
Now your worry about what he choses to eat. I think he has a choice and he opts it. He will soon realize to eat anything that is available. You can give him egg instead of Non veg. You can give him vegetables in the form of soups now. Similarly juices without sugar for fruits.
It is important to eat all varieties but you should not be concerned as long he does not complain about tiredness, not able to study, height and weight growth. Give him fruits if he likes them. Since he is grown with options. Give him options under carbohydrates, proteins and fat. Let him choose.
Hope this helps.
Variety is spice
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Rice and Chapatti are carbohydrates and both staple food. Dal is protein.
Now your worry about what he choses to eat. I think he has a choice and he opts it. He will soon realize to eat anything that is available. You can give him egg instead of Non veg. You can give him vegetables in the form of soups now. Similarly juices without sugar for fruits.
It is important to eat all varieties but you should not be concerned as long he does not complain about tiredness, not able to study, height and weight growth. Give him fruits if he likes them. Since he is grown with options. Give him options under carbohydrates, proteins and fat. Let him choose.
Hope this helps.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks a lot Dr. XXXXXXX for your reply. I'll try the option of soups. He's fussy about his choice of eating & whatever he eats, i believe, does not provide him nutrition. Moreover, it may lead to lack of concentration in studies. He leaves for school in the morning at 6.45 a.m. and sometimes he has only a cup of milk & nothing at all.
For lunch he wants only sandwich (bread & jam or butter) or fruit or fried idli. He hates the idea of taking chapatti + vegetable for lunch & if given, he does not eat it.
He is very happy to eat junk food. Recently we started giving him a boiled egg daily
Please advice
For lunch he wants only sandwich (bread & jam or butter) or fruit or fried idli. He hates the idea of taking chapatti + vegetable for lunch & if given, he does not eat it.
He is very happy to eat junk food. Recently we started giving him a boiled egg daily
Please advice
Brief Answer:
You have to be creative in preparing food
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Try to give him junk prepared at home but mix some part of it with vegetable and fruit. Sandwich one or two vegetables in the bread. Prepare the junk at home and you have the options to put in fruit and vegetable in between.
Suppose he wants Pizza, prepare at home with variety of tiny cut vegetables Or order with extra toppings of vegetables at neighboring outlets. You can boil and mash all kinds of vegetables grind it and put it as topping on the pizza. Give him desserts with fruits and ice cream with fruit and nuts.
Spend time to be creative in preparing dishes.
You have to be creative in preparing food
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Try to give him junk prepared at home but mix some part of it with vegetable and fruit. Sandwich one or two vegetables in the bread. Prepare the junk at home and you have the options to put in fruit and vegetable in between.
Suppose he wants Pizza, prepare at home with variety of tiny cut vegetables Or order with extra toppings of vegetables at neighboring outlets. You can boil and mash all kinds of vegetables grind it and put it as topping on the pizza. Give him desserts with fruits and ice cream with fruit and nuts.
Spend time to be creative in preparing dishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Aparna Kohli
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