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| |    Foods for Preschool by Mary Silva, M.S., R.D. reviewed by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. A preschooler's school day usually has time either 1 meal (breakfast or lunch) or a snack. Parents are often asked to provide one or the other. If your child's preschool asks you to send healthy foods and beverages, you can think of this as a measure to promote good nutrition rather than a criticism. Young children are role models for their peers, so your good food choices might have a "ripple effect," improving the nutrition of the whole classroom. You can use the same list of foods for preschoolers that work for toddlers. But since preschoolers are stronger and more skillful in their eating, you can leave some fruits whole, and give some vegetables raw. Other foods that can be added include:
Pound-for-pound, young children need more calcium and protein than adults, because they are growing rapidly. Most children need 16-32 oz. of milk or the equivalent every day to meet their calcium and protein needs. Although juices are marketed as a healthy drink for children, drinking too much can lead to obesity or (since juice is often filling to young children), to poor growth. A young child gets enough Vitamin C by drinking 4-8 oz. of citrus juice or Vitamin C fortified juice. More than that and you're adding calories, but not much other nutritional value. Juice is not a healthy alternative to milk if its consumption replaces milk. Parents are often attracted to the use of single serving juice packages because they don't need to be refrigerated as long as they are unopened. Children are often attracted to the bright colors and cartoons -- a clever marketing device). Look, instead, for plain and chocolate milk packaged in single serving packages that don't require refrigeration. If you're including it in your child's lunch, try freezing it first then by the time lunchtime arrives; it will have thawed. Voila! Cold milk.
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