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Summertime Meals
by Mary Silva, M.S., R.D.
reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P.
With the heat and the flurry of activities such as camp, vacations, and outings with friends, parents often notice that their children seem to eat less in the summer. Well, less at regular meals, anyway--they may watch their children snack throughout the day on summertime treats only to hear "I'm not hungry" when dinnertime rolls around. Understandably, they may worry that their kids aren't eating well enough, and wonder what they can do to ensure that all the healthy habits they've worked so hard to instill don't melt away under the summer sun.
If this scenario sounds familiar to you, here are some simple steps you can take to encourage healthy eating this season:
- Serve cold foods. Many of us believe that a hot meal is the best meal. However, the reality is that cold foods are just as nourishing as hot ones. Sandwiches and salads made with a good source of protein, such as poultry, fish, meat, cheese, beans, or tofu, can fulfill nutritional requirements while maintaining plenty of kid appeal.
- Provide a variety of healthy snacks. Serve small portions at meals and allow for frequent snacking. The trick here is to make the snacks healthy ones. Foods such as bagels; cereals that aren't too loaded with sugar; sliced cold cuts such as turkey, chicken, ham, and roast beef; cheese; whole-wheat crackers, and cut-up pieces of fruit are convenient to prepare and usually well liked by children. This doesn't mean you have to cut out all sugary or fatty foods, but make sure that they're the exception, not the rule.
- Watch what they drink. Although children do need more fluid on very hot days, it doesn't mean that they need large amounts of sweet beverages, no matter how much kids may crave them. Offering cold milk and water between meals throughout the day will provide your child with the fluids he needs, and help you minimize the amount of soda, punch, and juice your child consumes--all of which dull the appetite and provide little nutrition. In addition to paying attention to what your child actually drinks, remember that there are many foods that have a high water content. Serving such foods, including vegetables, fruit, pasta, and yogurt, can provide good nutrition while also providing fluid.
- Timing is everything. Many children eat well in the early morning--perhaps because the temperature is cooler, they're hungry after a good night's sleep, or they're simply not yet distracted by other activities--and then eat less as the day goes on. If this is the case in your home, make breakfast the significant meal of the day. Consider looking beyond just the traditional list of breakfast foods, and remember that you can select foods from all food groups at this meal. Then when your child asks for a bowl of cereal or some other light offering for lunch or dinner, you'll still know that he got a complete meal that day.
- Be selective about fast foods. While some amount of fat in a child's diet (or anyone else's, for that matter) is important, fast foods often provide a huge amount. Still, your kids probably beg to go to a fast-food outlet or you succumb to its convenience from time to time. That's fine, but try to steer your children to the healthier selections. Many fast-food restaurants offer foods that are not fried, and you can ask them to leave off the fatty sauces. If you can't avoid the french fries, you might try buying a small serving or having your children share a single serving. And if they insist on a burger, pick a single patty--you won't believe the amount of fat and calories they can pack in those double-decker numbers!
- Compensate for skipped meals. Although it's not uncommon or terribly concerning when children occasionally skip a meal, try tempting them with a smoothie a little later that day. Just add fruit to milk or yogurt and put it in a blender. Older children can do even do this themselves as a fun summertime activity.
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Created June 22, 2001
Reviewed August 25, 2004
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