Having access to a balanced diet is the ideal way for children to stay healthy, and having the knowledge and skills to be able to cook the right food to do this is an important skill for any adult who has to look after kids. Being able to include fruit and vegetables in your cooking while also coming up with tasty food that children will love can seem like a challenge at times, but with the right recipes it can be surprisingly easy to cook yummy and healthy food that kids will love. A balanced diet (Diät) for kids should include each of the seven major classes of nutrients – carbohydrates, fiber, protein, fats, minerals, vitamins and water. All of these nutrients are important for childhood development, and for the general health of any person, young or old.
Cooking is defined as the preparation of food through the application of heat and the combination of ingredients. The way that people do this is different all around the world, depending on individual culture, availability of tools, availability of ingredients and skill levels of the people doing the cooking. The way people cook is also dependent on many collective factors, such as the economic, religious and agricultural realities of the place where they live. While a lot of raw food like uncooked fruits and vegetables are very healthy for people to ingest, people have evolved to enjoy the act of cooking and the chemical transformation that heat can provide to the flavour of food. While the effects of cooking on the nutritional value of food are debatable, cooking does prevent many illnesses occurring from the ingestion of uncooked produce.
When cooking healthy food for young people, it is important to always remember to consider the overall taste of the food along with the nutritional benefits. While the 5 a day nutritional guideline should be easy enough to follow if you prepare your meals well, there is nothing that can turn kids off good food more than a healthy but bland tasting meal. All of the ingredients which are used in a meal should be integrated into a recipe and not just thrown in so that nutritional guidelines are met. Cooking (Kochen) is an art form as well as a practical skill, and when cooking for children – this is even more of the case.
The nutrients that need to be included in a healthy diet can be put into two distinct categories. Macronutrients are needed in large amounts, and include carbohydrates, fats, fiber, proteins, and water. Micronutrients in contrast, are only needed in small amounts, and are made up of the mineral and vitamin groups. While a lot of the energy relating to adult health and nutrition seems to go into micronutrient vitamin and nutrient supplements, it is especially important for kids to ingest the right levels of macronutrients as well.
Variety is the key in cooking as well as in life, and if kids have access to a variety of vegetables, fruits, beans, herbs, meats and cereals – both cooked and uncooked – they are almost gaurenteed to have a balanced diet and will not need any supplements at all. If children can obtain food in a tasty and appealing manner which includes all of the major nutrient and food groups, they are being given the best chance for a positive future.