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Building Blocks for Health
Tower Hamlets
Primary Care Trust
Building Blocks for Health
Eating well for 2-5 year olds
Information for Parents, Carers and Children
Children need lots of energy to grow, play and learn. Help build your child a
healthy future by choosing the right foods at mealtimes and for snacks.
Children can enjoy the same foods as the rest of the family. Eating meals
together helps them to eat well. Good eating habits last a lifetime.
No food is good or bad, it’s the overall balance that counts. Each of the food
groups in this leaflet is a vital building block for good health, so include each
group everyday.
Many meals contain a variety of foods from the five food groups. Think about
which food groups are missing from your child’s meals and add these.
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Building Blocks for Health
Fruit and vegetables
Full of vitamins including Vitamin C, which help to fight infections and
disease, you should aim for five child-sized portions a day. Fruits can
include a small banana, half an apple, a kiwi, a tangerine, a slice of
mango, diluted fruit juice, tinned fruit in natural juice and dried fruit.
Vegetables can include carrot, celery, salad, sweetcorn, peas and
broccoli. Vegetables can be fresh, frozen and /or tinned. Remember,
try not to cook fruit and vegetables for too long as this can reduce the
amount of vitamins they contain.
Bread, cereals and potatoes
These provide energy and vitamins.
These foods should be included at
every meal.
Try a variety, from sliced bread, pitta,
chapatti, bagels, pasta, yam, rice,
noodles, breakfast cereals or
plantain.
Milk and dairy products
Meat, fish, and alternatives
Full of protein and iron to help your child grow and
develop. Give your child these foods at least
twice a day. Try chicken, meat and meat products,
oily fish such pilchards or sardines. Fresh, tinned
and frozen - all count.
If your child is vegetarian or does not eat fish or
meat, you can give them eggs, baked beans,
lentils, tofu, soya, humous and peanut butter.
Don’t give whole nuts to children under five years
olds as there is a risk of choking. If you have a
family history of allergies, do not give your child
nut products, such as peanut butter before they
are three years old.
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These contain lots of calcium and protein,
which are important for strong bones and
teeth. Choose full fat products, not low fat, as
young children need the extra energy from
the fat to grow.
Milk and diary products include full fat milk,
cheese, paneer, yoghurt, lassi and fromage
frais. If your child does not eat any of these
foods ask your health visitor or doctor for
advice.
Building Blocks for Health
Foods containing fats and
foods containing sugar
A good source of energy, but low in vitamins and minerals. Let
your child choose some of these foods, but don’t let them have
too much.
These foods include sweets, chocolates, crisps, cakes,
biscuits, ice creams and sugary drinks. They also include
butter, margarine and oils used in cooking.
Sugary foods can cause tooth decay. The more often your
child has sugary foods the greater the risk. So try to keep
these foods for the end of mealtimes only.
__________ Is there anything else I should think about? __________
Drinks
Iron
Make sure that your child does not fill up
on drinks instead of eating. Limit milk to
one pint a day. Too much squash and fruit
juice can stop your child from eating well.
If you do give these make sure they are
well diluted as they can cause tooth
decay. Fizzy drinks are not recommended,
even diet and low sugar types.
Iron reduces the risk of children getting a blood
disorder called anaemia. Make sure your child
has iron-rich foods such as meat, liver, kidney,
eggs, dahl, baked beans, kidney beans and
other pulses, green leafy vegetables such as
spinach, methi and callalloo, dried fruit and
nuts, and fortified breakfast cereals. Oily fish
such as pilchards or sardines are also good
sources of iron.
Water and milk are the most tooth friendly
drinks for between meals.
Vitamin C helps your child absorb iron, so try to
include fruit, vegetables or fruit juice with every
meal.
If you are worried that your child is not getting
enough iron, speak to your health visitor. Do not
give iron tablets to children unless prescribed
by a doctor.
Salt Alert
Hidden Sugar
Try not to add extra salt to your child’s food as
many foods already contain some.
There may be hidden sugars added to food.
These might be called, sucrose, fructose,
glucose, maltose, maltodextrin or honey. Look
out for these names on labels.
Too much salt can cause health problems in
later life.
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Building Blocks for Health
Breakfast
It is important that your child has breakfast. Breakfast provides your child with energy to start the
day. A bowl of fortified cereal is a great provider of iron.
Vitamin Drops
Some children need to take vitamin drops until they are five years old. Ask your health visitor
about this.
Fussy Eaters
Children can be fussy eaters. If your child is growing well and including a food from each food
group, it is unlikely that being fussy will cause them harm.
Give them the foods they do like and gradually encourage them to try other foods from each of
the groups. Big meals can put them off. Four of five smaller meals may be easier to manage.
Healthy snacks
Toast with peanut butter or cheese
spread
Fruit
Yoghurt or fromage frais
Chunks of cheese
Chappati, pitta bread or potato cakes
Raw crunchy vegetables such as
carrot or peppers
Plain popcorn
Fortified breakfast cereal and milk
Matzos, rice cakes or cream crackers
Crumpets or scones
Fruit smoothies – blended fruit and milk
Breadsticks
For further information and advice about eating well for 2 to 5 year olds,
speak to your health visitor or doctor.
Text provided by East London and The City Health Authority & Nutrition and Dietetic Department,
Barts and The London NHS Trust. Thank you to all at Comberton Road Nursery E5
and to all the children who took part.
Designed by Health Information East London ©2004
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