With children on school holidays, you may have little mouths to feed more often than normal! The hot weather can make us feel lethargic and with such busy lives, coming up with interesting, healthy meals and snacks can feel challenging. It needn’t be, though. Babies and children have special dietary needs because they grow at such a fast pace and need extra nutrients, to build their tissue and strong bones. A whole industry has developed aimed at this group of little people but don’t be overly influenced by packaging and advertising into thinking that young children should get their nutrients from food that is specially manufactured for them (for example, children’s ranges sold in tins, plastic pots or packets). Children will thrive on foods prepared quickly and simply at home for the whole family – pasta, salads, soups, stews, vegetable crudites. Planning for the week ahead on Sunday can help as can having a running shopping list (on the fridge or online) with failsafe things you are running short of, ideas friends
have suggested. To appeal to their occasionally fussy tastebuds, you just may like to have some interesting but fun snacks on standby, for example pieces of frozen banana, frozen yoghurt. My grandchildren love to make their own pizza – a quick ‘game’ for them and there are plenty of healthy toppings they can easily add (cherry tomatoes, sweetcorn, mushrooms).
