4-12 year olds

Fascinating facts about this age group

22% of Irish children are overweight/obese
Fat intake is too high
Fibre intake is inadequate
Salt intake is too high
1 in 3 Irish girls and 1 in 4 Irish boys don’t eat enough calcium
13% of boys and 34% of girls do not eat enough dietary iron
10% of Irish children do not eat enough vitamin C
1 in 5 boys and 1 in 3 girls in Ireland don’t eat the recommended amount of folate.
56% of children skip meals, often because they are fussy eaters.

Some Irish children are missing out on some of the key nutrients they need for health, growth and development. Irish Pride Vita Kids has been designed to bridge that gap.

It contains a little more fibre than other white breads and significantly less salt with additional folic acid, omega 3, vitamin C, iron, calcium and vitamin D to help build healthy bones, blood and bodies!

It won’t make them into little angels, but it will give you a little help towards your goal of getting them to eat a healthier more balanced diet.

Foods that need particular attention

Children of school age need to be developing good eating habits for life. A little more of the nourishing, and a little less of the snack and ‘treat’ foods.

A good place to start is breakfast. Many children go to school without eating breakfast which will affect their ability to work, concentrate and play. Starting the day with a cereal or toast and fruit is a quick and simple way to meet this need.

School lunches

A rule of thumb is that school lunches provide a child with about a third of their daily intake of nutrients, so it is well worth doing it properly. If a child eats an unhealthy lunch several times a week, chances are their overall diet isn’t very good.

The best lunch is a combination of 3 ingredients, what is good for them to eat, what is easy to prepare, and most importantly what they will eat. As with every element of life where you are trying to make change for the better, it takes a bit of planning. There’s no point trying to get a lunch together when you’re already 5 minutes late and the cupboards are bare.

Use the food pyramid as a guide. Aim for about 2 servings each from the bread or cereal and fruit and vegetable group, and one serving from the dairy, meat and alternatives shelves. Have several lunches that you do regularly that you know your child will eat. Sandwiches, wraps and a filled roll are all good reliables. Add in a drink, fruit and yoghurt and you’re done.

Tips

Children need to learn new tastes so every now and then add in some change. Try things like paté and crackers, different types of cheese, pickles, dried fruit, nuts or a hard boiled egg. Even different flavours of yoghurt, or different types of bread like pitta, wholegrain, seeded baps or a wholemeal scone. The more varied a diet is, the less chance you are missing out on anything.

Remember fruit and vegetables in any form are always good. Include an apple, plum, mandarin, pear, or grapes or dried fruit like sultanas and apricots. Some kids prefer raw vegetables to cooked, so sticks of carrot, cucumber and celery, cherry tomatoes, cauliflower and broccoli florets can go down well.

Bringing it all together

We should know that what a child eats is important for their growth and development and their ability to concentrate in school. But do we know that nearly a quarter of Irish children are overweight or obese? Or that many of them are eating too much fat, salt and sugar, and not enough vitamins, minerals and fibre?

By ensuring your child goes to school having had a breakfast, and with a good lunch you are nearly there! Regular physical activity as well as fewer processed foods and more fresh fruit and vegetables also helps.

And remember…some Irish children are missing out on some of the key nutrients they need for health, growth and development. Irish Pride Vita Kids has been designed to bridge that gap.

Food Pyramid

To see how many servings of each of the food groups your child should be including in their diet on a daily basis, view our Food Pyramid or download our detailed PDF.

Healthy Eating