Teaching our children about the hidden values of fish.
Fish in a child’s diet
How important is the role of fish for the younger age group? Healthy eating is vitally important in the first years of life, as it affects physical, mental and individual development.
Ensuring adequate nutrition in the first years of life offers the possibility of achieving maximum physical and mental potential. The first 2-3 years especially are considered the most critical, since the rate of physical development is faster than during any other period, and the immune system is still immature, as a result of which the infant and toddler are prone to nutrient deficiencies and infections.
Furthermore, proper nutrition is still very important after the first 2-3 years of life, throughout childhood and especially during adolescence, as it is associated with a reduction in the risk of developing immediate health problems, such as obesity, iron deficiency, anemia and tooth decay. It is also noteworthy that healthy eating during childhood and adolescence also has long-term beneficial effects on health. Thus, it contributes significantly to longevity and to the prevention of chronic diseases in adulthood, such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis, and so on.
Now the trick is to tempt our children with some tasty fish dishes!
Perhaps one of the most difficult ‘tasks’ we have as parents is how to convince our child to eat fish! The best way is to eat it as well, of course.
The secret is to serve the fish in tasty and creative ways, so that it is appealing to even the most difficult young diner.
One way is to add small pieces of fish to their soup or vegetables.
The fish can also be cut into small portions, mashed up, and then mixed together with homemade mayonnaise or yogurt.
Fresh filleted and skinless fish is probably the best choice for your little ones. Bake the filleted fish in the oven with various herbs, and then cut it into different shapes with cookie cutters, which your child will love.
Bite-size pieces of fish can be put on wooden skewers and be served with potatoes or their favourite vegetables.
And of course, seafood can be served in a risotto or with pasta that young ones generally adore.
