Meals for Children at a Glance

When it comes to a child-friendly diet, not only the selection and quantity of food eaten is crucial, but also how it is distributed throughout the day – from breakfast to dinner.

Performance varies throughout the day in children, just as it does in adults. How strong these fluctuations are depends on the activity and also on the rhythm and composition of the meals.

We recommend five meals a day, divided into three main meals and two snacks. Especially the snacks in the morning and afternoon help to replenish the energy reserves and reduce performance drops.

Breakfast

Carbohydrate stores are emptied during the night, so breakfast is very important. Numerous studies indicate that children who have had breakfast are more productive and responsive in the morning hours and do not tire as easily. Retention and attention, both very important qualities for school, improve.

In many families, unfortunately, breakfast is a “stepchild”. Frequently, people only have a quick breakfast in the morning. Children often adopt their parents’ behavior and leave the house without eating.

Also motivate your “breakfast grouch” to eat at least a little something, for example a piece of fruit, a small piece of bread with cream cheese or a mug of milk or cocoa. Ideally, breakfast consists of whole grains in the form of bread or muesli, fruit and dairy products. Unsweetened fruit or herbal tea can be served as a drink.

Going to bed on time in the evening and getting up on time are important prerequisites for being able to have breakfast in peace. And breakfast alone is no fun. Together with one or more family members and a nicely set table, breakfast becomes the first nice meal of the day.

Take the time to share breakfast with your child and talk about the activities of the day ahead. This is a good opportunity to perceive your child’s mood in the morning and to determine what expectations they have when they start the day.

Especially at the weekend, an extensive family breakfast can provide a framework for mutual exchange and a review of the week. The dining table can once again become the central family place and offer the children a positive experience that they would like to take part in again.

Break breakfast – the first snack between meals

Your child will usually eat the break breakfast – i.e. the second breakfast – in the day-care center or at school.

In the day care center it depends on whether breakfast is prepared in the facility or brought from home. Parents usually prepare a lunch box for school. It is important that the meal looks appetizing and is well packaged. But regardless of whether you prepare breakfast or your child is fed differently, the right choice of food is important.

The composition of the second breakfast is comparable to that of the first breakfast. Here, too, a combination of whole grain products, fruit or raw vegetables, dairy products and a sugar-free drink is ideally used .

The amount of food consumed is based on the first breakfast. If this was already very rich, the second breakfast should only be a snack in between. If, on the other hand, only little or nothing was eaten in the morning, the second breakfast can be larger.

For example, if your child gets breakfast at the daycare center, don’t be afraid to take a closer look at what’s on offer and talk to the educational staff about your child’s breakfast habits.

Having lunch

A hot meal should be offered once a day, as this allows for different food and nutrient compositions than cold meals.

Here this is traditionally lunch.

If it is not possible to prepare a warm meal at midday due to your family circumstances, this can be postponed to the evening without any problems. On the other hand, it is not a problem if your child eats a warm lunch at school, for example, and on some days also has a warm meal at home in the evening. It is important that the selection is varied and that the evening meal is not too sumptuous.

The following food groups result in a wholesome lunch meal:

• daily: potatoes, pasta, cereals or legumes, vegetables or salad
• once a week: meat
• once a week: fish
• Beverages such as drinking or mineral water and unsweetened fruit or herbal teas

For every preparation you should use a high-quality fat or oil, eg rapeseed oil or linseed, walnut, soya and olive oil.

Dessert is not required but can be a nice addition to the midday meal. It also counteracts afternoon cravings for sweets. Make sure you choose your food sensibly. Fruit in any form and dairy products such as quark or yoghurt are suitable for dessert.

Second snack

The afternoon snack fulfills the same function as the second breakfast.

The energy stores are replenished so that the children can be productive and adventurous until dinner.

Ideally, this meal also consists of a combination of whole grain products and fruit or raw vegetables.

If few dairy products were eaten during the day, these should play a greater role here. This can be wholemeal crispbread or rusks with herb quark or cheese.

The craving for sweets can be satisfied with sweet fruit, raisins or other dried fruit and occasionally with pastries or cakes. And as with every meal, a drink is also included.

Dinner

The last meal of the day, whether warm or cold, should not be eaten too close to bedtime. You just can’t sleep well with a full stomach.

For dinner, the classic supper is a good option, i.e. wholemeal bread topped with low-fat sausage or low-fat cheese, plus raw vegetables and herbal quark or yoghurt.

Vegetarian spreads such as paprika cream or carrot butter also add variety to bread. Salads, vegetable sticks with dip, jacket potatoes with quark or even pizza or vegetable quiche are good alternatives. Unsweetened herbal or fruit tea can be served as a drink.