It is important to consider how the food and drinks you give your child can affect their teeth.
It’s not just what they eat and drink but when they eat and drink it. This section tells you what you need to think about to make sure your child’s teeth are strong and healthy.
To encourage healthy eating, it is important to reduce overall snacking and concentrate on providing healthy family meals. Children need energy as they grow to develop and keep them active. Make sure you give your child a variety of foods. Try to include something from each of the five food groups throughout the day.
Suggestions for healthy snacks from one year old
- Fresh fruit – grapes, melon, a banana, strawberries, a tangerine, a pear, a peach, a plum, an apple. Fresh fruit kebabs can be fun to make and eat.
- Fresh vegetables – tomatoes sliced into quarters, celery, carrot and cucumber sticks, sliced peppers, sugar snap peas.
- Tinned fruit and vegetables – in water not salt or syrup
- Sandwiches – try various fillings: cold meat, tuna, grated cheese, egg, salad items, tomato or banana.
- Some other choices – bread sticks, oatcakes, crackers, rice cakes, a plain or cheese scone, a crumpet, a bagel, a potato scone, a pancake, a toasted teacake.
Reducing the risk of choking
It important to supervise young children when they are eating and provide assistance if required. Some foods may need additional preparation, particularly for very young children.
To reduce the risk of choking:
- remove any stones or pips before serving
- chop small fruits and vegetables, like cherry tomatoes and grapes, into four equal pieces
- cut large fruits into slices rather than chunks
- avoid whole nuts.
Young children have small appetites and need regular meals with snacks in between, and do need some full-fat foods in their diet. Childsmile has put together some snack ideas to help you provide a variety of healthy snacks for both you and your children to enjoy at home and at school or play.
Dried fruit and fresh fruit juice can be counted as one portion each of your five-a-day fruit and vegetables. However, they contain hidden sugars and are best taken at mealtimes. Find out more about hidden sugars in food and drink.
Find out why it is important to prevent tooth decay, get snack ideas and information on healthy drinks from Childsmile, and from Parentclub – food.