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What parents and carers need to learn
Find out which foods the family eat at home. The staple food is usually a
cereal (e.g. rice, maize, millet), or a root (cassava, potato), or a
fruit (plantain, breadfruit). Iron and vitamin A are key nutrients that
diets often lack. Discuss with parents/carers which foods they can afford
that will make good mixtures for healthy growth. Most meals should provide:
• a staple food (if this is a porridge then it must be thick);
• a protein-rich food;
• extra energy;
• vitamin A-rich food;
• iron.
• a protein-rich food;
• extra energy;
• vitamin A-rich food;
• iron.
Foods high in energy include peanut butter, margarine, oil, cooking fat,
avocado and oilseeds (e.g. sesame, pumpkin seeds).
Protein-rich foods include beans, lentils (peas), nuts, seeds, peanut butter, milk, meat, fish, eggs, and cheese.
Vitamin A-rich foods include pumpkin, carrot and other orange-coloured vegetables, orange-coloured fruits (including mango, pawpaw), green leafy vegetables, egg yolk and red palm oil. Liver is the richest source.
The best sources of iron are liver and red meats.
Protein-rich foods include beans, lentils (peas), nuts, seeds, peanut butter, milk, meat, fish, eggs, and cheese.
Vitamin A-rich foods include pumpkin, carrot and other orange-coloured vegetables, orange-coloured fruits (including mango, pawpaw), green leafy vegetables, egg yolk and red palm oil. Liver is the richest source.
The best sources of iron are liver and red meats.
