Nutritional Tips for your Family

Please note that there is a different “Top Tip” on the noticeboard each month!

Feeding children well is really important for their development and it is not an expensive or difficult task. Using more fresh fruit and vegetables in their diet is an excellent starting point. Let’s look, for example at the nutritional value of the most humble of all vegetables …the potato,,, “Cheap as chips” as they say!

The value of potatoes

Potatoes are definitely a super food for children. They provide the energy that they need to have fun, exercise and play. They are fat free, bursting with vitamins and minerals and a great source of Vitamin C. (Vitamin C helps to protect us from illnesses and helps us to recover when poorly). Potatoes are a great source of “fibre” (essential for our internal body functions!) so great news……..no need to peel…..leave the skins on!

When purchased fresh, potatoes are inexpensive, versatile and store well. Use them to accompany all kinds of dishes, to thicken soups, and to extend meals for large numbers of people when cost is an issue. Potatoes can even be used to “fortify” bread and so can be helpful for underweight children (and adults) who need to take more calories with the food that they eat.

Make the most of the nutritional value of potatoes by avoiding repetitive deep frying, or the adding of poor quality fats when you bake them in their jackets or mash them. Instead use olive or sunflower oils.

Download a healthy home-made mixed vegetable chips recipe for your family today.