About Healthy Eating

Healthy Eating for Young Children

Starting at six months, in addition to breast milk, it is essential to introduce other foods into children’s meals, providing the greatest possible diversity of healthy foods. A healthy diet should be based on fresh and minimally processed foods, following the guidelines of the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines.

The guide classifies foods into four categories based on their level of processing:

• Fresh or minimally processed foods
• Processed culinary ingredients
• Processed foods
• Ultra-processed foods

Fresh and minimally processed foods come directly from nature, whether from plants or animals, without alterations. Minimally processed foods undergo modifications such as cleaning, drying, fermentation, pasteurization, refrigeration, or freezing and may include the addition of salt, sugar, oils, fats, or other substances.

The Twelve Steps for Healthy Eating for Children Under Two Years Old

According to the Dietary Guide for Brazilian Children Under Two Years Old, these are the twelve steps for ensuring a healthy diet:

1. Breastfeed until at least two years of age, offering only breast milk until six months.
2. From six months onward, offer fresh or minimally processed foods in addition to breast milk.
3. Offer drinking water instead of juices, soft drinks, or other sugary beverages.
4. When introducing solid foods, offer mashed foods first.
5. Do not offer products or preparations with sugar until two years of age.
6. Avoid ultra-processed foods for children.
7. Cook the same food for the child and the family.
8. Ensure mealtime is a moment of learning, affection, and positive experiences.
9. Pay attention to the child’s hunger and fullness signals and engage in conversation during meals.
10. Maintain hygiene throughout all stages of food preparation and feeding.
11. Provide healthy meals even outside the home.
12. Protect children from food advertising.

Guidelines for Children Aged 2 to 10

The guide also provides recommendations for children aged 2 to 10 years:

• Encourage the daily consumption of beans and other legumes at lunch and dinner.
• Avoid ultra-processed sugary beverages such as soft drinks and packaged juices.
• Avoid ultra-processed foods such as ready-made hamburgers, processed meats, instant noodles, and sweets.
• Promote the consumption of vegetables, greens, and fruits at lunch and dinner.
• Prefer meals in a calm environment without distractions such as screens (TV, cellphone, etc.).
• Encourage children to eat meals with family or friends.
• Teach children to wash their hands before meals and brush their teeth afterward.
• Include meats and organ meats like liver at least once a week, as they are rich in iron and vitamin A.
• Protect children from advertising for ultra-processed foods, which often provide misleading or incomplete information.

Recommended Items for a Child’s Lunchbox

It is recommended to include:

• A drink: preferably water or natural juice without added sugar.
• A fresh fruit or pre-washed vegetables.
• A snack such as homemade cheese bread, tapioca, couscous, a sandwich, natural yogurt, or homemade cake.

Avoid including:

• Packaged chips, salty crackers, and soft drinks.
• Chocolate milk, artificially flavored yogurt, and sweets.
• Store-bought cakes and cream-filled cookies.

Whenever possible, involve the child in selecting and organizing their lunchbox and encourage the use of utensils they like.

Supplementation for Children

During the first two years of life, it is important for children to take iron and vitamin A supplements to prevent deficiencies that could harm their physical and mental development. The Ministry of Health offers three programs to help prevent micronutrient deficiencies:

• National Iron Supplementation Program: Prevents anemia in children aged 6 to 24 months.
• National Vitamin A Supplementation Program: Protects vision and reduces the risk of infections.
• NutriSUS Strategy: Fortifies children’s diets with powdered micronutrients to prevent anemia and other nutritional deficiencies.

Consult a healthcare professional for guidance on how to proceed with supplementation.