Fish in children's diet

 

 

 

   




Not all children eat fish. It might have to do with the taste preferences of the child, and possibly with the quality of the product and the peculiarities of its preparation. How to choose and cook fish and which fish to children, says pediatrician Elena Motova.

 

 

There is one special category of parents: their children eat fish. Responding to everyone else, including me, to the question: "How do you do that?" some puzzled shrug: "Nothing special we do, just do very like fish. Lived in Vladivostok, fish and sea products is constantly present at our table, but the fishing was a favorite pastime", others talk about the same thing: "In our family, we all, including children, eat the fish because we enjoy it."
I would add to this the ability to choose and properly prepare the delicate product.

Useful properties of fish




 

• Fish is a source of complete proteins and essential (not synthesized in the body) amino acids, it contains them the same amount per unit of weight, how much and lean meat.
• White fish carries small quantities of fat, while the fat in other fish species (salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines) contains polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3, which are important for the development of the nervous system and is good for the heart and blood vessels.
• Marine and freshwater fish are a valuable source of minerals: iron, zinc, and selenium, which, although present in smaller amounts than in meat, but also well absorbed.
• Marine fish is the main source of iodine, which accumulates in it from the marine environment. This is important because almost all regions of Russia there is an iodine deficiency or moderate.

How to choose a fish?
The fish must be absolutely fresh, is essential. Buy fish where it is properly stored and quickly sell. If approaching fish Department, do you feel odor, don't even come to him.
When you buy fresh fish, ask the seller to bend the gills and smell: no fishy smell, just a light scent of sea water.

Signs of fresh fish:

• clear eyes,
• dense, shiny scales,
• natural color and moisture,
• elasticity to the touch,
• the subtle smell of the ocean instead of the fish stand the stench.

The myth of frozen fish
Why is there a biased view of frozen fish as a product less valuable than the fish chilled. However, the features of fishing is often such that the fish is cut, immediately frozen and arrives on the shelves. Correct frost did not change its useful properties, and the ice glaze, which from a bona fide manufacturer is present in minimal quantities, protects the fish from oxidation and drying out.

Thaw the fish slowly, on the shelf of the refrigerator to the lowest temperature it is safe and allows to preserve its texture and taste. Of course, the fish must be frozen and defrosted only once.

The world wildlife Fund (WWF) is an independent international environmental organization issued a special guide for consumers of fish in Russia, which introduces all persons concerned with features extraction (or cultivation) of fish and seafood and gives recommendations to customers.

Which fish to children and how to prepare the child? Tips with examples
In children fish usually two complaints – the bones and the actual fish taste. Therefore, it is necessary to choose the least bony fish and try to remove all small bones with the help of special tweezers. Another option is the fish cutlets or meatballs. If you cook them from lean fish, be sure to put the stuffing in a little butter. Such a simple action as adding a teaspoon of sugar to a pound of minced fish, will also enrich the taste of the cutlets. This method is used manufacturers of canned fish for baby food.





As for the taste of fish fillet, here in addition to impeccable freshness of the fish can help marinades. If baked whole fish, put in the abdomen herbs and lemon slices. When using fillets, you can grate it with a marinade of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and add a little mild mustard (for a child older than three years) and honey (or sugar). Possible variations: instead of lemon juice and mustard take a bit of soy sauce. Or the easiest option: salt, a little pepper, olive oil, fresh thyme.

It is very important that the fish was fully cooked, but in any case, not dry and just inedible. I have an old edition of "Baby food" 1957 – "books about how to feed the baby to grow healthy and strong." In this guide, it is recommended to cook the fish pieces in water at a low boil 30 minutes. It seems to me that it's too long, and also boiled fish dish is not for everybody, but baked or grilled is likely to be a success.
If the child likes pasta (children who do not like them, I did not come across) with white sauce, it is possible to add to them small pieces of fish fillet.

Any fish dishes and products are best avoided?

• Up to three (preferably seven) years children do not offer strong fish broths and soups, fish in aspic, beloved grandmothers eggs is also prohibited: because of the very high fat content, salinity and the presence of preservatives caviar is not a children's product.
• It is not necessary to offer the children dried and smoked fish.
• Surrogates like crab sticks in the baby food is also not the place.
• If mom, dad or other blood relatives of the child there is a proven allergic to some fish species, molluscs and crustaceans, before giving the child any of the above, you should consult with your physician.
• The key is to consume fish in moderation (1-2 times a week as much as eat child), and variety. Pollution of the oceans due to human activities and modern aquaculture technologies force us to carefully choose the fish that we eat.

 

 

 

   

Source: www.gastronom.ru