Infant diet: three courses or a single dish?

Although it seems generally accepted that the most recommended meal pattern during childhood is 5 a day -3 main, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and two lighter, lunch and snack, the content of these meals, especially of food and dinner, is sometimes a source of discussion. And not only this, we also r

Although it seems generally accepted that the most recommended meal pattern during childhood is 5 a day -3 main, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and two lighter, lunch and snack, the content of these meals, especially of food and dinner, is sometimes a source of discussion.

And not only this, we also raised the advantages and disadvantages for the children's diet to offer them three dishes or a single dish. What is the best?

Single dish or three dishes for a healthy children's diet?

The schedule of meals in Spain is far from what is customary in other countries, and since there is a very long period between breakfast and lunch, the general tendency is to make a copious meal. Meanwhile, in other countries, these schedules are very different, with food being much earlier and less abundant.

According to this pattern, the food should contribute approximately 30 - 35% of the total caloric intake of the day, generally distributed in three dishes, with a dessert based on fruit and accompanied by bread. Depending on the caloric density of the first dish, a second, more or less caloric, dish should be chosen, since it must complement the first dish nutritionally.

One drawback is that, the younger the child, the more likely that they will not be able to eat the three dishes siendo, this being a problem if the menu is intended to be consumed in its entirety. If this is the case, the main difficulty is that, although it covers their caloric needs (since they themselves decide that they have been filled), the first dish exclusively will not cover their nutritional needs, at least as far as micronutrients are concerned. . As they grow, this will happen less frequently and they will be able to eat the second course, and later, also the dessert.In contrast,

choosing a single dish at mealtime is presumed advantageous, especially for young children . A single dish is characterized by including small portions of various foods, to achieve a balanced and complete dish both in its macro content and in micronutrients.What to do then before the tessitura of preparing three dishes or single dish. Although the choice seems difficult to achieve a healthy infant diet, it is not so, and

each option may be advantageous in some circumstances and not so much in others, depending on the child's age, the specific situation (day of diary, weekend or holiday) and even the season (in summer the first dishes are usually lighter and it is easier for even the youngest to be willing to eat three dishes). What we must achieve in any case is that, whether in three courses or in a combined one, a sufficient variety of foods is offered to obtain an optimal nutritional contribution.