Developing A Healthy Menu. Literature & Language Essay

Developing a Healthy Menu
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Developing A Healthy Menu
a. Infants
Infants should be exclusively fed on breastmilk before the age of six months since it contains all the necessary nutritional elements at that point. As they develop past this stage, other simple soft foods can be slowly introduced in addition to breastmilk to enables them to start adapting to a diverse menu. However, a menu should be prepared in such a manner that all nutritional value must be adequate to meet eh needs of the child. Therefore, the child should have a balanced diet that provides crucial nutrients to aid in growth and development at such an early age. 
The introduction of solid foods after six months aids the infant to develop chewing skills that will help in the consumption of such foods as they grow. The texture of the food must also be consistent with the age of the child to prevent choking or any other dangerous reactions (Pérez‐Escamilla, Segura‐Pérez, & Hall Moran, 2019). An infant can thus adapt to the introduction of texture in food hence develop a liking for such types of food. Furthermore, the food should be offered in a variety of colours that captivate the infant's mind to enable them to taste and appreciate the different flavours present in the diet. This builds up their ability to properly eat different types of food under different textures as they develop to increase their range. At this stage of infancy, foods presented to children must be rich in iron which is essential to aid in the development of the body. This includes eggs, legumes, beans and meat that can be mashed or pureed to provide the appropriately textured portions for the infant (Pérez‐Escamilla, Segura‐Pérez, & Hall Moran, 2019). While breastmilk should be the main drink during an infant’s first year, boiled water that has been cooled can be introduced.  
To prevent any form of harm to the infant during feeding, foods offered to an infant must not pose a choking risk. Additionally, salt and sugar in food must not be introduced to the infant since it may create preferences in the infant in the long run. The infant should also not take any form of sweet drinks such as juices or soft drinks since they create a sugar dependency that may lead to obesity at a young age (Pérez‐Escamilla, Segura‐Pérez, & Hall Moran, 2019). Apart from that, children with special dietary concerns brought about by cultural concerns or allergies must be provided with alternatives that offer nutritional value. In cases where meat is not consumed, options that include a lot of zinc and iron are recommended to ensure balanced diets. For instance, iron-fortified foods and cereals can provide the necessary nutrients that are found in meat as a substitute in vegan diets.
b. Toddlers
As the baby develops, he/she can be able to take in a variety of foods in different textures and portions. At this stage, their bodies develop rapidly, hence they require a lot of nutrients to assist in this growth. The food menu can be diversified to include all types of nutrients appropriate for this stage in limited quantities. 
Firstly, fruits and ...