Have you ever thought or considered consuming fruits and vegetables according to the calendar? Sounds odd, correct?
These are summer times currently across India. Summer brings lots of challenges for us mainly because of the unbearable heat. But with summer nature also provides us some amazing fruits and vegetables which you can enjoy thoroughly all throughout the summer.
Nutritionist Avni Kaul says by having a season base fruits and vegetables for summer could provide certain advantages.
Some fruits and vegetables grow only during a certain time in the year. And these seasonal fruits & vegetables carry particular nutrients which can help your child get healthier and boost immunity during that season. For instance, watermelon consumed in summers are awesome to beat the heat. While eating watermelon during the winter can be equivalent to inviting the flu as melons contain cooling properties. There is a direct link between eating what’s in season and what tastes the best, as these fresh seasonal fruits & vegetables are not been cold-stored or preserved by any means.
Generally, the kids are fussy eaters at times. And it is a challenge for every parent to expect that their child will finish their school tiffin. Mostly, school going kids bring back their lunchbox without emptying it. The main reason is most children do not prefer food items that do not appeal to them. Be it the color, flavor or fragrance of the food.
So, it is better not to serve them the food which usually the adults eat. Instead, focus on giving your kids the vibrant and colorful food which they will enjoy. Like the seasonal fruits and vegetables. They not only taste better during the season, in fact, your kids will also love to eat them. There are various fruits and vegetables which are found in abundance during the summer time. Which your school going child will certainly like.
Top child nutritionist, dietitian Avni Kaul speaks about some of the seasonal fruits and vegetables, your child must have for tiffin.
Berries
Who does not like berries? They are sweet in taste. They look good. And they have lots of varieties. And during the summers these berries are a great source of antioxidants and provide you with various vitamins. Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are some of the popular varieties of berries. Your child will surely love them because of its size, color, and taste.
Watermelon
Red colored and highly rich in nutrients, watermelon contains nearly 92% water per volume. It is high in anti-oxidants, vitamins, and electrolytes. Watermelon is a fantastic source of lycopene which is known to be good for the heart. Children also love drinking watermelon juice.
Cucumber
There is an old saying ‘cool as a cucumber’ and it is true. This vegetable is very popular on Indian dining tables as part of the ‘green salad’. Cucumbers keep the body cool and have fiber which keeps constipation at bay. If your child is fussy about food, just give a cucumber sticks inside the lunchbox and watch them disappear.
Nimbu Pani
This is particularly for those parents whose kids do not drink sufficient water while in school. Pass up those juices and make your kids fresh nimbu pani which they can carry inside their water bottles. Kids simply love the tangy flavor. Vitamin C assists build their immunity. Like most of these amazing foods on this list, lemon aids digestion and helps cleanse the body from within.
Banana
Bananas though found all year round and are filled with minerals, vitamins, and fiber. Bananas if eaten daily contribute to improved eyesight, healthy bones. Also, summertime can exhaust your child rapidly. Thus, eating banana can fill them with the ooze of energy. Banana is known for its energy boosting qualities.
In Buenos Aires, 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games Nutritionist Avni Kaul was the Advisor (Nutrition) from India. She is a Gold-medallist master’s science graduate from the University of Delhi in the subject of Food and Nutrition. Avni Kaul is a diet and nutrition columnist in some of India's leading newspapers and magazines like -
Columnist at TimesNow
Columnist at NDTV Food
Columnist at Grazia
Columnist at Deccan Herald
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