When your child is a picky eater, you may be relieved when he eats anything at all. But if he's been eating french fries for every meal, he is probably not getting adequate nutrition. Although french fries are OK to eat as a once-in-a-while treat, eating french fries every day may cause serious medical conditions, including heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Talk to your doctor before making changes in your child's diet, particularly if he has health conditions or allergies.
Eating French Fries
French fries are salty, delicious, and may be appealing to your child because she can dip them in bright red ketchup. Although french fries are made from potatoes, which are technically a vegetable, they are fried in oil and contain almost no nutritional value whatsoever. One medium-size serving of french fries at a fast food restaurant contains approximately 380 calories, 19 g of fat and 270 mg sodium. If your child is eating other foods along with the french fries, like a burger or a sandwich, the calorie count increases significantly. Add sugary drinks, like a soda onto the meal and your child's calorie intake may be off the charts.
Nutrition For Kids
In order to grow up strong and healthy, children need a combination of essential nutrients. Kids between the ages of four and eight need 1,200 to 2,000 calories per day, depending on their height and level of activity. Kids between the ages of nine and 13 need 1,600 to 2,600 calories per day. Regardless of your child's age, between 10 and 30 percent of their calories should come from protein, 40 to 65 percent should be from carbohydrates and 25 to 35 percent of their calories should be from fat.
Fast Food vs. Homemade Fries
French fries are a source of carbohydrates and fat, because they are fried -- but because they are a source of refined carbohydrates and saturated fat, they are not your child's healthiest option. When you order fries from a fast food restaurant, they're coated in oil and covered in salt, which significantly raises the fat content and sodium level. Create more nutritious french fries at home by cutting a potato into strips. Leave the skin on, then brush it with olive oil and sprinkle a tiny amount of salt on top. Bake on a tin foil-lined baking sheet in a 350 degree F oven until the fries are brown and crispy.
Healthier Fast Food Choices
If you frequently go to fast food restaurants with your child, encourage other alternatives to french fries. Some fast food restaurants offer a side salad, carrot sticks or apple slices -- these snacks are all healthier alternatives to salty french fries. Steer clear of creamy dressings and dipping sauces, which may be higher in fat and calories than the fries.
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