San José, Costa Rica. Abril, 2016.

TThey get up at ten o´clock in the morning when they usually do so every day at six. They decide to go out and play football or swim in the pool instead of spending six hours at a desk. They go out to have lunch in fast food places instead of eating at home. This is how the children´s routine may vary during the holidays or during week-ends.

As nutritionist Natalia Quirós Barrantes, of Clínica Bíblica Hospital explains, “Children can be affected when the level of activity decreases during the holidays and when they are offered food with high contents of fat and sugars.”

Therefore, it is recommendable to respect meal times, with balanced foods that include “carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber and water. Fruits and vegetables contribute to this as well as whole cereals, dairy products and products of animal origin,” explained the specialist. 

Free time healthy snacks

According to Quirós, these are some suggestions for healthy foods that you can prepare for the children to eat during their holidays:

• Different kinds of sandwiches (tuna, cheese, chicken, meat, turkey ham, beans).  
• Water or milk smoothies, or else yogurt, that include fruits as well as vegetables.
• Fruit salads.
• Natural fruit juices or boxed ones without added sugar.
• Yogurt ice cream or those low in fat and sugar.
• Whole cereal cookies (avoid those with cream fillings or chocolate covering).
• Cereal with milk and fruit (cereals with different whole grains and not very sugary).
• Homemade tortillas with cheese and beans.
• Bread-pudding or homemade muffins.
• Pancakes.
• Wraps with whole wheat tortillas (you can use beans, cheese, vegetables, etc.).

The nutritionist also suggest that, in case you go to the beach or a pool, prepare the food beforehand at home, so you will avoid buying processed foods outside such as sodas, cookies and sweets. Some suggestions for the menu are the following:

• Mixed nuts.
• Fruits.
• Sandwiches that do not include refrigerated foods or that may go bad easily.
• Sesame sticks, whole-wheat cookies, corn biscuits.
• Low sugar cereal bars.

Also, it is important that the children rest after they eat, to facilitate digestion and prevent dizziness, nausea and vomits, especially if you are on the beach or at the pool.

However, once a prudent period of time has transpired, it is important to encourage them to do physical activities.

Some tips for having a healthy rest

Free time is for resting, which is a requirement in order to lead a healthy life. Therefore, rest cannot only consist of sedentarism, of being given sweets as “prizes” for having complied with the academic duties, or going out to eat fast foods.

This way, the nutritionist adds these final tips for your children to enjoy their free time in a healthy way:

• Offer them sufficient liquids (water and natural juices) to prevent dehydration.
• Carry out activities outside the house to reduce sitting time in front of the television, videogames, computer, etc.
• Share with the children their meals in order to have a good time with them and be a good example.
• Keep regular meal schedules (at least 5 times a day).
• Include the children in the preparation of their snacks.

In order to obtain further information or request an appointment in any of the medical specialties, please contact the private hospital Clinica Biblica at telephone number 2522-1000, by email at citas@clinicabiblica.com or via chat at the website: www.clinicabiblica.com