Ask The Expert is a weekly column on Littlestomaks.com. The idea is to have a reader-submitted question answered by a nutrition expert or a pediatrician. Feel free to submit your question in the comments section below.

This week, Registered Dietitian Victoria Retelny offers a few practical tips to busy parents for planning their family’s weekly meals.

Question: Both my husband and I have full time jobs and we always feel rushed to put wholesome food on the table each day for the family. Can you give a few tips for planning our weekly meals good for both our toddlers and us?

Answer:

Certainly!

I am asked this question often.  The secret is: have a plan and stick with it.  When it comes to meals and snacks, keep a grocery list for the week and do your shopping on the same day(s) every week.  Remember, feeding your whole family the same foods – and not making special foods for your toddlers – is the best way to go.  By keeping to a shopping schedule you can compile a list of meals and buy ingredients for the week.  Also, you will not overspend at the grocery store by making random stops.

When planning easy, convenient meals for you and your family, think about including these components at all meals:

Vegetables/Fruit + Lean protein + Whole grains + Healthy fats

To maintain nutritional balance, half of your plate should be vegetables/fruit, one-quarter should be lean protein, and the other quarter should be whole grains.  Keep in mind, frozen veggies are fine to use – they contain just as much nutritional value, if not more, than fresh vegetables.

Here are some healthful meals for your weekly rotation:

• Vegetable Pizza with whole wheat crust (100% whole wheat Boboli, assorted vegetables, and shredded part-skim mozzarella and canned crushed tomatoes). Serve with a side salad and vinaigrette dressing.
• Chicken and Couscous Primavera (shredded chicken breast, whole wheat couscous, peas, spinach, and tomatoes with balsamic vinaigrette dressing).
• Mini Turkey Cheese Burgers & Sweet Potatoes Fries (turkey patties – cut in quarters, mozzarella cheese slices, whole grain buns – cut in quarters, sweet potatoes – cut into slices, drizzled with olive oil and baked).   Serve with side salad and vinaigrette dressing.
• Whole Grain Macaroni and Cheese (whole grain macaroni, low-fat milk, shredded low-fat cheddar cheese).  Serve with oven-roasted broccoli spears drizzled with olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper.
• Asian Chicken Salad (shredded chicken breast, scallions, roasted sliced almonds, sesame seeds, shredded carrots, romaine lettuce, whole grain angel hair pasta). Mix with dressing: soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and canola oil. If your kids will not eat lettuce than just serve the chicken with the pasta – my kids call the pasta strands “worms” and love this dish!

Bon appétit!

©2010 Littlestomaks.com. All Rights Reserved

Disclaimer – Information provided in Ask The Expert column on Littlestomaks.com is intended to give you general guidance on a question related to toddler nutrition. It is not meant to be treated as medical advice. You are welcome to contact this expert for a detailed consultation on your specific situation to determine what actions, if any, you should take regarding nutrition and health of your toddlers. We do not recommend you to take any action based solely on the information presented in this column. Experts have agreed to provide their professional opinion on toddler nutrition related questions on a voluntary basis and no compensation is offered to them by Littlestomaks.com.

Ask The Expert is a weekly column on Littlestomaks.com. The idea is to have a reader-submitted question answered by a nutrition expert or a pediatrician. Feel free to submit your question in the comments section below.

This week, Pediatrician Dr. Joanna Dolgoff offers a few ideas on what to do if you are concerned about the quality of food your child is getting at the daycare.

Joanna Dolgoff, M.D. BA Molecular Biology, Princeton, Graduated Cum Laude MD, NYU School of Medicine Pediatric internship and residency at Presbyterian Children’s Hospital of New York 5 years private practice in Pediatrics CBS News Online correspondent: childhood obesity expert Child & Adolescent obesity and weight management expert Website:Online Weight Management Program Twitter:@joannadolgoffmd LinkedIn Profile Contact: via email from website

Question: My child does not get nutritious food at the daycare. How can I improve her daily nutrition?

Answer:

As the economy continues to sour, many moms are returning to work to help make ends meet financially.  Many working mothers are also working longer hours.  The result is that child daycare centers are often responsible for providing meals and snacks for many children.  Many families have expressed concern that foods provided by daycare are not as nutritious and wholesome as expected.  Snacks are often sugar-laden and high in calories and fat.  Kids are usually given juice and whole milk to drink.  And fruits and vegetables are often scarce.  When it comes to our children’s health and nutritional status, this is a recipe for disaster!

To be fair, daycare centers vary in what they provide.  How do you know if your day care center measures up?  The first step is to find out what your center provides for meals and snacks.  Don’t be shy to ask questions.
Here are a few questions to ask:

1. Is there is a dietitian overseeing the menu planning and meal preparation to ensure that balanced meals are being served?
2. Are foods fried or baked?
3. Are fruits and vegetable served with meals and snacks?
4. Will they provide water instead of juice or whole milk?
5. Is there a menu available for review?

If you determine that your daycare center is not up to your standards, speak up!  Let the center know your concerns.  You may need to stress the importance of a well balanced diet, exercise, and teaching children to eat healthy foods.  Often, if enough parents complain, the day care will make some changes.

Unfortunately, some facilities may not be willing to change.  Sometimes they are resistant due to financial reasons.  Fresh produce, for example, is more expensive than other snacks.  If your daycare is not willing to accommodate your requests, you should provide your child with a bagged lunch and snacks to make sure he is getting enough nutrition during daycare hours.

Here is a sample of a healthy day:

Breakfast:
1 cup Raisin Bran + ¼ cup skim milk
1 cup of mixed berries

Snacks:
12 almonds
1 medium pear

Lunch:
5 slices turkey breast
1 slice fat-free cheese
2 slices whole wheat bread
2 pretzel rods
½ sliced cucumber

Snack:
1 piece of string cheese
1 cup of grapes

Dinner:
1 cup whole wheat spaghetti with marinara sauce
1/3 cup ground chicken meatballs
1 cup Broccoli

It is important to eat a variety of different types of foods to ensure kids are getting enough vitamins and minerals.

©2009 Littlestomaks.com. All Rights Reserved
Disclaimer – Information provided in Ask The Expert column on Littlestomaks.com is intended to give you general guidance on a question related to toddler nutrition. It is not meant to be treated as medical advice. You are welcome to contact this expert for a detailed consultation on your specific situation to determine what actions, if any, you should take regarding nutrition and health of your toddlers. We do not recommend you to take any action based solely on the information presented in this column. Experts have agreed to provide their professional opinion on toddler nutrition related questions on a voluntary basis and no compensation is offered to them by Littlestomaks.com.