International Preschool Menus: Tips for Planning Nutritious Meals for Young Children

Preschool children are active and need adequate nutrition to support their growth and development. Therefore, many parents want to learn how to create a nutritious and balanced  preschool menu for young children.

In this article, Vietnam Australia International School (VAS) explains how its daily preschool menus are planned and provides parents with an overview of nutrition for young children.

1. Why is nutrition important for preschool children?

The preschool years, from 0 to 6 years old, are a critical period in children’s development. During this stage, providing children with a balanced and nutritious diet is essential for supporting healthy growth and development. Children need a balanced diet to support their holistic development, both physically and cognitively.

Physical development: Nutrition supports children’s growth in height and weight, especially during the preschool years. Providing adequate nutrition also helps support healthy physical development as children grow. Nutrition accounts for 32% of children’s development, physical activity accounts for 20%, and genetics accounts for 23%. The remaining percentage depends on children’s living conditions and environment.

Cognitive development: During pregnancy and the preschool years, a balanced diet may help children achieve a higher-than-average IQ. In addition, when school-age children show signs of slower learning or reduced cognitive ability, this may indicate iron deficiency.

Along with providing a balanced diet, parents should encourage children to patricipate in regular physical activities to support their overall health and development. This can also support learning and cognitive development.

Adequate nutrition combined with physical activity can also help prevent health risks such as obesity and malnutrition.

An international preschool menu plays an important role in supporting children’s physical activities

2. Common nutrition mistakes parents should avoid

Although nutrition plays an important role in young children’s development, many parents still make mistakes when planning meals for preschool children. Common mistakes include:

• Giving children several types of milk at the same time: Many parents believe that combining two or three types of milk will provide children with more nutrients. However, each child may be better suited to a particular type of milk. Choosing milk products from unreliable sources may pose food safety risks.
• Providing too much protein: Many parents add large amounts of meat, fish, eggs, milk, and other protein-rich foods to children’s meals because they believe these foods are highly nutritious. However, a child’s diet should be balanced according to their individual nutritional needs. Parents should consult a qualified nutritionist or healthcare professional when necessary. Consuming too much protein may lead to digestive problems, bloating, or indigestion.
• Providing an unbalanced diet:  A common mistake is avoiding cooking oil in children’s meals because parents worry that it may cause indigestion or other health problems. However, a nutritious meal should contain all necessary nutrients, including cooking oil or other oils such as: olive oil, sesame oil, or gac oil. These oils provide energy and fatty acids while helping the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins more effectively.
• Preparing only the foods children like: Frequently giving children only their favorite foods may prevent them from receiving other important nutrients. During the preschool years, children should gradually become familiar with a variety of foods to support their nutritional needs. This may be difficult at first because children may dislike unfamiliar foods or eat only small amounts. However, they can gradually become more familiar and comfortable with a diverse diet.

3. Principles for creating menus for preschool children

When creating menus for preschool children, parents should ensure nutritional balance, provide a variety of dishes, and choose preparation methods that suit children’s needs and the weather.

3.1. Ensuring nutritional balance in international preschool menus 

Preschool children are highly active, so their daily menus should provide enough energy to support their activities throughout the day.

Parents should build children’s meals around three main nutrient groups:

• Glucids – Carbohydrates: Grains and sugar provide energy for the body.
• Lipids – Fats: Cooking oils, fats, and nuts are important sources of energy for children.
• Proteins: Meat, eggs, fish, milk, butter, and peanuts support children’s brain development.

On average, children need approximately 735–882 kcal per day. The source lists the suggested proportions of the three nutrient groups as:

• Protein: 14–16
• Lipids: 18–20
• Glucids: 64–68

Parents can combine protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, and eggs with vegetable soups made from katuk, water spinach, or bean sprouts. Healthy fats can be included through appropriate stir-fried or fried dishes. To provide enough carbohydrates, they should balance main meals and snacks throughout the day.

3.2. Offering a variety of dishes in international preschool menus 

Each type of food provides certain nutrients. Offering children a variety of dishes every day helps them become familiar with different foods and receive the nutrients their bodies need.

Parents can prepare the same ingredient in different ways to make meals more appealing and stimulate children’s appetite. During the preschool stage, parents should avoid giving children spicy or overly hot foods.

A varied menu helps children receive balanced nutrition

3.3. Appropriate food preparation in international preschool menus 

When preparing meals for children, parents should also adjust the menu according to the weather.

For example:

• During hot weather, parents should choose foods with a high water content and add more fruit to children’s meals.
• During colder weather, parents can replace fried or stir-fried dishes with stewed dishes to make the food easier for children to digest.

4. VAS International Preschool Menu - Providing complete nutrition for children 

At Vietnam Australia International School (VAS), nutrition is an important part of supporting preschool children’s physical, and emotional development. The school pays close attention to every meal and has a team of nutrition specialists who prepare daily menus to ensure that they are scientifically planned and nutritionally balanced.

VAS sends the weekly preschool menu to parents so they can understand their children’s nutrition plan for the week. For children with food allergies, the school takes additional precautions and provides meals tailored to their dietary needs.

The school kitchen is strictly inspected, cleaned weekly, and sanitized to ensure food hygiene and safety for young children. Before preparation, all ingredients must go through controlled sourcing and storage procedures. From preliminary preparation to the finished meals, food is handled through a closed process to maintain hygiene and safety.

After the food is cooked, the kitchen keeps samples and sends them for inspection before serving the meals to children.

The school menu is planned according to the following meal distribution:

• 30–35%: Lunch
• 25–30%: Afternoon meal
• Snacks: Around half of a main meal

In addition to providing students with proper nutrition, VAS regularly organizes cooking activities that introduce children to basic nutrition knowledge. Parents can also join these activities with their children, helping improve their understanding of nutrition and support healthier eating habits at home.

Some notable activities in the VAS kitchen include:

• Food Traffic Lights
• Family Meals
• Cooking Classes

Holistic care at VAS combines a nutritious international preschool menu with skill development activities

VAS combines nutritious international preschool menus with skill-development activities to support children’s holistic development. The school not only provides children with knowledge but also serves as a second home where they can enjoy delicious and nutritious meals, giving them enough energy for a full day of learning and play.

>>> Read more: Details of Vietnam Australia International School tuition fees

To register for a tour of VAS Preschool and learn more about its international preschool menus and other activities, parents can visit www.vas.edu.vn or contact the hotline at 0911 26 77 55.

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