Spring brings renewal and vibrant life—a golden season for children’s growth and development. During this wonderful time, children’s digestion and absorption abilities improve, increasing their food intake and accelerating physical growth. Nutrition is the foundation of children’s development. Parents should seize this crucial period to provide balanced nutrition, helping their children grow taller and stronger.
According to WHO data, spring is the fastest-growing season for children. To meet the significantly increased demand for various nutrients during this period, mothers should conduct scientific and rational spring tonification. However, seasons vary—spring warmth, summer heat, autumn dryness, winter cold—and children’s diets should differ accordingly. In spring, as weather shifts from cold to warm, children’s diet should become lighter and more moist. During spring tonification, mothers should adopt the following strategies—
Strategy 1: Choose Nutritious Foods
In diet, select "medicinal and edible" foods such as jujubes, longan flesh, mushrooms, shiitake, and black fungus. These foods are rich in multiple nutrients and are sweet and neutral in nature. When consumed in moderation, they are natural, safe, and effective supplements for strengthening children’s bodies and boosting immunity.
Special Note: For healthy children, dietary supplementation is the safest and most effective way to meet growth needs. For weak or sickly children, tonification should be done under medical guidance based on specific conditions.
Strategy 2: Supplement Calcium-Rich Foods
Children grow rapidly, increasing their calcium needs. Include more calcium-rich foods like tofu, bone broth, fish and shellfish, sesame, and seafood in their diet. To ensure calcium absorption, encourage outdoor sun exposure and provide foods rich in vitamin D.
Special Note: Limit excessive sugar or sweet snacks, as they can deplete calcium and vitamin D in the body, leading to calcium deficiency.
Strategy 3: Increase High-Quality Protein Appropriately
As children grow faster, their need for high-quality protein increases. On the side dishes, moderately increase eggs, fish and shellfish, chicken, beef, dairy products, and bean products. On staple foods, prefer rice, millet, and red beans.
Special Note: Beef and lamb are warm in nature and should not be eaten excessively. Prefer easily digestible options like fish and shellfish or eggs. Avoid frying eggs, meat, and fish. Do not wash rice too many times, nor soak it in hot water.
Strategy 4: Ensure Intake of Vitamins and Minerals
Children’s need for vitamins increases. If intake is insufficient, they may develop "spring susceptibility," such as frequent lip inflammation, bleeding gums, and rough skin. Therefore, in addition to eating more celery, spinach, tomatoes, green peppers, cabbage, and cauliflower, include carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, shepherd’s purse, fragrant sprouts, and amaranth. Mix coarse grains and mixed grains like corn, oatmeal, and peas into staple foods.
Special Note: To attract children’s interest, spring vegetables can be stir-fried, stewed, or stuffed into wontons, dumplings, or spring rolls. Cook vegetables quickly over high heat—avoid prolonged cooking to preserve water-soluble vitamins. Do not cook too much at once to prevent nutrient loss from reheating.
Strategy 5: Provide Essential Fats
The brain contains two unsaturated fatty acids, essential components of brain tissue. Deficiency affects intellectual development. Since the body cannot synthesize them, they must be obtained from food. In spring, use vegetable oils when cooking and eat more plant-based fats—such as walnut porridge, black sesame porridge, peanut porridge, fish head soup, fresh clam soup, roasted quail, or wild rabbit meat.
Special Note: Do not increase plant oil intake by eating fried foods.
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