This Christmas menu designed for children under 10 years old, developed with the expertise of a pediatric dietician, helps prepare a simple, safe and delicious festive meal.
As the holidays are getting closerorganization comes into every conversation and preparation can quickly become a source of tension. The gifts are often managed in advance, but the menu sometimes remains unanswered, especially when young people children are among the guests.
Between everyone’s tastes and imperatives of the momentit is then a question of finding a simple and adapted solution which makes it possible to address the evening with serenity rather than with pressure.
Festive foods to avoid for young people
The end of year tables are full of refined productsbut not all of them are suitable for younger children. Certain foods must wait before being offered to children, in particular oysters, raw or smoked fishwhich should not appear on their plate before the age of 5.
Semi-cooked foie gras, for its part, is not recommended before 10 years due to the risk of contamination by salmonella or listeria, bacteria likely to cause serious complications among the little ones.
This reminder is based on specific health considerations. “Before 5 years, we are in a population at risk, the consequences can be disastrous for the children’s health“underlines Justine Marie, pediatric dietitian interviewed by Current Woman.
Founder of “Manger & Grandir” (@mangeretgrandir on Instagram), she supports families via online consultations and answers many questions related tofeeding babies and children. Its recommendations remind us that during the holiday season, vigilance remains essential to preserve health of the youngest guests.
A party menu suitable for children according to a pediatric dietitian
When the youngest share the Christmas meal, Justine Marie, pediatric dietician, invites us to rethink the menu without giving up indulgence. She imagines a festive meal accessible to under 10s, reminding us that “this menu can also be suitable for the little ones, it just mix the dishes“.
As a starter, she favors gentle and easily assimilatedlike a beet mousse with goat cheese, which she describes as a recipe often served to adults but quite suitable for childrenor even a squash soup with chestnuts, very present on the tables in December and perfectly compatible with the needs of the youngest.
For variety, she also mentions alternatives based on seafood productssuch as shrimp or sardine rillettes. For the main course, the dietician sticks to the great New Year’s Eve classics, specifying that meats like the capon or the turkey are very suitable: “It’s a traditional Christmas meal that cooks for a long time, so there is no risk for children”.
She recommends accompanying them with simple preparations such as roasted potatoesa gratin dauphinois or even bundles of green beans. Cheese does not pose any particular difficulty, provided that it be pasteurized.
As for dessert, she recommends serve a frozen log or a pastry log, provided that it is made with pasteurized eggs, information that parents can verify directly from the pastry chef before purchasing.
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