Nuts and Seeds

17/04/2020 Uncategorized

Like most plant foods, nuts and seeds are a good source of antioxidants and contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. They are high in healthy fats, low in unhealthy fats, and are a good source of fibre and protein – all of this means that they help to keep us fuller for longer!  

Nuts and seeds fall into the “lean meat and poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans” food group. Each day, children up to 8 years old should be having 1 ½ serves, and older children and adolescents should be having 2 ½ serves of this food group. About 30g of nuts and seeds makes up one serve.  

What does this look like? 

  • 20 almonds 
  • 20 hazelnuts 
  • 15 macadamias 
  • 15 cashews 
  • 15 pecans 
  • 10 Brazil nuts 
  • 2 tbsp pine nuts 
  • 2 tbsp nut spread (e.g. peanut butter) or seed spread (e.g. tahini) 
  • 3-4 tbsp chia, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds 

Ways to incorporate nuts and seeds into your child’s diet 

  • Add nut butter or chia seeds to a smoothie 
  • Sprinkle various nuts and seeds onto breakfast cereals, or mix some nut butter into porridge 
  • Mix various nuts and seeds with dried fruit to make a trail mix
  • Serve fruit or vegetables such as bananas, apples or celery with nut butter
  • Add cashews or sesame seeds to a stir fry

Nut allergies 

For a small portion of the population, nut allergies are a very serious issue. Nut allergies in childhood are often carried through to adulthood. If you or your child have a nut allergy, it is important to avoid them completely. For more information, visit our food allergies and intolerances webpage.