Sausage vs steak – does it matter?

Sausage vs steak – does it matter?

Parents want their children to eat the same foods as the rest of family, so it can be challenging if they prefer a sausage sizzle to steak on the barbecue.

Often foods which are nutritionally good for us are more difficult to eat. Red meat, a rich source of haem iron, can be difficult for young children to chew, and it doesn’t stop there.

Dr Cath Conlon, from Massey’s School of Food and Nutrition, says eating a range of foods is important, but often texture can be a problem for children. “Variety is important because that’s how you get all the nutrients you need from your diet, so getting enough iron-rich foods and vegetables into children is crucial.”

Nutrition experts from Massey are running a feeding workshop in Auckland for health professionals on why it’s important to teach children how to eat difficult textures, such as meat.

Dr Conlon says, “Fussy eating can be about more than just not liking the taste of a food. How difficult it is to eat and how it feels in your mouth are also important. We spend a lot of time teaching our children to walk, or read and write, and yet very little time teaching them how to eat.”

Massey University’s Speech and Language Therapy clinic has teamed up with the Nutrition and Dietetic team to provide the ACTIVEating programme, addressing feeding issues in young children.

Emily Jones, a Speech and Language Therapist from Massey, says children need to develop feeding skills, otherwise they may never learn to eat difficult textures. “For children who struggle with textures, we help them develop biting and chewing skills. Gradually grading these foods from easy to hard to chew textures helps to increase tolerance and acceptance of these harder foods. We teach children and their parents strategies on how to deal with difficult foods and use ‘bridges’ to help children learn to accept different textures.”

Dr Conlon says many of the children who go through the clinic are labelled fussy eaters because they refuse to eat difficult textures. “We help children to move from easy-to-eat textures, such as processed foods, to difficult textures such as meat and vegetables,” she says.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand are sponsoring the event in the lead up to World Iron Awareness Week, 18th – 24th April. This is the third annual campaign to draw attention to the issue of iron deficiency in many New Zealanders, particularly young children, teenagers and women.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand Nutritionist Emily Parks says iron deficiency is recognised by the World Health Organisation as the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in the world. “In New Zealand it’s affecting babies and toddlers, with research showing eight out of 10 toddlers don’t meet the recommended daily intake of iron.

“It is with this in mind that we originally initiated World Iron Awareness Week to raise awareness of the prevalence and symptoms of iron deficiency, as well as providing information on what can be done to increase iron levels.”

Other events at Massey University in Auckland, Palmerston North and Wellington for World Iron Awareness Week include:

AUCKLAND

FREE Girls Night Out

Monday 18th April - 6:00pm

Venue: Student lounge, Student Central, Auckland campus, Massey University

Join special guest Eliza McCartney (New Zealand National Pole Vault record holder and World Junior Pole Vault record holder) for entertainment and education rolled into a night of fun for girls aged 13-21 (and their Mums). Lots of information about iron, including how to get it (even if you’re vegetarian), and what happens when you don’t have enough. Get tested for iron deficiency anaemia at Student Health, have your diet assessed for iron content by a dietitian, win prizes and enjoy delicious refreshments.
Presented by Dr Pamela von Hurst and members of Massey’s Nutrition and Dietetics team.

LIMITED SEATING AVAILABLE - Booking essential

Health Professionals Seminar – Iron in Pregnancy

Wednesday 20th April

Registration and refreshments: From 12:30pm
Seminar: 1:30pm - 4:45pm

Venue: Massey Business School Auditorium, Auckland campus, Massey University

Refreshments provided

A half-day seminar for health professionals working with pregnant women, especially relevant to midwives, GPs, obstetricians and practice nurses. Up-to-the minute information on iron absorption, interpretation of blood tests, dietary intake of iron, and the latest on iron supplements.
Presented by Professor of Nutrition Jane Coad,, Dr Kathryn Beck (NZRD), pharmacist Dr Cheryl Gammon and nutritional physiologist Dr Bob Stewart.
LIMITED SEATING AVAILABLE - Booking essential

FREE Food, Mood and Mind – a public lecture

Thursday 21st April - 6:30pm

Venue: Massey Business School Auditorium, Auckland campus, Massey University

An opportunity to hear the latest research on the role of iron in the brain – how does iron deficiency affect your mood and brain's ability?

Presented by special guest, Dr Helen O’Connor, University of Sydney.
LIMITED SEATING AVAILABLE - Booking essential

WELLINGTON

FREE Girls Night Out

Monday 18th April - 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Venue: Flax and Fern Room, Wellington campus, Massey University

Entertainment and education rolled into a night of fun for girls aged 13-21 (and their Mums). Lots of information about iron, including how to get it (even if you’re vegetarian), and what happens when you don’t have enough. Get tested for iron deficiency anaemia, have your diet assessed for iron content by a nutritionist, win prizes and enjoy delicious refreshments.

Presented by members of the Nutrition and Dietetics team.

Please note – This event has now SOLD OUT!

MANAWATU

FREE Girls Night Out

Tuesday 19th April - 5:00pm – 7:00pm

Venue: C2.143, Riddet Building, Manawatu campus, Massey University,Palmerston North

Entertainment and education rolled into a night of fun for girls aged 13-21 (and their Mums). Lots of information about iron, including how to get it (even if you’re vegetarian), and what happens when you don’t have enough. Get tested for iron deficiency anaemia, have your diet assessed for iron content by a nutritionist, win prizes and enjoy some girly refreshments.
Presented by members of the Nutrition and Dietetics team.
LIMITED SEATING AVAILABLE - Booking essential.

Health Professionals Seminar – Iron in Pregnancy

Thursday 21st April

Registration: from 2:45pm
Workshop: 3:30pm - 5:30pm
Venue: C2.143, Riddet Building, Manawatu campus, Massey University, Palmerston North

A half-day seminar for health professionals working with pregnant women, especially relevant to midwives, GPs, obstetricians and practice nurses. Up-to-the minute information on iron absorption, interpretation of blood tests, dietary intake of iron, and the latest on iron supplements.
Presented by Professor of Nutrition Jane Coad, senior nutrition lecturer Louise Brough, PhD student Ying Jin and pharmacist Lynne Vautier.
LIMITED SEATING AVAILABLE - Booking essential

Find out more about the ACTIVEating Programme and Feeding workshops for Health Professionals here.

For more information on World Iron Awareness Week click here.

ENDS

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