Later at home Mathieu told his parents about perogies and asked to try them for supper sometime. Sometimes she is too tired to eat much for lunch. Marie knows Mathieu needs extra time to finish his meals and snacks so she doesn't rush him. Like his friends, Mathieu feels good when he is enjoying a meal with friends and he has fun trying out new foods with them. Because of its key role in health, the need for vitamin D is especially high during the preschool years.
Vitamin D is available through exposure to ultraviolet light in sunshine and through certain foods.
Current advice to moderate children's exposure to sunlight and the increased use of sunscreens limit the vitamin D available through sunshine. This makes food sources even more important than a few years ago. Labels of goat's milk need to be checked to see if vitamin D has been added. Children can be encouraged to drink water to quench their thirst. Water and other water-containing foods help replenish body fluids needed especially during periods of activity or hot weather.