Pengetahuan Ibu tentang Gizi Seimbang dan Pola Konsumsi Anak Pra-Sekolah pada Masa Pandemi Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused changes in life, and our daily diet is no exception. Maintaining a balanced diet is important during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mother's role is very important and needed in the fulfillment of nutrition in children. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between mother's knowledge of balanced nutrition and consumption patterns of pre-school children during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kediri City. The research method used in this research is quantitative research with cross-sectional method. The sample in this study were all mothers from Dharma Wanita Kindergarten and Flamboyan Kindergarten students with a total of 47 respondents. The results of the study found that most of the respondents had a high school education level, worked as entrepreneurs and had incomes above the minimum wage in Kediri City. The consumption pattern of preschool children in Kediri City during the Covid-19 pandemic tends to be in the less category. Judging from the type of food consumed by children, it is not complete with the frequency of eating occasionally, and the amount of intake of macro and micro nutrients is classified as lacking. Mother's knowledge and attitudes are lacking towards the practice of feeding children. The mother's lack of knowledge about balanced nutrition is due to her lack of skills to choose and process nutritious food as well as compose a diverse and balanced menu and lack of socialization about balanced nutrition. The conclusion obtained from this study is that there is a relationship between mother's knowledge about balanced nutrition and consumption patterns of preschool children during the Covid-19 pandemic.