Healthy Foods for Toddlers

Is your toddler eating healthy? Read on to find about the healthy foods which you must include in your toddlers diet. Feeding a toddler is very often a great ordeal for parents. On one hand, they refuse to like whatever is served to them, and on the other hand their hunger plays a peek-a-boo with you; like, now they are hungry and once get the plate the hunger is gone! There is nothing to be anxious as this is the case with almost all toddlers. There is something to do with their moods and then if you are accustomed to the way the toddler had a ‘fine’ appetite as a baby, its due to the fact that babies grow very fast, like adding up 3 inches every 3 months, but the growth rate of the toddler is comparatively slower, which is, approximately 3 to 5 inches in a year. So the priority is to offer a variety and nutritious food to the toddler and give equal importance to the way he likes his food. Give his independence a chance and sprinkle what you think is required in between, that is the way to go with them. In this articleCerealsBeansEggsPeanut ButterSmoothiesHealthy Food Options for Toddlers Here are a few options of healthy food for toddlers: Cereals Most toddlers do not like their morning bowl of cereals. Usually breakfast cereals are fortified with 10 or more types of minerals and vitamins, while your toddler would ideally require around 3 grams of fibre and 8 grams of sugar. So what you can do is get a cereal with these fortification quantities, add some nuts, honey, slices of seasonal fruits and milk. This will add some calcium, protein and nutrients in his or her diet. Beans These are usually liked by toddlers as finger foods and are highly nutritious. The fibre, iron and protein content are also very high. They can be innovatively served each time like, in soups, curries, wheat spagetties, soft tacos or even as a pureed bean dip with herb seasonings. Eggs Eggs are very important toddler food as its high protein content and choline aids the development of acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter that is in turn vital for the development of memory and muscle control. You can get eggs that are currently available fortified with omega 3 fatty acids which will help improving the brain and heart development. Eggs are very convenient to present in different forms be it boiled, poached, scrambled or pouring over some pureed veggies to change the colour of the egg. Your toddler is sure not to get bored with the options you have. Peanut Butter Usually and luckily this is a favourite with toddlers. It has a high protein content along with vitamin B, essential minerals like potassium and magnesium and fibers. Apart from offering peanut butter as a spoonful treat, you can use it on whole wheat bread and toppings on fruits like berries and bananas. Your toddler will love it for sure. Smoothies There are endless varieties of smoothies that you can offer to your toddler. When kids are fussy eaters, and simply never in a mood for veggies or fruits, you can make a smoothie with those and present them with some seasonal herb flavours or add honey and milk. Get them presented in a tall colourful glass with a nice looking straw and you will soon find that it has become a favourite with your toddler! Basically, it’s more about getting the nutrition in the food right and presenting the food in an interesting manner. As a toddler the kids are often more influenced as how the food appears than how it tastes. So a colourful and different presentation will arouse their interest and you will have an easier way out from worrying that the kid is not eating right. Even a slice of pizza can be turned healthy when you get it done on a whole wheat crust and top it with some chicken or paneer or mushroom or pepper slices, but remember to place it on an absorbent paper to soak off the excess oil. And this also cannot be a regular food but a treat occasionally.