It is not difficult for one to create the foundation for a healthy kids’ menu.
The tips in this material refer to children aged 1-3 years.
The article concerns the creation of eating habits and sets out general guidelines, which do not mean that they are valid for every particular case.
Unquestionable fact: Whatever you do, sooner or later, the chips, the slices of pizza, all the “desserts” in shiny packaging and other junk food will reach the eyes and, respectively, the stomach of your children.
What you can and should do, however, is to offer at least these 10 foods systematically and persistently.
With their help, you will have laid the foundations of a sensible diet that, with a little bit more luck and mind on the part of the child, the kid will stick to on its own…well, at least most of the time.
The more important part is that you will have done everything you can to give your child an alternative – and when this alternative is regularly offered, habits get built.
1) Eggs as part of a healthy kids menu
Eggs are good options for both breakfast and lunch, and when boiled, they are easy and convenient to carry in a box. They contain proteins, as well as natural vitamin D (in the yolk), which few foods contain.
If your child refuses to eat egg yolks (lots of kids do that), there are lots of trickeries you can offer them: you can add them to soup or put them in a sandwich.
Another good asset of eggs is the fact that the proteins sate the stomach for a longer period, so your child will not get hungry too soon after breakfast.
2) Oatmeal
Oats are rich in fiber, help digestion, slow down the hunger and give plenty of energy.
Should I vaunt them more?
Well, here’s more: This kind of food enhances the ability for concentration and focus of attention in school.
3) Fruits (seasonal) – apples, raspberries, blueberries
All fruits are good for children and are well known to be an excellent source of various vitamins and minerals.
Fruits also contain fiber, which means that the child will rarely have problems with a constipated stomach.
The consumption of a variety of fruits is preferable, of course, – that is why I would put apples, kiwi and raspberries in the top three (or strawberries and blueberries).
Rich in antioxidants, useful for the prevention of diabetes and heart disease, fresh fruits also improve brain’s activity.
4) Nuts – especially walnuts and almonds
Nuts are an irreplaceable source of healthy fats and children have a strong need for them as they grow.
They give enough energy and are very accessible, they are easy to be carried and eaten any time and everywhere, and last but not least – they support the heartbeat.
5) Milk – fresh and yogurt
Although milk and dairy products are famous for their high protein and calcium content, it is entirely possible for your child not to enjoy fresh milk.
Everything is ok, however, because, fortunately, yogurt is here, and it can be much more useful, as, besides calcium for healthy bones and teeth, it also contains useful bacteria for the intestinal flora.
Yogurt is a product you should always have at home – in a bowl with sliced fruit or sweetened and frozen like home-made ice cream with agave or honey syrup.
6) Tomatoes
Tomatoes contain vitamin C and lycopene – a substance with excellent anti-cancer properties.
When the tomatoes are cooked, the heat from the baking helps for the more intense release of this substance.
Ways to include tomatoes in a child’s menu: raw (the kids particularly like cherry tomatoes), boiled – in different pasta or pizza sauces, or roasted as an add-on to any of the child’s favorite recipes, creating a healthy kids menu.
7) Cabbage
Cabbage’s crunchiness and slight sweetness are the two things why it is attractive in the eyes of the young children and why they often prefer it over lettuce or salad.
Cabbage, as well as its close relatives – cauliflower, broccoli, etc., contains phytonutrients that reduce the risk of cancer and improve the digestion.
They also help to eliminate the harmful toxins from the body by helping for the release of the necessary enzymes. Cabbage is the perfect food for a healthy kids menu.
8) Salmon
The inclusion of fish in the child’s menu is a key point, in which salmon can take its special place – mainly because it contains omega-3 essential fats, which are well-known as a factor for stimulating the development of the brain activity.
Omega-3 fats help against depression and have excellent anti-inflammatory properties.
Salmon is a great addition to a sandwich or salad, it and will enrich your child’s daily menu as well as its taste.
9) Cocoa
Yes, cocoa. Not sweetened and “improved” with artificial additives, of course.
Pure cocoa contains a very high concentration of flavonoids that help control blood pressure and cardiac activity and is an important source of energy.
It is true that most children would knit their eyebrows by the bitter taste of chocolate with 70% cocoa, but with the help of some cunning, you can use it as an add-on to their favorite foods – grated or melted, as well as in homemade brownies or cakes.
10) Basil
Basil is frequently and wrongly an underestimated participant in the child’s menu, but this well-known plant will surprise you with its beneficial properties for any healthy kids menu you can create.
Basil is full of antioxidants, vitamins A, C and vitamin K, iron, potassium, and calcium. It also improves digestion.
Many believe it helps with headaches and folk medicine and often recommends it for a tough cough – as an infusion.
The popular way, however, to include it in a child’s menu as pesto, as an add-on to pasta or salads.
Conclusion
Children easily eat foods that are colorful, crispy, and that can be associated with rabbits. These foods also contain vitamin C; they are useful for the vision, immunity, and the activity of the lungs.
Children will eat only what is offered to them appropriately from an early age. Oh, and they’ll watch carefully what you eat.
Remember that there is no way the child like raw carrots and cucumbers when you munch on chips. You should make kids’ menu healthy and funny.
