foods to feed toddlers

How To Reduce Junk Food Consumption In Kids

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Read time: 13 minutes
reduce junk food consumption

Is your child’s increased junk food consumption causing you stress?

Fast food culture is everywhere. And parents today more than any previous generation genuinely want to pursue a healthier lifestyle. But, how does one instill these healthy eating habits in our kids when they are bombarded from all corners by junk food options.

Junk food looks great, tastes delicious and is more appealing than simple home-cooked meals. We all feel like its a losing battle when it comes to junk food and for many families, the junk food consumption has gone out of control.

How do we reduce junk food consumption in kids and at the same time teach kids to eat these highly palatable foods in moderation?

Let’s start by looking at

WHAT IS JUNK FOOD?

Junk food is any food that is high in calories, containing mainly fat, sugar and salt and little to none of the essential nutrients and vitamins needed by the body.

Some examples of Junk Food

Chips

Cookies

Cakes

Chocolates and Candies

Packaged drinks and Sodas

Highly processed meals like Burgers and Pizzas

Indian fast food: Pakoras, pav bhaji, sev puris, chaats, samosas, etc.

junk food kids-birthday cake with frosting

WHY IS JUNK FOOD UNHEALTHY FOR KIDS?

Let us take a look at some of the junk food effects on the body,

  1. Children need a variety of nutrients for proper growth and development. These vitamins and minerals are lacking in foods classified as junk foods. When the diet is largely comprised of junk foods the child is not getting any nutrients but at the same time consuming a large number of calories. Such a diet comprised mainly of empty calories is one of the reasons why we are now seeing a large number of nutritionally deficient yet obese kids in our country rising.
  2. A consistent diet of junk foods leads to obesity in kids. India now has the second largest number of obese kids globally as published in a study by the New England Journal of Medicine.
  3. Obese kids develop many lifestyle disorders like diabetes, high blood pressure, and other cardiovascular problems. A diet high in added sugars also leads to dental caries.
  4. Street foods also pose a risk of contamination, when made in unhygienic conditions causing foodborne illnesses.
  5. Junk foods also contain various additives like artificial colors, stabilizers, enhancers, preservatives. These are carcinogenic and harmful to the body especially when the child is eating these foods on a consistent basis.

The problems we are facing right now is a population of kids that are larger in size than previous generations, but nutritionally deficient and suffering illness previously considered as adulthood illnesses.

TIPS TO AVOID JUNK FOOD CONSUMPTION

Any healthy lifestyle change first starts at home. It is not possible to control what your kids will eat outside the home in school or at parties, But you can make your home a haven for good quality and nutritious food. At home you are in charge, so make good use of your responsibility as a parent.

  • Stock the house with an abundance of fruit and vegetables. Make fruit and vegetables attractive and accessible. Plates of chopped up fruit and vegetable sticks served with hummus or homemade yogurt dips can be placed in an accessible place for the kids to munch on when hungry.
  • Talk about the benefits of eating a healthy diet. Give emphasis to creating awareness about the food they eat, where it comes for, what the food does for the body. For eg Say to your child, spinach makes you strong to fight diseases/ Carrots make our eyes sharper instead of, eat your spinach/carrot it is good for you.
  • Lead by example. Children are watching us and learning through observation. Are you eating cookies after dinner every night and then complaining your child eats a lot of cookies? He only wants to follow whatever you do, so change your own habits first before you tackle theirs.
  • Simple swaps. Many people assume that healthy food is bland and boring and therefore never make the necessary changes. There is a lot of junk food hiding in the pantry that’s not good for anyone. Why not bake fries instead of frying them. Try alternatives like baked sweet potatoes, pumpkin, parsnips and taro root once in a while. Believe me, all these vegetable and root fry options taste delicious. Garnish with a few spices and you have a variety to choose from. You won’t miss your regular high salt potato fries.
  • Go Whole All The Way. The easiest way to eat healthier is to switch to whole foods and reduce processed packaged junk. The more real food you eat the better your families health. Scientists everywhere are urging us to switch to wholesome meals made at home using good quality and local ingredients.
junk food kids-girl holding lollipop

TIPS TO REDUCE JUNK FOOD CONSUMPTION IN KIDS

  • One of the ways we reduced junk food consumption as a family when outside the house was by carrying our own snacks. Low prep snacks like energy balls and energy bars are quick and easy to grab and go. Fresh fruit, nuts, and dried foods are other options for our to-go snack box. These snacks stay fresh and keep the kids full when outside the home for 4-5 hours.
  • When this is not possible I look for whole food options where ever I can find them. India is blessed with some amazing tropical fruit produce and vendors are usually at the corner of any street you are in, eg, the humble nariyal paani wala, fruit vendors, or singdana vendors. When at a mall I try and find well-cooked foods (to avoid contamination) like idlis, dosas or a restaurant with good hygiene standards.
  • When eating dinner outside we usually skip dessert. This tip may not work for many families, but definitely worth a try if you are interested in reducing overall sugar consumption.
  • Early on when our son was younger, I carried a little snack box especially for him filled with all his favorite snacks when we went to parties or to visit family members. This reduced my stress of what he will eat when out. When you come with your own box of food for your child you can control what the child eats.
  • As he grows older and is curious about other options at the party we focus on creating awareness about different foods, how they are grown and made. I want him to feel like a part of the socializing and not demonize certain foods. It is important that he learns how to eat intuitively and has knowledge about the food he eats. He will learn to self regulate on his own in time.
  • We make our own treat foods at home. There are times when he sees his favorite character from a book or some friend eat an ice lolly, chocolate or cake and will request us to buy him that food. If its something I can replicate at home I first give it a go and make him his desired cookie or cake. At other times we set a date and go out and enjoy whatever it is he wants. The key here is to find a good quality product. Nowadays there are many brands that use quality ingredients and minimal additives, all you need to do is a little research. Look for ice creams made using whole milk and not vegetable oils, chocolate brands using less sugar, cake, and pastries made using good quality chocolate and other ingredients. Skip the commercial junk foods if possible.
  • Use deferring as a tool to avoid bringing back junk food from a shopping trip. Let us say you are at a store and your child spots a candy bar. You know this is not the time of day for him to be eating a candy bar. But your child has started to make repeated requests, get down to his level and say: “I wish I could buy some candy right now, how about I write it on my list for next time.” And the next time you are there, buy it. If the child has forgotten all about it, then great! This trick works well for 2-4-year-olds.
  • Distraction works with a younger toddler (1-2 years of age), you can point at something else happening in that moment and help them forget about the candy they wanted a minute back.

TIPS TO TEACH KIDS TO EAT JUNK FOODS IN MODERATION

  • I recently shared how I paired my son’s favorite fried snack with other healthy options like nuts and dry fruits and turned this combination into a trail mix type of snack.

Here is what it looked like:

trail mix for kids
A fried snack mixed in with healthy nuts and dried fruit to make a trail mix.

This can be done with any junk food. Instead of saying “No” and making the food scarce, make it part of a healthy meal and offer in a small quantity. If they like cookies, serve the cookie with dinner. This way they won’t eat dinner in order to earn the cookie and realize that everything is okay in moderation.

  • One mantra I follow in our home is Ellyn Satter’s division of responsibility, it really teaches the child moderation. It is our responsibility as parents to make available the type of foods and the children will decide what to eat and how much to eat. I serve/make available a whole array of healthy foods for our son to choose from. After that, it is his choice what and how much he wants to eat.
  • Continuing with the same philosophy, as kids get older give more control, decide on how many days a week they can have a portion of their favorite junk food and then let them choose the food.
  • Another way to make junk foods look like “just another option” is to place it next to other healthy favorite snack foods your kids enjoy and allow them to choose their own snacks. From personal experience; growing up my parents did not shame me for choosing junk food options, but made sure to praise when I ate something healthy. This really motivated me to continue choosing healthier options.

COMMON SCENARIOS WHERE JUNK FOOD IS PRESENTED TO KIDS AND HOW TO OVERCOME THESE SITUATIONS

Visiting Grandparents

Most parents complain that it is the grandparents that pamper the grandchild and introduce junk foods in the first place. Listen, I know it is hard trying to explain your parenting views on the subject of healthy eating. If this happens once or twice a year you might as well let it pass.

If however, the grandparents are helping you raise your child then you need to have a talk and have everyone on the same page. Explain everything you researched, show them this blog post on how sugar is in everything we eat these days and what it does to those little bodies. And set some ground rules for the family so that everyone comes to a mutual agreement. Each one of you wants the best for your child, you will definitely come to a resolution.

Junk Food At Parties

I already mentioned one of my tips to avoid overeating junk food at parties. Carry your own snack box or feed your child before you leave for the party. This reduces the amount of junk foods consumed at the party.

Junk Food Exposure In School

Now, this is a tricky one, your child saw something in another’s lunch box and wants the same.

In this situation, house rules should apply. Have a day or two each month for your child to try something they desire. There really is no positive to outright banning junk foods, believe me! Only makes them want to rebel and makes scarce food more desirable.

Here is what I feel about this situation, I learned about these foods gradually throughout life and today, a former picky eater and biscuit and cake lover is writing a post on how to reduce junk food consumption. Rome was not built in a day, my friends. Similarly, your child won’t pick up healthy eating habits from the get-go, he has to experience some of it on his own too.

The easiest way to do this is to continue exposure to healthy foods at home, whilst encouraging good food choices, reading books around eating healthy and allowing children to participate in preparing home-cooked meals. And then just letting go of what the child wants to eat outside. You have to trust him to make that choice on the basis of what he learns from you.

Working Parents Dilemma

It is challenging to manage a home, work, child development, and nutrition all at once. Our modern culture has isolated mothers and fooled them into believing that they are “Super Moms”, mothers who can do it all.

This crazy expectation from mothers to “Do it all” is damaging not only their health but that of their children. It is not easy to cook meals from scratch, make healthy snacks day in and day out. Convenience becomes a big factor in deciding what you put on the table over nutrition.

First off, you need a support system to help around the house. Get your husband on board or hire services for tasks that are eating away time from the important life goals. Meal prepping and batch cooking save a lot of time in the kitchen. You schedule out a short time for prepping ingredients that help you build a variety of meals.

Here is a recent blog post I wrote on my meal planning tips. Our family goal is to eat minimal junk foods and cook more at home. I am a work from home mom and don’t do it all by myself. I batch my tasks and divide work between my husband and me.

Besides fresh fruit, nuts and seeds as snacks, we also make snacks at home in batches, this saves us time during the busy week.

We rely on a few healthy packaged snacks. There are many clean eating friendly brands now in the market. With a little bit of research, you can find something suitable devoid of chemical additives and excess sugar.

Here are a few brands we use when we are in a pinch

MumMum Co

Early Foods

Slurrp Farm

If you are already in dealing with a sugar obsessed kid here is a great article on how to gradually bring the child back to a healthier relationship with treat foods.

I hope this article provided solutions to some of the common challenges you face and help you reduce junk food consumption at home.

What are some of the ways you avoid junk foods for your kids? Leave me with your tips in the comments section below.

10 Best Calcium Rich Foods For Babies And Toddlers

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Read time: 11 minutes
almond milk-vegan calcium rich foods

Children grow at a rapid pace and require a nutritionally adequate diet that supports this rapid growth. Calcium plays an important role in the growing up years and knowledge about calcium rich foods for babies and toddlers is essential for parents.

In this post, I am going to cover everything you need to know about calcium rich foods for kids and some bonus calcium rich recipes for toddlers. If you have a picky eater, you are going to thank me.

Let’s get started.

IMPORTANCE OF CALCIUM FOR GROWTH

Calcium is an important mineral that supports bone and teeth development.

Not just that, calcium is also important for;

  1. Proper nerve function, sending and receiving nervous system signals
  2. Muscle function, proper muscle contraction and relaxation
  3. Maintaining proper hormone levels in the body
  4. Needed for maintaining a normal heartbeat
  5. For clotting of blood

AGEWISE REQUIREMENTS OF CALCIUM 

How much calcium does a child need?

1-3 yr olds  700 mg/day

4-8 yr olds 1000 mg/day

9-13 yr olds 1300 mg/day

14- 18 yr olds 1300mg/day

CALCIUM REQUIREMENTS FOR BABIES UNDER 1 YEAR OF AGE

Babies get their calcium from breast milk or formula.

Babies younger than 6 months old need 200 mg of calcium a day and babies 6 to 11 months old need 260 mg of calcium a day.

Do note babies should only consume breast milk or formula. Do not give cow’s milk or any other animal milk to babies younger than 1 year of age.

To get an idea of how I pair foods and build snacks to aid maximum absorption of nutrients you must check my ebook on toddler snack recipes.

It includes 36 snack recipes for toddlers and adults alike that fill in the nutritional gaps of the day. Its your one-stop resource for all things snacks. Get the book here.

calcium rich foods for toddlers- almonds

CALCIUM RICH FOODS FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS

Once babies start solids including foods rich in calcium is important. Though cow milk or any other milk should be avoided under age 1, other milk products like yogurt and low salt cheese like paneer can be started gradually by 8-9 months of age.

Here is a list of calcium rich foods for kids for your reference:

1. Milk and Milk products

Cows milk, buffalo milk, goat milk can be started after 1 year of age.

Whole fat cows milk is recommended until age 2

Calcium content:

Cows milk (2% ) contains about 120 mg calcium/100ml

Goat Milk contains about 134 mg calcium /100 ml

Buffalo Milk  contains about 210 mg /100 ml

Other milk products to try with babies 8-9 months and older.

Fresh homemade curd 149 mg /100 gm

Paneer (Cottage cheese) 200mg /100 gm

Cheese 721 mg /100 gm

source: USDA and IAP

Though with paneer and cheese caution should be exercised. These foods are high in saturated fats and sodium, limit intake to 1-2 cubes of paneer at a time, and small portions of grated cheese as toppings on foods for toddlers.

When buying cheese avoid processed cheese and look for natural hard cheeses containing minimal salt. Goats cheese, swiss cheese, cheddar cheese are great cheese options for toddlers. Check my recommendations for natural cheese here.

Many children however, don’t particularly like the taste of milk or dairy products, if you are worried about your child not getting enough calcium, don’t, read on to find more sources of calcium for toddlers that don’t drink milk.

2. Soy

Soy in the form of fortified soymilk, tofu set in calcium sulfate, edamame, tempeh can be included in the toddler’s diet in various ways to increase calcium intake.

Tofu can contain about 200 mg/100 gms of calcium depending on how it’s prepared.

Food ideas: Sauteed tofu, tofu chilly, tofu scramble, curries with tofu/soy nuggets added as a meat replacement.

3. Broccoli & certain dark green vegetables

Cruciferous veggies like broccoli and dark green leaves like kale, collard greens, spinach leaves, turnip leaves, amaranth leaves, and watercress are all great sources of calcium. When it comes to green vegetables it is important to mix it up and try different combinations.

Food ideas: Broccoli soup for babies, broccoli paratha, broccoli patty, watercress salad, add kale to pesto, amaranth leaves to paratha, Broccoli dosa wraps.

4. Ragi (Finger Millet)

Millets like ragi are traditional first foods for babies in India. Ragi is a rich source of calcium at about 344 mg/100 gms. It’s easy to digest for babies, gluten-free, and a super nutritious grain for children. Consider adding ragi to your baby’s diet as a calcium-rich food for baby teeth and bone development.

Here is a post I wrote recently on why millets are good for babies.

Food ideas: Ragi porridge for babies, ragi pancakes for toddlers, ragi dosas, ragi idlis, ragi- whole wheat chappati.

5. Beans and Lentils

Beans like white beans, baked beans, kidney beans (rajma), chickpeas, and lentils like black gram dal (urad dal), pigeon peas (tuvar dal), bengal gram (chana dal ) are calcium rich foods for babies.

The Indian diet uses these beans and lentils in very effective combinations to make some lip-smacking foods. It’s hard not to enjoy beans and lentils in our part of the world, and it’s just an added bonus that these superfoods are some of the best sources of vegetarian protein, iron, and calcium rich food for babies.

Food ideas: In vegetarian side dishes, dals, lentil and bean soups, hummus, chickpea patties, bean parathas, curries, khichdi (rice and lentil dish), bean chilly, baked beans on toast. Here are some lentil recipes for toddlers. Read here for more recipes using lentils for kids.

6. Sesame seeds

100 gms of sesame seeds contain up to 975 mg of calcium! While one cannot consume sesame seeds in such a large amount, it makes sense to include some sesame seeds in homemade hummus, tahini and use sesame seeds in ladoos or energy balls.

Including such calcium-rich recipes for toddlers daily should get more preference over cookies or chips.

Food ideas: As part of energy bars and energy balls, tahini, hummus.

Add a tablespoon of tahini to your toddlers morning oats porridge, or use tahini as a dipping sauce for cut veggies.

Date And Sesame Bliss Balls

7. Almonds

Nuts are a good source of calcium, but among nuts, the highest calcium content is in almonds at 248 mg/100 gms.

Food ideas: Almond nut powder on porridge, almond butter with whole wheat crackers or chapati, or almonds in pesto sauce.

Here is a quick recipe to make your own homemade nut butter.

8. Green peas

Green peas contain about 25 mg of calcium/100 gms. They can easily be added to a number of dishes or used as a side making them a versatile vegetable to work with.

Food ideas: Green peas patty, Pea soup, added to rice dishes, added to upma, poha.

9. Amaranth

Amaranth (rajgira) is used in many traditional Indian recipes. Both the leaf and the grains are considered nutritious. Of particular importance is the amount of calcium in Amaranth at 159 mg/100gms.

The grains need to be sprouted for 2-3 days in order to reduce the antinutrients present in them. Once sprouted you can cook amaranth similar to a rice or couscous dish.

Traditionally amaranth flour is used to make ladoos in Indian homes.

Food ideas: As porridge, in soups and stews, amaranth flour pancakes, amaranth flour ladoos, in salads, or as amaranth patty.

Amaranth Ladoo Recipe

This recipe includes amaranth flour and crushed almonds building up the calcium content and making it a calcium-rich food for kids

10. Okra

You may be surprised to find this vegetable on the list but Okra contains about 82 mg/100 gm of vegetable. That’s a good amount of calcium per serving. Okra is a commonly used vegetable in Indian homes with most kids loving Indian okra dishes.

IS MILK THE ONLY SOURCE OF CALCIUM FOR CHILDREN?

glass of milk for toddlers-cows milk calcium

Traditionally cows milk is looked at as the main source of calcium, but it is important to include a variety of calcium rich solid foods in the child’s diet. Some children may not like the taste of milk, while some may have milk allergies.

When parents only look to milk as an option for calcium it can lead to other problems like force-feeding, adding sugary syrups/powders to make milk taste good which in turn promotes a liking for more engineered foods with artificial colors and flavorings over natural flavors of whole foods.

Milk and milk products are also high in saturated fats and consuming these in large amounts increases the risk of childhood obesity.

Toddlers by nature eat very little which makes it vitally important to include calcium rich solid foods instead of filling them up on liquids like milk.

One of the side effects of drinking too much milk is an increased risk of developing childhood anemia. Calcium rich foods are known to hinder the absorption of iron-rich foods. Limiting milk intake to 2 cups a day for toddlers is recommended.

To summarize for you, milk provides good amounts of calcium, but should not be looked at as the only source of calcium for kids.

Try and incorporate a variety of calcium-rich solid foods alongside milk in the child’s daily diet.

In the case of lactose intolerance or dairy allergies look for fortified foods like fortified plant milk, calcium-fortified cereals, and the other non-dairy calcium-rich foods that I mentioned above in order to meet the daily recommendations of calcium in the child’s diet.

IS CALCIUM FORTIFIED ORANGE JUICE OKAY?

a glass of orange juice- calcium in orange juice

It is not necessary to offer fruit juices to children for nutrition. Once in awhile consumption is okay.

Fruit juices do not contain fiber, are high in sugars, and cause damage to teeth when consumed regularly.

Besides, filling up on liquids is never a good thing for little kids. Liquid foods take up stomach space and create a feeling of fullness.

The toddler fills up on liquid food with minimal nutrition and ends up not eating lunch/dinner or other solid foods that provide a wider variety of nutrients.

The occasional orange juice is definitely an option to get some calcium in. Some brands add Vit D to the orange juice too which helps in better absorption of calcium. But these types of juices are not something that needs to be incorporated into the daily diet.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced in recent guidelines on juice, that children under one year of age should not drink juice at all and for older kids limit juice consumption to very small quantities. (source)

Thus, when incorporated judiciously to the child’s diet, calcium-fortified foods like orange juice have some benefits, but should not be looked at as a daily source of the calcium nutrient.

calcium rich foods for kids- a glass of milk and almonds

How to ensure the child gets enough calcium?

Other than including the list of calcium rich foods for babies and toddlers mentioned above, try and include some of these alternative sources of calcium to the child’s diet.

Sweet potato

At 30 mg calcium/100 gms, sweet potato is a great way to add more calcium to the diet of babies and toddlers.

Food ideas: sweet potato as stuffing in parathas, baked sweet potato fries, sweet potato fritters, sweet potato mash.

Coconut milk

Coconut milk offers about 16 mg of calcium /100 ml

Food ideas: Add to curries, cook porridge in coconut milk, and smoothies with coconut milk.

Dried figs

Dried figs are one of the best dried fruits for calcium.  2 medium-sized dried figs contain about 27 mg of calcium.

While it is not advisable to offer large amounts of dried frigs to kids because of its high sugar content, it still makes for a significant amount of calcium that can be easily added as a topping to any food to boost the nutrient content of the food.

Food ideas: Most children love dried figs, you can easily chop them up in appropriate sizes and add to porridge, smoothies, or in energy bars.

Related reading: Oats recipes for babies and toddlers include my favorite fig oats porridge.

Sprouted legumes, seeds, and grains.

Sprouting of legumes, seeds, and grains increases the nutritive value of the food, by increasing the bioavailability of nutrients.

Sprouting not only increases calcium content in the beans but also reduces some of the antinutrients like phytic acid that block absorption.

The most common sprouts are alfalfa sprouts, mung bean sprouts, and other varieties of bean sprouts.

Vit D + Exercise

Other important points to consider when thinking of increasing calcium content in your child’s diet is to include Vit D rich foods  (egg yolks, mushrooms, and oily fish) and time in the sun (early morning and evenings) engaged in play both of which are essential for calcium absorption.

Vit D + Exercise along with calcium rich foods makes strong bones.

There you go,

I hope this information helps you as you plan those calcium rich meals for your kids. Which calcium rich foods does your toddler enjoy? Do you have a special recipe to share? Leave me a comment below.

References:

Calcium. (2017). [Blog] kidshealth.org. Available at: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/calcium.html [Accessed 26 Mar. 2019].

New Recommended Daily Amounts of Calcium and Vitamin D. (2011). MedlinePlus, [online] (Winter11 Volume 5), p.12. Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/magazine/issues/winter11/articles/winter11pg12.html [Accessed 26 Mar. 2019].

The Relationship Between Cow’s Milk and Stores of Vitamin D and Iron in Early Childhood. (2012). PEDIATRICS, 131(1), pp.X29-X29.

The Ultimate Guide To Iron Rich Foods For Toddlers

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Read time: 11 minutes
guide to iron rich foods for toddlers-list of iron rich foods for toddlers

Toddler years mark the onset of personal preferences and food choices. Often times toddlers showcase fussy and picky eating behaviors. As the range of food starts to narrow down to a few favorites, nutrient deficiencies start to crop up. One of the most common childhood nutrient deficiencies is iron deficiency anemia. A combination of picky eating and lack of parental awareness leads to many toddlers suffering from anemia. In this post, I will talk about iron rich foods for toddlers, with special attention on picky eaters. We will also look at lesser-known foods that are good iron sources and how a combination of these foods together can help prevent the onset of anemia in toddlers.

WHAT IS IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA?

Iron in the red blood cells helps carry oxygen and take it to the different parts of the body.

Every red blood cell in the body contains iron in its hemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen to the body’s tissues from the lungs. Iron gives hemoglobin the strength to “carry” oxygen in the blood so that oxygen gets to where it needs to go.

People who become iron deficient aren’t getting enough iron in their diet. This means that the body can’t make hemoglobin, so it makes fewer red blood cells. This is a condition called anemia. When someone has anemia, less oxygen reaches the cells and tissues and affects how the body works.

Iron plays an important role in muscle function, energy creation, and brain development. As a result, a child with iron deficiency may have learning and behavioral problems. (source)

IRON DEFICIENCY IN TODDLERS SIGNS

Some of the tell-tale signs of iron deficiency in toddlers are;

  1. Pale skin
  2. Fatigue
  3. Repeatedly falling ill, catching a cold.
  4. Low appetite
  5. Increased heartbeat
  6. Dizziness

In rare cases, the child develops Pica which is a strange craving for non-food items like dirt, chalk, ice or paint.

iron rich foods for toddlers-iron rich foods for toddlers list

WHAT IS CONSIDERED NORMAL IRON LEVELS IN CHILDREN?

For infants RDA

7-12 months – 11 mg/day

1-3 years – 7 mg/day

4-8 years – 10 mg/day

(source)

IRON RICH FOODS FOR TODDLERS

  1. Red meat
  2. Dark poultry meat
  3. Fish
  4. Organ meats like liver, kidneys, and heart
  5. Egg yolks
  6. Beans and Lentils
  7. Dark green leafy vegetables
  8. Whole grains
  9. Nuts and seeds

Master List of Iron Rich Foods

HOW TO INCREASE ABSORPTION OF IRON?

There are 2 types of iron present in foods; heme iron and non-heme iron.

Heme iron is present in animal food sources and is more easily absorbed by the body.

Non-heme iron is present in plant foods and compared to heme iron is less easily absorbed by the body.

  1. Foods rich in Vit C help to increase the absorption of non-heme iron from food.
  2.  Cooking foods in cast iron pans is another way to increase iron content in food.
  3.  Avoid giving more than 2 cups a day of whole cows milk to children above age 1. Milk is low in iron and drinking too much milk fills them up which then decreases the amount of iron-rich solid food consumption.
  4. Avoid combining calcium-rich foods with iron-rich foods if your aim is to obtain iron from the meal. Some studies showed that calcium hinders iron absorption. This is a very tricky situation since young children need a good amount of calcium for growth too. One way around this is to include iron-rich foods at every meal so as to ensure the child gets enough iron throughout the day.
  5. Iron fortified foods like bread, pasta, cereals are also good options to include in daily diet paired with Vit C rich foods like berries, tomatoes to give that additional boost of iron.
  6. Phytates in foods like lentils, legumes, and certain grains are also known to hinder iron absorption but soaking, sprouting and fermenting grains and legumes can improve iron absorption by lowering the amount of phytates present in these foods.
  7. Chicken liver is a good source of heme iron, one that is easily absorbed in the body. If the child likes organ meats like liver, make sure to offer it once a week.  However, iron rich foods like liver should not be had more than once a week because they are also very high in Vit A which is toxic when consumed in large amounts. Another point to note is that the liver is the organ in the body that removes impurities, which means that antibiotics and hormones fed to the animal are most probably found in this meat. The solution to this problem is to buy good quality meat that grass-fed, is antibiotic and hormone free.

HOW TO INCREASE IRON LEVELS IN TODDLERS?

Here is a list of iron sources that I use regularly that aren’t as commonly talked about, but work wonderfully with toddlers. While some of these are not looked at as the main sources of iron, these do contain iron which when supplemented with other high iron foods toddlers and kids are eating, add up to the iron content throughout the day.

Take this list of foods more as a supplement to the overall iron content of the day.

Quinoa

Sweet potatoes

Whole wheat in chapatis and cracked wheat dalia

Hemp seeds

Almonds

Nut butter

Millets

Peas

Cashews, most picky eaters prefer the taste of cashew nuts over almond or other nuts. Making it one of the easiest nuts to offer picky-eating kids.

Pumpkin seeds

Dried Apricot

Tofu

Chickpeas

Potatoes

Mushrooms

Amaranth

Coconut

Here is a look at the iron content in some of these foods and how to combine them in meals that appeal to toddler and increase iron content in total.

Foods Nutritional value How to offer/Combinations that boost iron content
Quinoa 2.8 mg/185gm cup Quinoa salad, boiled quinoa mashed with potatoes, quinoa khichdi
Sweet potatoes 0.7 mg /100 gm boiled and mashed Boiled, Baked, roasted sweet potato fries, sweet potato stuffed whole wheat bread (paratha), sweet potato stews cooked in coconut milk, sweet potato mash
Whole wheat 4.7 mg/100gm whole wheat flour Whole wheat chapati, chapati wraps, chapati with nut butter, dalia (cracked wheat) porridge, whole wheat crackers.
Cashews 1.9 mg/28gm, raw Plain, roasted, in energy bars and balls, added to smoothies or porridge
Nut butter 0.6 mg/1 tablespoon eg. almond butter On toast, on chapati, in energy bars, banana boats, in smoothies, and porridge bowls.
Millets 1.1 mg/1 cup of 174 gm Upma, millet flours can be used to make pancakes, mixed with whole wheat to make chappatis, porridge, ladoos, soups, idlis, dosas, pulav, paniyarams.
Peas 1.2 mg/1/2 cup 80 gm Veggie sides, pea fritters, soups, pulav, and upma.
Dried apricot 0.7 mg/28 gm As a snack option on the go, apricot energy balls.
Tofu 5.4 mg/100gm Sauteed, tofu curry, tofu scramble
Chickpeas 2.9 gm/100gm Hummus, chickpea curry, chickpea wraps, chickpea patties, boiled chickpeas as finger food for older toddlers.
Potatoes 0.5 mg/1 medium 167 gm boiled potato Potato mash, potato cutlets, potato hash, latkes, potatoes in rice and vegetarian dishes.
Coconut milk 1.6 gm/100ml Stews, smoothies, semolina porridge cooked in coconut milk, use in pancake batters.

Source: https://nutritiondata.self.com/

foods rich in iron for picky eaters

THE PICKY EATER SOLUTION: HOW TO BOOST IRON IN YOUR PICKY EATER

Since toddlers eat very little and are sometimes picky about food and textures remember to include iron-rich foods in every meal.

I recently asked my Instagram audience of moms about the types of foods their picky eaters prefer and found the following foods to be crowd favorites: pancakes, parathas, and dosas. Besides these foods, every picky eater seems to enjoy potatoes.

Going by the responses I got, these foods are a great way to include some iron-rich millets like bajra, jowar, and ragi in dosa/pancake forms.

Parathas a dish made of potato stuffing in whole wheat flour is a way to get in more iron in meals. Maybe add in different types of vegetables to the stuffing too.

Most toddlers in the survey had tried some of the additional iron sources I spoke about in the table above, namely; peas, coconut, cashews, chickpeas, and sweet potatoes.

These foods can be introduced repeatedly in different ways to gauge which preparation the child likes the most.

Potatoes were a clear winner in the tried and loved category. And though most moms I know are unhappy that their toddlers only like potatoes, I think it’s a great thing, because potatoes also contain a reasonable amount of iron and can be combined with other foods to make yummy preparations.

Because of this ease of combining potatoes with other iron-rich foods like mincemeats, peas, whole wheat etc, not only do potato-based dishes make for calorie dense foods but also increase the iron content of the overall meal.

In the nuts category, cashews seem to be a crowd pleaser thanks to its mild taste compared to other nuts. Adding a cashew nuts powder to parathas, or cashew butter with an iron-rich pancake mix can help boost overall iron content of the meal.

Most picky eaters don’t like to eat meat, but minced meat in meatball shapes can be a way to add heme iron into the diet. As a picky eater myself, I remember as a child not liking meat, but being okay with organ meats and fish.

Offer your child a variety of meats and fish in order to understand what it is they like and then make that food in different ways to keep them interested.

Serving the toddler food in a section divided plate also helps. A section divided plate makes the food on the plate look appealing and increases curiosity about the food, thus encouraging the toddler to try at least one bite of each food.

Here is our favorite toddler section divided plate. For more details about these plates read my blog post on Avanchy bamboo bowl and plate review.

IRON RICH RECIPES FOR PICKY EATERS

  1. Sweet potato muffins: A great option to add sweet potato in muffin form. I don’t know of any toddler who doesn’t like muffins.
  2. Paratha (stuffed bread) with sweet potato /potato filling.
  3. Lentil Bolognese: If your toddler likes spaghetti, this is an iron dense version that’s tasty as well.
  4. Energy balls: Dates and nuts make these tiny delicacies that any picky eater with a sweet tooth will love. Energy balls are also a great snack option to get oats into the picky eater’s diet. Oats contain a good amount of iron and the combination of oats, nuts and dates make energy balls perfect iron rich foods for toddlers.
  5. Pancakes: There are many ways to boost the iron content in pancakes. Use a base flour like whole wheat, mix this with flours rich in iron like jowar, ragi or barley. For topping use almond nut/cashew butter. This way there is iron in the wheat and jowar flour base and nut butter. If you choose to make the pancake in coconut milk, then, even more, iron there. This is how I build meals for my son, adding layers of nutrient-dense foods that not only help with flavor but also increase energy and nutrient density of the meal.

  1. Whole wheat bread peanut butter sandwich
  2. Whole wheat chapati and nut butter roll-ups
  3. Breakfast egg muffin: If the toddler refuses eggs, try egg muffins instead. Add vegetables to your egg muffins and boost the iron content even more.
  4. Dosas: All types of dosas. If your picky eater loves dosas, then do a little happy dance because dosas are an iron and protein-rich food. Plant foods that have undergone fermentation, soaking, and germination, help reduce phytates, leading to enhanced bioavailability of the non heme iron.
  5. Whole wheat pasta in tomato sauce.
  6. Smoothies: Most picky eaters will enjoy a green smoothie made with spinach, mango, and almond milk. This delicious combination packs in on the iron and tastes super yummy.
  7. Popsicles: The smoothie trick can be applied to popsicles too. Homemade popsicles are super easy to make and a huge toddler favorite. Some combinations we love: Blueberry coconut milk popsicles, spinach, mango popsicles, and strawberry almond milk popsicles.

MORE EASY IRON RICH RECIPES FOR TODDLERS

I regularly post healthy recipes for toddlers on Instagram, and most of them are focused on iron. Have a look through these and try a few of these recipes with your toddlers and let me know how they like it.

Gram flour Pithale

Matzo with hummus and basil

Vegan Sheera

Chickpea flour pancakes

Rolled oats porridge

Chickpea cakes

I will continue updating this blog post with more iron rich foods for toddlers including recipes and ideas so bookmark this post for future reference.

Some moms may ask, what about iron supplements for toddlers? It is generally advised to focus on iron rich foods and nutritionally balanced meals over supplements of any kind.

But if you notice symptoms or have that nagging feeling about the quantity of iron in your toddler’s daily diet, it is advisable to talk with your pediatrician and get a blood test done before remedying with supplements.

In the case of iron supplements, too much is not a good thing. The short answer: Iron supplements are to be taken only on doctors’ advice.

What iron rich foods does your picky toddler like? Leave me a comment below, this can help other moms looking for ideas.

Surviving The Stomach Flu In Kids And Toddlers

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stomach flu in kids-what to feed a toddler with stomach flu

Most young children don’t follow proper hygiene rules, it can be difficult as a parent to get them to wash their hands thoroughly. The end result is the common childhood disease, stomach flu. Stomach flu in kids is a nasty illness. Not only are our littles troubled with trying to keep any food inside, but that coupled with diarrhea leaves them exhausted and irritable.

Viral gastroenteritis or stomach flu is an intestinal infection caused by viruses like rotavirus and norovirus.

Stomach flu is caused by coming into contact with an infected person or contaminated food or water. Raw or undercooked food can also make one sick.

The first step to prevention is to maintain hygienic environments when cooking and preparing foods and drinking boiled or properly filtered water. Be especially cautious about where you eat outside the home. Look for restaurants that maintain good hygiene standards on-premises and in the kitchen. And yes, do not risk offering street food to toddlers and young children.

stomach flu in kids-stomach flu remedies

STOMACH FLU SYMPTOMS

The most common stomach flu symptoms include

  1. Watery stools or diarrhea
  2. Pain in the abdomen or cramps
  3. Vomiting
  4. Muscle aches and pain
  5. Low-grade Fever – monitor your child’s fever, if the fever exceeds 102 F (38.9 C) contact your doctor immediately.

Since most of these symptoms are similar to a bacterial infection caused by E.coli or Salmonella, it is important to monitor the child’s progress and stay vigilant about child’s energy levels.

A common concern with diarrhea is the onset of dehydration, and keeping your child hydrated becomes the first line of action.

If any of these symptoms worsen that is,

  1. fever above 102 F,
  2. blood in stools,
  3. the child is vomiting every hour,
  4. the child has loose watery diarrhea, one every hour
  5. No improvement in condition in 24 hours

it is best to contact your child’s doctor about the condition and set up an appointment on discussing signs and symptoms.

STOMACH FLU TREATMENT

Stomach flu gets better on its own and there is no effective stomach flu treatment.  Even so, there are certain things you can do to help your child feel better during the illness like replacing lost fluids with electrolyte water. This prevents dehydration from setting in.

For more expert counsel and advice specific to your child’s case always call a doctor.

Contact your doctor to get the name of the pediatric electrolyte solution specific to your country and any other medicine to relieve some of the other persisting symptoms your child may be suffering.

TODDLER STOMACH BUG WHAT TO FEED

The first question that comes up when you face the stomach flu is, what to feed a toddler with stomach flu?

In most cases, if the child is not throwing up and can keep food down you can continue with regular home cooked food.

Many children loose appetite which makes it a little more complicated to serve food that appeals to them during the illness.

Following a BRAT diet [diet comprising of bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast] helps to a large extent. These foods make the stools more firm.

The stomach flu diet includes:

  1. Bananas – potassium which helps replace this nutrient lost during vomiting and diarrhea.
  2. Plain white rice – easy to digest and provides the necessary energy in the form of simple carbs. Brown rice may be difficult to digest because of high fiber content and should be avoided.
  3. Applesauce – provides energy and easy to digest.
  4. Toast/White Bread – helps make stools firm and is easy on the stomach.
  5. Include foods rich in probiotics like yogurt, these can boost the good gut flora and help with reducing diarrhea.
  6. Starchy foods like potatoes also help fill the stomach and maintain energy levels.
  7. Oats- Make a simple porridge. It is easy to digest and not too irritating on the tummy.

Some of the preparations I use in our home is mashed potatoes, boiled sweet potatoes, soups like plain corn soup or tomato soup, plain toast, citrus fruits like oranges, sweet limes, and rice dish called Kongee.

Rice kongee- stomach flu diet

To make Rice Kongee slow cook rice in 6:1 water: rice proportion.

Slow cook until rice is done. I have added a picture for you to get an idea of the consistency.

In case you are wondering what are the foods to eat after a stomach bug, well, this depends on your child. Start by slow introduction of a regular diet, and depending on how well the child is keeping the food in you can increase intake back to old portion sizes and foods.

WHAT FOODS TO AVOID DURING THE STOMACH FLU IN KIDS

  1. You may want to avoid other dairy products like milk and cheese as these are harder to digest.
  2. Go easy on fruits and vegetables as they are high in fiber and can aggravate the problem.
  3. Avoid greasy foods like fried chips.
  4. Avoid processed meat and meat-based dishes.
  5. Avoid spicy foods.

WHAT TO FEED A TODDLER AFTER VOMITING

If the child is throwing up, wait on solid foods for a bit.

Let him sip on some electrolyte solution or coconut water in order to rehydrate.

Also, continue breastfeeding to help the child get some nutrition.

Once his stomach settles, offer non-irritating bland foods like toast, crackers, potatoes or applesauce.

Continue on the BRAT diet until vomiting has subsided, do not force feed at such a time. Understand that low appetite is normal when feeling sick.

stomach bug in kids-sick child

HOME REMEDIES FOR STOMACH FLU IN KIDS

Other than staying hydrated and eating a BRAT diet you can also try the following:

  1. Rice water left over from boiling brown rice can be given to kids to help ease diarrhea
  2. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties: Boil water with a stalk of ginger in it. Give this water to your toddler to sip on. Add a tiny bit of honey to sweeten this ginger water for your kids.
  3. Fennel seeds can be given to older toddlers to chew on. Fennel helps relieve gas and bloating. If the toddler cannot chew on fennel, you can steep some fennel seeds in hot water and strain out the seeds before giving your toddler this fennel tea as a drink to sip on.

Once again to summarize for you,

  1. Hydrate with fluids like water, coconut water, clear soups, and electrolyte solutions
  2. Eat a simple and easy to digest diet consisting of bananas, applesauce, white bread, crackers, rice, and potatoes.
  3. Eat probiotic-rich foods like yogurt.
  4. Rest and lots of cuddles.

I hope these tips help you out in the unfortunate event your child has the stomach flu.

Try not to stress too much, our kids pick up on our stress, which only makes them feel worse.

Stay vigilant, monitor the progress of the illness and most importantly provide your kids with more love and some encouraging words to help them stay positive through the illness.

Do you have some home remedies for stomach flu that worked for your kids? Let me know what worked for you, leave me a comment below. Share this post with other moms you know.

Until next time, Ciao!