Top Healthy Foods for Kids

Parenting is not a piece of cake. The process of scrutinizing that what are the healthy foods for kids and what’s not drain the maximum energy of parents. So, the struggle of providing a healthy diet to kids is constant. They are always attracted to junk food more than healthy food. Therefore, parents have to maintain a balance between health and taste. 

Kids need to be fed often after short intervals of time as their stomach gets filled easily and gets empty quite easily. It has become very difficult for the parents to develop the taste buds of the children.  Therefore, the parents are looking for different types of menus to feed their kids. Because every meal has to be something new and healthy also. 

Healthy food items for kids

Here are some food items that will help you to provide good health to your baby and make it easy for you to feed them.

Yogurt

Yogurt is the best food item that is rich in calcium and it is kids’ favorite as well. It is a protein and calcium rich diet. In addition to it, the live bacteria present in yogurt maintain a good digestive system. However, it is also beneficial for the bones of babies. 

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You can serve it with the meal and as a snack also. Try avoiding the flavors available in the market, they constitute a high amount of artificial sugars that are not good for small kids. Besides that, you can add some fruits in it to enhance its sweetness. 

Popcorns

Parents usually underestimate the benefits of popcorns and consider them as junk food. On the contrary, popcorn is a healthy food with the nutrition of whole grain. Often we make it a junk food by adding caramel or extra toppings in it. 

The best way is to buy raw corn and then prepare popcorn at home. Additionally, for taste, you can add a little amount of butter and some salt. Along with it, Grated parmesan cheese helps in enhancing its taste and nutritional value. This tummy filling snack is very tasty and healthy. 

Celery

Celery is a great source of consuming antioxidants. It is a food highly rich in vitamins and minerals and also helps in good digestion. But make your kid eat green vegetables is a tough part. So, we have to give it a twist and add peanut butter in it. Spreading peanut butter all over it in some creative way would help you to satisfy your kid’s hunger. If you are buying peanut butter from the market, make sure it does not consist of artificial sweeteners. Otherwise, you can make it at home.

Nuts

Children gain good fats from nuts. As we know, nuts help the child to attain required fibers and antioxidants. You can mix a variety of nuts and keep in an air-tight jar to preserve them for a long time and keep them fresh. It is better to check that your kid is not allergic to some particular nut. However, the studies say that if you introduce all types of nuts to the kid at an early age, then the risk of your child being allergic to them is less. The immune system accepts it easily and helps in easy digestion. 

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Furthermore, make sure you watch your child while giving them these things as kids may choke on it. But if the texture is smooth and the kid is familiar with it, you need not worry.

Cheese

You can try giving your kid cottage cheese as it has a creamy texture. Doctors even recommend cottage cheese to the seven months baby for good health. Also, cheese is rich in protein, calcium, and vitamin B12. All these help in the development of the brain and the overall growth of kids. 

Children like cheese in various ways. Whether it is spread on the bread toast or simply cut in pieces with some toppings or dip. 

Oatmeal

The best breakfast you can serve is the oatmeal. This high fiber diet helps in easy digestion and is quite healthy for babies of almost all age-group. 

In addition, these are available in ready-to-eat packing added with some preservatives but you should avoid that. Buy the rolled oats and prepare them at home. However, you must avoid adding sugar to it. Instead, you can add fruit puree to make it sweet. It will increase its fiber value and adding milk will increase the calcium in it. 

Smoothies

Smoothies are a combination of a variety of things. All nutritional items are blended in a jar while making a smoothie and are full of taste and energy. Although there are numerous options to make smoothies, you can pick your kid’s favorite fruit and veggies and blend them together. Thus, it is the best way to provide every required nutrition to the babies. Moreover, smoothies are much better than the packed juices which have a high amount of sugar in it. 

The best way to prepare the tastiest smoothie is to choose the fresh fruit and vegetables. 

Veggies with loaf

There is no need of explaining the benefits of green vegetables to the parents. As they are quite familiar with their advantages to the eyes and the bones of the kids and even the adults. But kids are innocent enough to understand it and thus they refuse them. But you can easily make them eat veggies with hummus spread. Take a flatbread and spread hummus in it with the veggies cut in different shapes. 

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Also, you can let your child choose the veggies of their choice. They would choose it by color or shape. In addition to it, adding cheese will enhance its taste to a great extent.

Boiled eggs

Eggs are the best snacks and highly nutritious for kids. Because they help in developing the bones and the brain of the babies. Boil an egg till it is completely hard and cut it into slices. Also, offer some homemade dip with it. You can sprinkle some salt and black pepper on it too for taste. 

Baked fries

The human body transforms beta-carotene into vitamin A by consuming the food containing the later. Sweet potatoes are rich sources of the same. As the body gets healthy skin and eyes with its help. Kids love to eat French fries and sweet homemade potatoes are its excellent replacement. But make sure you cook them in olive oil for better taste and health. 

Pickles

The cucumbers are dried and preserved in the form of pickles by adding water and salt. The probiotics present in these helps in making the digestive system better. Furthermore, they also provide vitamin K to the body. You may find some pickles with vinegar in it, there are no probiotics in those. Avoid them and make sure to purchase healthy things. 

Fruits

Fruits are a big requirement of the human body. It contains fiber, vitamin, and potassium in a good amount. In fact, the body needs these nutrients on a daily basis. Therefore, try to give at least three fruits to the kid in routine. It would maintain their energy level. 

Apple, pear, plums, banana, peach, and grapes are good options in fruit. Some kids do not like to consume fruit directly. You can extract juice from the fruit and give it to the baby with a pinch of salt in it. In addition to it, you can also add fruit to your kid’s favorite sweet dish.

Beans

Beans work as a superfood for both baby and the mother. It is highly nutritious and easy to cook also. The protein and fiber are present in it in a rich amount. Kids are easily satiated with one bowl of beans. Also, this is the best easily available and cheap food that benefits the bodies in all aspects. 

You can cook them and serve them alone or with any dish as side snack. 

Berries

Berries are always kids’ favorite and equally healthy for them. These are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C. In one serving, you would find high fiber and anthocyanin. In addition, it contains less sugar and is an easy-to-go snack for kids. Moreover, Kids have options of blueberry, strawberry, and blackberry. You can also serve them as toppings on yogurt.

Milk

We all know that milk is a balanced diet. It contains vitamin D and calcium. It also has phosphorus, protein, vitamin B12, and potassium. Milk is a basic requirement for kids when we are talking about their health. Therefore, kids should start their day ideally with a glass of milk or breakfast with added milk (one glass full). This balanced diet provides strength to infants, toddlers, and kids. 

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Sometimes, kids are lactose intolerant. In that case, you should get the advice of pediatrician and give your kid a good substitute of milk. The small babies above the age of one year can consume diluted cow’s milk and whole milk after two years.

Raisins

The dried grapes, named as raisins have lots of nutrients that are present in the grapefruit. It is a source of iron and oleanolic acid. Thus, these are helpful in protecting the teeth from bacteria and cavities.

Rather than feeding packaged food to your kid, give them all the essential vitamins, calcium, and minerals. These healthy foods for kids would make it easy for you to satiate their hunger and their demands for something tasty.