When children are over 12 months, they begin a rapid growth spurt, and their diet has a lot to do with it. From the ages of one to five, their bodies will get larger, heavier, and taller.

The responsibility of the parents then is to feed their children right. However, many parents don’t know what is best to feed their toddlers. General practice is to give them the food that adults eat, but only in small portions. Though that idea is excellent, there is a specific food that supports growing bodies. 

Red meat

Although red meat is something you should introduce to your children early on, it needs to be cooked properly and presented to them in a way that’s easy to eat. Red meat like lamb and beef is a little too tough to chew for most toddlers.  Making this red meat into spaghetti bolognese is an excellent way to introduce meat to youngsters.   If you like to make lamb stew or lamb pie, then you need to cut up the pieces of the lamb into smaller pieces. Children’s teeth are short and young, making it extra challenging to chew on meat correctly before swallowing. Another tip is to opt for lean fresh meat offered by market butcher instead of the supermarket. Meat at the market is fresh, making it quite tender and soft, easy to be cut up, minced and eat by toddlers.

Spreadable mashed fruits

Mashed food is a brilliant way to introduce fruits and vegetables to children. We all know how hard it can be to get our children to eat what’s right for them. They fight tooth and nail to avoid eating lettuce, carrots, broccoli, etc. however, mashed or pureed fruits and vegetables are fantastic for spreading onto toast and sandwiches. Naturally, they also come with a little sugar, so it adds a little sweetness to the mash. Don’t get confused, it’s not jam but purely fresh mashed up fruits and vegetables.  Such kind of food has a thick consistency which you can eat straight out of the jaw or spread on crackers, bread or even on chocolate bars. It’s a brilliant way to make sure your children get some of their daily dose of vegetables.

Milk

Milk is an excellent source of energy, not just for humans but for all mammals. It’s full of the best things we need. Protein and plenty of high minerals and nutrients are found in natural milk. Breastmilk is best for newborns up to two years old.   For parents, though, who can’t breastfeed, they may opt for formula milk to help their children gain weight and meet their nutritional needs.  Milk formula like   S26 formula that is used to support the toddler gain weight is a good option. 

Healthy fats 

Toddlers are growing up fast, and for their bone density and muscle structure to be healthy, they need to get two main things in their diet. They need to have a good source of protein and healthy fats as well. Healthy fats often lubricate the joints and also make it easier to have energy ready and waiting for the muscles. Peanut butter is an excellent source of this, and it tastes great to toddlers. Other healthy fats are fish and dairy products. Fish should be given to children early on. It’s light in structure so even toddlers can chew some of the most common fish.

Other healthy fats such as dark chocolate should also be part of the youngsters’ diet, especially those with high cocoa percentage. Whole eggs are also a great source of healthy fats.  A beautiful piece of toast, slathered in butter, is also an excellent way to start the morning. These healthy fats burn off quickly, but they too oil the body from the inside and improve our general functions.

A Well-Rounded Diet For Toddlers

What’s In A Well-Rounded Diet For Toddlers?

Toddlers are at a stage when their body is overgrowing. To gain weight, they need milk as well as healthy fats. Mashed food is also an excellent idea to get children to eat healthy food such as fruits and vegetables. You can spread these pastes onto toast and crackers. For meat, you need to make sure that red meat is introduced in small quantities to your toddlers early on. Help them digest by creating dishes that use mince such as spaghetti bolognese.

Hope you find these tips useful in helping feed your toddlers and for them to achieve a well-rounded diet.

admberlin