Being a parent is a great experience, but it is also filled with much worry and desperation, especially when it comes to making your child eat!
There is hardly a child who does not throw a fuss about eating. Mostly, what you cook for your child remains untouched by him as he doesn’t like what he sees on his plate. Letting this turn into a regular habit will mean that your child does not get the proper nutrition that he or she needs while growing up.
Pressurizing your child is not always the right way to make sure they get their nutrients. Sometimes, you need to smartly include the healthiest of ingredients in their meals, so that they will eat it without too much fuss.
Here is a list of all those ingredients that you should try and include in your child’s diet.
Diet Care:
As a mother, you are mostly worried about your children’s eating habits. Due to insufficient amount of nutrients being consumed, their immunity decreases and they tend to fall sick often.
We’ll suggest you some ingredients that will not only cater to their taste buds but also their health. Even if you are a vegetarian, there are many options to try from.
Non-Vegetarian Food Choices:
1. Eggs:
- Eggs are loaded with protein.
- Not only protein, eggs are also a good source of vitamins and minerals.
- Eggs are a wholesome food that can be eaten as a side-dish for meals or as snacks.
- Boiled eggs and poached eggs are best for your child’s health because both are non-fatty.
- However if your child makes a fuss about eating boiled eggs, then make an omelette with lots of veggies and add a little shredded cheese on top.
- You can also try making an egg salad with a little cheese and some julienned carrots, cucumber, tomato and radish.
2. Fish:
- Give them fish about 3-4 days a week.
- Sea fish like salmon and mackerel are rich in omega-3 fats.
3. Poultry:
- Chicken is another good option.
- Being low in fats and high in proteins, chicken makes a wholesome meal for your kids.
- Prepare a light non-spicy curry, chicken soup or put small chicken pieces as sandwich filling.
Vegetarian Food Choices:
For those who are vegetarian, it can be difficult to choose the right diet and at the same time provide all the nutrients.
Most parents end up including ghee, butter, cheese and all sorts of fatty foods in the child’s diet. But it is important to note that these foods are rich in saturated fat that is tremendously harmful for your child’s health.
Here is a mixed list of vegetarian foods that will give your child the proper amount of nutrition required.
4. Nuts:
- Nuts offer a very high amount of nutrition.
- Almonds, walnuts, cashews and raisins are very high in omega-3 fatty acids that add healthy fats to your child’s health.
- Add these dry fruits chopped to your child’s breakfast cereals or you may also grind to a fine paste into curries.
- It will not only add taste to your curries but will also provide good health.
- You can also offer nuts to your children as snacks.
5. Legumes And Pulses:
- Pulses like moong, lobia, rajma, arhar and chana are very high source of proteins and iron.
- When making pulses, also add pumpkins, bottle-guard and spinach.
- It will provide iron in their diet which is very good for your kid’s health.
6. Dairy Foods:
- Incorporate a lot of calcium in your child’s diet as it is great for growing children.
- Milk, cheese and yogurt in your children’s diet will provide sufficient calcium for your child.
- Give your child two glasses of milk every day.
- Also give him a bowl of raita or curd with meals.
7. Fruits:
- Rich and colorful fruits in your child’s diet will give them all the essential nutrients.
- Add seasonal fruits in their diet.
- Offer fruit salad as evening snacks with rock salt and pepper.
- When giving oats and cereals to your child for breakfast, top it with some diced fruits.
8. Grains:
- Include multi-grains in your child’s diet.
- Multi-grains are a very rich source of fibre and protein.
- Try mixing various flours like wheat flour, bajra, jowar or ragi when making chapattis.
- Serve with mixed vegetable curry.
9. Colorful Vegetables:
- All green, orange, red and yellow vegetables are rich in iron, vitamins and minerals needed for your child’s development.
- Give your child some vegetables that are boiled, stir-fried or steamed.
- You may also try giving them some vegetable soup.
- Spinach is one a green leafy veggie which you should feed your child daily. As it is rich in iron, spinach will keep your child’s hemoglobin level intact by preventing anemia.
5 Delicious Snacks And Beverages For Your Child:
- Sandwiches are relished by most kids. Make it healthier by adding a slice of lean meat, a grilled tuna, some cottage cheese or some boiled veggies. Replace white bread with a multi-grain or whole wheat bread.
- Milkshakes and fruit juices are a good option. It will include both the goodness of dairy and fruits. Buttermilk and badam milk are other good options too.
- If your child makes a fuss about snacks, make some green salad with mayo dressing or bake vegetables topped with shredded cheese. You may also give him sprouts or chana with chopped tomatoes and onions; mix it with salt and a little lime juice.
- If your child has a sweet tooth, prepare some halwas for him like gajar ka halwa, moong halwa, lauki halwa or suji halwa. Limit the sugar to just one teaspoon; or you may even replace sugar with honey or jaggery. Gur or jaggery is rich in iron.
- Whenever you prepare snacks for your child put in your creativity, make it look more colourful so that it interests your child.
A Few Important Tips:
1. Do not cut veggies and keep them stored in fridge. Cut vegetables only when you’ll cook, to avoid the loss of nutrients. Same goes for fruits too.
2. After you have boiled vegetables, do not throw the water away. Use it in curries or to knead dough.
3. Do not allow your child to decide what he/she will prefer eating. Your child will take some time to develop a taste for a particular food. Don’t give up hope, keep trying.
4. Keep your children away from junk food. If possible try making those dishes at home. The same goes for you too. Stay away from junk and teach by example.
Proper diet only cannot be helpful for your child’s good health. Exercise is also very important.
- Ask your child to accompany you for a morning or evening walk.
- For the physical and mental development of your child, enroll her in a kids’ yoga class.
- Get a bicycle for your child. Cycling is an excellent exercise.
If you include such healthy ingredients in your child’s daily diet, your child will gradually develop a habit of healthy eating even in the future.
