Share
Keeping up the food intake of your child is never easy, but it is a nerve-wracking job for parents. Because processed food and sugary treats are so common, many kids discard healthy options. But it doesn't have to be difficult to incorporate wholesome items into their diet. You may increase the nutritious content of your child's meals while maintaining flavour and appeal.
These tips support better nutrition at an early age together with supporting the intake of the necessary vitamins and minerals. A few techniques can transform regular meals into powerhouses of nutrients by including superfoods, using nut and seed butter, and gradually incorporating vegetables.
Add Superfoods To Meals
Including superfoods like amla powder, spirulina, or moringa in your children's meals is a great approach to elevate the nutrition quotient. These foods contain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which are useful for overall body health. They are simple to incorporate into soups, smoothies, juices, and even bread and pancake batter. For example, adding a teaspoon of spirulina to a fruit smoothie improves its nutritious value and gives it a bright green hue that may appeal to children.
Use Nut & Seed Butters
Butter from nuts and seeds are adaptable components that can greatly increase the nutritious content of meals and snacks. They are packed with protein, good fats and some key elements. You can use almonds, cashews, or sunflower seeds to produce your nut butter, which you can then use as spreads or as a pancake topper. For instance, adding protein and fibre to whole-grain toast or pancakes with almond butter adds a delightfully nutty flavour. Nut butter can also be used in salad dressings or dips to give them a creamy texture that children will love.
Image Credit: Freepik
Sprinkle Seeds And Nuts
Nuts and seeds contain protein, fibre, and good fats can be found in seeds like chia, flaxseeds, and pumpkin seeds. They bring extra texture and flavour while offering comparable health benefits. Seeds can be incorporated into salads, smoothies or even used in preparing desserts to not only enhance the quality, and nutritional value of the food but also add creaminess. For instance, adding muesli or yoghurt with chia seeds provides fibre and omega-3 fatty acids for a good digestive system.
Image Credit: Freepik
Incorporate Dried Fruits And Berries
Berries and dried fruits boast natural sweetness and contain important vitamins and minerals, making them the perfect ingredients for many meals. For an added nutritional boost, they are simple to incorporate into smoothies, ragi porridge, chia pudding or oats. For instance, adding dried cranberries or raisins to muesli improves its flavour while also giving growing kids iron and antioxidants. Also, ‘sprinkling’ dried apricots on ragi porridge enriches their diet with potassium and vitamin A.
Image Credit: Freepik
Sprout Grains And Legumes
One excellent method to greatly increase the nutritious value of grains and legumes is to sprout them. Sprouting makes nutrients easier to digest and boosts their bioavailability. To add protein to salads or curries, you can sprout lentils or beans at home. For example, adding sprouted moong beans to salads greatly increases the protein level and improves texture. Similarly, adding sprouted grains to the soup increases the taste and the nutritional value of the soup.
Add Eggs To Meals
Rich in high-quality protein and vital vitamins like B12 and D, eggs are a nutritional powerhouse. Another way of ensuring your child is always getting these essential nutrients is by finding out how to include eggs in their meals. Noodles, chillas (savoury pancakes), fried rice dishes, and even pancake batter can all be made using eggs for breakfast. For instance, putting scrambled eggs in fried rice makes it more nutritious and then improves on the protein content.
Sneaky Veggies Strategy
Including vegetables gradually in meals is one of the best strategies to encourage children to eat more of them. You can add fermented foods like yoghurt in curries, mix seeds into oatmeal or mix vegetables in bread or pizza dough. For example, adding spinach to pizza dough boosts its nutritional content while simultaneously hiding the bright green hue from picky consumers. Furthermore, adding finely grated zucchini or carrots to pancake batter adds vital vitamins and keeps the batter moist without drastically changing the flavour.
