One of the key aspects of children leading a healthy life is following good nutrition. Every kid’s diet should consist of a variety of foods that are rich in nutrients. All of them are necessary for developing and maintaining good health.
However, when it comes to mealtime, children can be a really tough crowd. Whether they are picking through the salad to get to the cheese or crying because they don’t like the green veggies, getting your little one to eat a decent meal poses a real challenge.
Fortunately, there are several ways to encourage your toddlers to eat healthy food, and one is to make tasty and healthy recipes. This way you will be able to combine all kinds of nutritious items and offer your children many choices for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. To get you started, take a look at these easy meal ideas to please your little ones and help them implement a well-balanced diet.
Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as it is a great way to give the body the fuel it needs to stay active. It brings lots of health benefits to children’s overall well-being, which is why it should be nutritious.
For example, a kids protein shake made with different fruits and nuts is an excellent breakfast idea for your toddler. One of the children’s favorites is the banana peanut butter smoothie made with one banana, old-fashioned rolled oats, and peanut butter. This type of breakfast will provide your little one with a steady supply of energy and ensure that their brain has enough fuel to last until lunch.
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Lunch
Lunch meals should also be nutritious as they will re-energize the body and raise the blood sugar levels, allowing children to stay active and focused in the middle part of the day.
For example, omelets are a versatile lunch idea for your toddler because you can try a different combination of fillings each time you make it. What you need is an egg, a dairy product such as cheese, and whatever vegetable your kid likes. The most popular choices among toddlers include spinach and mushrooms. If you want, you can add in some meat to add an extra hit of protein.
Dinner
Dinner meals are probably parents’ most challenging ones to make, as children are usually very tired at the end of the day, and sometimes they don’t even want to eat. So, a great way to change that is to prepare a quick healthy dinner that will end your child’s day on the right note.
For example, chicken broccoli rice casserole is a very popular dinner choice. What you need is white rice, shredded chicken, mushrooms, broccoli, sour cream, and shredded cheddar cheese. Although there are lots of ingredients used, the recipe is really easy to make and is certainly kid-friendly.
Snacks
Snacks are an excellent way to sneak in some extra nutrients into your child’s diet and provide them with lots of energy in the middle of the day or when they exercise.
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They are usually smaller in size. After all, their only purpose is to decrease hunger and keep your toddler from overeating at mealtime. Some of the most popular snack choices for children include yogurt, nuts, fruit smoothies, oat cookies, and popcorn. All of these snacks contain numerous nutrients that will keep your little one’s tummy full until the next meal comes.
Drinks
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Just like getting your child to eat nutritious meals can be challenging, so can finding healthy and appealing beverages to keep them hydrated at all times.
Most kids have a sweet tooth and like drinking sugary beverages. As such, you must guide them towards healthier options such as water and freshly squeezed juices. For example, if your toddler doesn’t want to drink plain water, you can add fresh fruits. You can also add zesty herbs to make it tastier. Some popular combinations include pineapple and mint, cucumber and watermelon, and strawberries and lemon.
Final Thoughts
Preparing meals for your toddlers can be difficult, especially if you are dealing with picky eaters. However, by explaining to them the importance of following a good diet, there is a great chance that they will develop good and healthy eating habits at an early age.
An effective way to achieve the best results is to cook easy and nutritious meals. Through this, your little ones will get the most important nutrients to keep them well and strong. If you need help, borrow some of the recipes from our post and create a well-balanced diet for your children.
