To Your Health
March, 2008 (Vol. 02, Issue 03) |
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Another hint: Try putting these treats on an easy-to-reach table so your toddler has access to these delights.
Let your toddler get involved with meal preparation. Toddlers like spreading (or more precisely, smearing) toppings on their food. Let them top their own food. Here are a few possible dips to make this more fun:
- cottage cheese
- cream cheese
- guacamole
- thinly spread peanut butter
- yogurt, plain or sweetened with juice concentrate
These dips may work well on apple or pear slices, rice cakes, bagels, toast or other nutritious items.
Let your toddler drink a meal. If your youngster would rather drink than eat, try making a smoothie. Milk and fruit, combined with supplements such as juice, wheat germ, yogurt or peanut butter, can be the basis of healthy meals. Caution: Avoid drinks with raw eggs, as you may risk salmonella poisoning.
Find creative ways to disguise veggies. Slip grated veggies into favorite foods such as rice, cottage cheese, muffins and even macaroni and cheese.
Don't be a slave to the clock. If your youngster insists on eating chicken in the morning and cereal in the evening, let them! The distinction between breakfast, lunch and dinner may have little meaning to the child, and this schedule is likely better than not eating at all.
Respect your child's developmental stages. Typically, between their 2nd and 3rd birthdays, your child may become set in their ways about everything, including food. If the cheese must be cut into cubes rather than grated for them to eat it, go with it. It might be better to do it the child's way, because they may not be acting stubborn - they could just have a mindset about the order of things in their world. This phase too will likely pass.
Will my child get enough nutrients through their daily diet? The short answer is probably not. It's virtually impossible for children to consistently eat the right combination of foods to provide their necessary nutrition. Avoid giving your child cartoon vitamins because they can contain synthetic vitamins, inadequate minerals and preservatives and sugars children should avoid ingesting. The ideal children's vitamin is all-natural and hypoallergenic, with no synthetic chemical nutrients and no preservatives. It should be derived from whole foods, using a complete and balanced formula that contains at least 25 FDA-recommended nutrients, preferably more. Visit www.mypyramid.gov to view the full list.
Now that you have guidelines for meeting your child's nutritional needs and transitioning through each developmental phase with some practical food ideas, you can relax, take a deep breath and enjoy the new addition to your family. Remember, not every child is the same, so always consult your doctor before making any changes to your child's diet.
