Top 10 Meal Plans And Ideas For Toddlers
Still on cloud nine? Can’t get over the feeling of holding your very own baby in your arms? Is your baby now growing into a cute, plump and cheerful little toddler? Well, congratulations!
Your baby’s needs change as he grows older, and now that he’s growing fast, you may want to include solid foods into his diet if you haven’t done that already. A toddler is a child aged between one and three. They are growing children, and need all the nutrition they can get from food, which is why, it is of utmost importance to get some good vegetables and fruits into your kid’s diet. Here we’ve put down few ideas to customize meal plan for toddlers.
Top 10 Toddler Meal Plan Ideas:
1. Smoothies:
Smoothies are a great, healthy and yummy breakfast option for your healthy toddler meals plan. The milk proteins obtained from milk and the vitamins from different fruits that you’ll be adding to various smoothies will give your kid a good dose of his required nutrients.
Avoid adding artificial food flavoring to smoothies.
2. Oatmeal:
Don’t restrict oats to just your breakfast- your growing baby can get a lot of nutrients from this amazingly versatile breakfast option. You can try variations and add some chopped dried nuts or fresh fruits to the oatmeal-your kid will lick his bowl clean!
3. Sandwiches:
Your growing baby will now be tempted to indulge in junk foods, and that’s when you need to trick him into eating healthy without him actually knowing it! Choose wholegrain bread and add freshly sliced tomatoes and cucumbers to the sandwich.
4. Fruit Juices:
Fruit juices are a great way to kick-start your kid’s day with energy and nutrients. Whip up a fruit juice that includes his favourite fruits- strawberries, orange, mangoes etc, and do remember to sneak in some veggies like beetroot and cabbage- don’t worry, your kid won’t be able to make out the taste of these veggies as the flavours of the fruits tend to overpower the taste of veggies.
5. Daal and Rice:
Daal and rice is the best wholesome meal for your kid, especially when your kid is growing and developing with each passing day. If your kid doesn’t really like daal and rice every day, let him indulge in some wholesome snacks as a treat after his usual meal.
6. Soup:
Soups are yet another great way to improve your kid’s eating habits. Chop a lot of veggies like cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, bell peppers (capsicum), mushrooms and coriander, and let them simmer in a pot of vegetable/chicken stock.
To make it more ‘kid friendly,’ you can also top the bowl of soup with some grated cheese- your kid will enjoy it!
7. Pasta:
Raised eyebrows anyone? Don’t worry- it’s not the 2-minute noodles and pastas we’re talking about here- it’s the healthier, wholegrain variety that’s actually great for your kid! Wholegrain pasta is available at most supermarkets, but do your kid a favour and avoid using the ready-made spice mixes that come with these pastas- they contain harmful chemical additives and preservatives, particularly monosodium glutamate, which is harmful for your kid’s bone development.
Roughly chop some veggies and add them to a simple tomato puree, and let it cook for 5 minutes- a simple, nutritious and quick pasta recipe that your kid will love!
8. Fruit Yogurt:
Fruit yogurt is another great snacking option for developing kids. A cup of fresh yogurt, blended with some good fruits, the treat tastes very similar to ice cream, especially when frozen, and is healthy too!
9. Legume Chaat:
If your kid craves for something tangy and spicy all the time, satisfy his taste buds by offering him a legume chaat. Sprinkle a little chaat masala powder onto a bowl of sprouted moong and some finely chopped onions and tomatoes- your kid will finish it up in no time!
10. Finger Foods:
Occasionally, it is okay to let your child indulge in something that he throw tantrums for (think burgers, pizzas and French fries); just make sure you give it a healthy touch and try to prepare it at home.
Hope our 10 best toddler meal plan ideas will guide you to choose a healthy plan. Do share your comments below.
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