Top ten foods your child must eat to stay healthy

Parenting means teaching our children to develop a healthy relationship with food, to teach them right values of food in order to future proof their health. Healthy childhood leads to healthy adolescence and healthy adulthood. 

A healthy diet should include all the main food groups, namely:

Grains and cereals: Grains offer nutrients and energy for a child’s normal development. Try to include a large variety of grains and cereals like rice, wheat, maize, millets and oats. Each comes with their own benefits. Including a variety ensures that all nutrients are provided to the child. 

Beans and Legumes: Legumes are a rich source of protein and iron. Protein is essential for building muscle strength in the body. An iron-rich diet is important to prevent anaemia. 

Fruits and Vegetables: They are rich in vitamins and minerals, a good source of fibre, and low on calories. At least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables should be consumed daily. 

Fats and Oils: Fat is important for a child’s brain development and building muscle strength. Fats help absorb fat-soluble Vitamin A, D, E and K. Healthy fats coming from nuts and seeds are what we are looking at. 

Milk and dairy products: Dairy is an excellent source of Vitamin A, D, B1, B2 and B12 as well as minerals especially calcium. This is essential for bone development in children. 

Eggs and Meat: Meat, poultry and fish can be an excellent source of proteins and iron. However, if you are vegetarian, your options include soya, beans, milk, cheese, yoghurt, mushrooms, nuts and seeds. 

So, how do you include these food groups into your child’s diet? Here are some tasty ways that will leave your child asking for a second helping!

Foods that are locally sourced take less time to reach you and hence they are fresher. So, try to consume as much local food as possible. 

Also, practice healthy eating habits as a family. If you don’t want to see your child demanding Maggi and cold drinks 3 times a week, then don’t eat it in front of them. They don’t understand how it is okay for you to eat and not for them. 

If your child is still very small, I strongly recommend practising baby-led weaning with him/her. Baby-led weaning believes that the responsibility of the parent ends at ensuring only healthy food options are available to the child. The responsibility of the child is to decide the quantity and type of food he wants to eat. For e.g., if you make rajma rice, roti, sabzi and curd for a meal. All are perfectly healthy options. It is up to your child to decide whether he wants to eat all varieties or choose one or two. If your child is happy eating rajma rice for that meal, don’t insist on the roti and vegetable. The next meal can be planned with more vegetables. Once the child knows he will not be forced into eating, he automatically to develop a healthy relationship with food. 

Hope these tips will set you and your little one on a journey of healthy eating habits. 

Stay Tuned! Stay Relevant!