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The Best And Worst Foods For Your Toddler

Portrait of cute toddler boy eating  fruit in a bowlDo you ever think about making lunch or dinner for your toddler with a hint of dread, wondering what in the world you are going to make that they will like and that also provides a good amount of nutrients?

Feeding toddlers is trickier than it seems. First of all, toddlers are known to be among the pickiest eaters on the planet. Secondly, there are so many foods to watch out for. Many incredibly unhealthy foods are advertised to kids, some of which are dangerous to your toddler’s health, now and in the future.

Here are 8 of the best foods for toddlers and 7 of the worst foods toddlers. Plus, we have included a couple ‘brand name’ foods kids love but you should think twice about letting your kid eat.

Best Healthy Foods For Toddlers

1. Eggs

Eggs have been getting a lot of heat recently in regards to raising cholesterol levels. The question boils down to: are eggs healthy or not? All facts considered eggs are a very healthy option for children and adults. Eating a few eggs a week is a perfectly healthy addition to your diet.

The average egg contains only 70-90 calories but is packed with six grams of protein, as well as choline, which is an essential nutrient associated with neurotransmitters responsible for muscle control and memory. Eggs are versatile and can be served in many different ways, alone or tucked inside other foods such as rice.

2. Lean Ground Beef Or Ground Turkey Meat

There are many meals you can incorporate lean ground beef in, such as homemade hamburgers, meatballs, chili, or pasta sauce. Lean ground beef offers a superior source of protein and heme iron, a type of iron that is the easiest for little bodies to absorb and put to use. Stick with the leanest meat option to reduce the saturated fats your child consumes.

Ground beef can be substituted for ground turkey or chicken meat. Light meat may offer an even better option because it is leaner than beef (less than 1% fat) and still contains heme iron.

3. Beans

Beans are kind of like eggs in that they pack a lot of protein in a small package and can be incorporated into many kid-friendly meals. Along with protein, beans also contain a good source of fiber and iron.

4. Fruit Smoothie

You can turn a cup of healthy fruit into something that seems more like a desert to your child. Call it a smoothie milkshake and add a crazy straw to make it even more appealing. Some key ingredients to use include milk and low-fat low-sugar yogurt for a kick of protein, calcium and vitamin D. Blend the milk and yogurt with your child’s favorite fruits, such as blueberries, bananas, strawberries, mangos, etc. Each fruit has its own unique nutritional properties to further benefit the smoothie.

5. Avocado

Technically avocados are a fruit, even though they aren’t commonly associated with fruits. This ‘fruit’ is packed with plenty of monounsaturated fats, a good kind of fat that is healthy for the heart. Avocados also contain fiber, vitamins A and C, as well as folate and more.

6. Soft Fruits And Veggies

You’re likely thinking this one is a no-brainer! We all know that fruits and veggies pack a whole lot of goodness into every bite. The key is to find the fruits and veggies your toddler likes best, try as many options as possible until you strike a winner. Your child should eat at least one vitamin C-rich fruit or veggie every day, such as broccoli, kiwi, mango, cauliflower, papaya, or strawberries.

7. Grated Cheese

Low-fat and low-sodium cheese offers a great source of calcium, protein and healthy fats your child needs, especially during the early years. Grated cheese can be added to many different foods or eaten alone. A grater can be your best friend when feeding toddlers.

8. Whole Grains

Whole grains are found in certain pastas, cereals and breads, giving you many options to choose from. A whole grain earns its name because it contains all parts of the grain, including the most nutritious parts, the germ and bran. Seek out products that have “whole grain” listed as the first ingredient, as well as a stamp of approval from the Whole Grains Council.

(Healthy Foods For Toddlers)

 

The Worst Foods For Toddlers

1. Breakfast Cereal

Not all breakfast cereals deserve to be on the ‘worst foods for toddlers’ list, but many of the cereals advertised directly to children deserve a spot here. Some of the biggest brand cereals say for instance Cinnamon Toast Crush and Cap’n Crunch are loaded with little valuable nutrients and tons of unhealthy ingredients. These same cereals claim to be healthy, packed with loads of vitamins and minerals, but if you read the ingredients you will find the truth. One has to eat a lot of saturated fats, sugars and processed ingredients in order to get a small dose of nutrients.

Child nutritionists recommend cereals containing at least 3-grams of fiber, and no more than 10 grams of sugar. The best option for cereal is whole grain oatmeal, as it is high in fiber, minerals and vitamins. Add fruit, yogurt, maple syrup, dark chocolate chips, or honey to make plain oatmeal more appealing to children.
(Worst Foods to Feed Your Children)

2. Processed Lunch Meat And Hotdogs

Hotdogs and lunchmeats are a staple food in America, but they aren’t necessarily the best option. In fact, they might even be toxic to your child. Highly processed meats contain nitrites, which have now been linked to a heightened risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Fresh sliced meat from the deli or all-beef kosher hotdogs offer a safer option, but never trust any food products without first checking the ingredients. Remember, just because food looks healthy doesn’t mean it is.

3. Chicken Nuggets

Chicken nuggets and chicken fingers are popular kid menu items, but proceed with caution. Many popular chain restaurants and fast food joints serve chicken nuggets that contain 20+ ingredients… pretty scary when chicken should just be, well, chicken. Even worse, these complex little nuggets are fried in oils containing potentially unhealthy additives such as dimethylpolysiloxane.

You can make your own healthy version of chicken nuggets at home, allowing you to decide every last ingredient that goes into the recipe. (Read More)

4. Fruit Snacks

The word “fruit” in fruit snacks is rather misleading. Few fruit snacks marketed to kids contain any fruit at all. Instead, these chewy snacks are filled with sweeteners, artificial colors, high fructose corn syrup, and sugar. Plus, the sticky snacks easily coat your child’s teeth and can lead to a greater risk of dental cavities. If your child likes fruit snacks seek out varieties made with no added sweeteners and mostly or all real fruit.

5. Sugary Drinks

Beverages loaded with sugars are everywhere. Some cold drinks are loaded with so much sugar and empty calories they are worse than most foods. Sodas are not the only culprits; fruit juices are often just as bad, if not worse. For the most part, children should only drink water, low-fat milk, and an occasional 100% fruit juice.

6. Toaster Strudels

This popular breakfast pastry easily popped in the toaster is as bad for you as it is delicious. Some of the most popular toaster strudel options contain 50+ ingredients, most of which you wouldn’t want your child eating. Toaster strudels usually come with icing, which adds another layer of sugar and processed junk to your child’s breakfast. Similarly, pop tarts are just as bad and tricky too, while these breakfast treats are often packaged in twos, a serving size is only one. Double the ingredients listed on the back and the ugly ingredients turn horrifyingly bad.

7. Packaged Macaroni And Cheese And Other Packaged Pastas

Macaroni and Cheese is another popular food for kids, but many varieties contain higher sodium levels in one package than your child should consume all day. Packaged pastas usually come with white noodles, which lack the fiber and essential nutrients offered by whole-wheat pasta.
(More on the Top Worst Foods Kids Eat)

A Few Of The Worst Brand-Name Foods For Your Toddler

Thanks to an investigative blog written by NBC News, here are a few of the worst brand name foods for toddlers currently on the market.

Cap’n Crunch is the worst sweetened cereal with 16 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fat (1 g unsaturated), and only 1 gram of fiber.

SunnyD advertises itself as a great drink for kids, but it is among the worst cold beverages you can offer your child. SunnyD packs 60 grams of sugar in one serving!

Auntie Anne’s Pepperoni Pretzel Pocket might seem like a great option while out running errands at the mall, but this kid-friendly food is packed with 1,120 mg of sodium, 11 grams of sugars, 27 grams of fat (12 g saturated fats), and 650 calories.

Kid Cuisine frozen meals are targeted at children, but they offer nothing but high sodium, bad fats, and little substance. Some Kid Cuisine meals are better than others, so you have to read the label to find a decent option. The All American Fried Chicken is among the worst, while the Fiesta Chicken & Cheese Quesadillas are considered the best of the bad.

(NBC News Story – The 20 Worst Kids’ Foods In America)

 

It’s Never Too Late To Start Eating Healthy

70% of obese children remain obese as an adult. A whopping 16% of children in America are considered obese, and an extra 15% on top of that are considered “at risk of becoming overweight or obese.” The number of adults diagnosed with cancer, diabetes, and other life-altering diseases are also on the rise. All of this relates to the current eating habits in America, but thankfully it’s never too late to jump on the healthy train!

Even if you have been feeding your kids some of the worst foods out there, don’t beat yourself up. It’s tough to eat healthy in our world full of processed, unhealthy foods advertised directly to kids, plus some of the worst foods pretend to be healthy (thanks for nothing sugary breakfast cereals).

The only label you can trust is the ingredients label. Advertisers will work around the facts any way they can to create the rest of the packaging, but the listed ingredients always tell the truth.

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