Nutritious Foods for Children

With the rapidly rising rates of obesity in children, it's more important than ever to focus on giving them healthy foods to choose from. Their bodies are developing quickly, and what they eat now will affect how they play, sleep and learn about the world around them. Instill the importance of nutritious eating at a young age by introducing them to tasty yet healthy foods.

Yogurt

• Our children need plenty of protein, and yogurt offers that. Plus it counts as a serving of dairy, offering up calcium.

Fruit

• From apples and oranges to blueberries and mangoes, fruits are nutritionally powerful. They provide children with fiber, potassium and complex carbohydrates, without added sugar and salts that you will find in processed fruit snacks.

Vegetables

• Kids might frown at green beans, but you can add pureed cauliflower to macaroni and cheese or disguise black beans in brownie batter. Vegetables offer generous amounts of iron and B vitamins.

Whole Grains

• Fiber is important for children, so they need to stay away from overly-processed breads and pastas. Choose bread with at least 3 g of fiber per slice, and use whole-wheat pasta when possible.

Milk

• Dairy is essential for strong bones. Add low-fat milk instead of whole milk to smoothies and cereal, and always have a glass for dinner.

Meat

• Meat is rich in iron and protein, which are crucial for physical development. Choose lean cuts of meat and free-range chicken to minimize the amount of pesticides they could consume.