We’re all a lot more health-conscious these days, which is why we’re aiming to pass this knowledge onto our children too. As parents, we want them to live the best, most healthy life possible, and what they put into their body will help determine that.
It isn’t easy, though. We’ve all been there when a young child kicks off because they don’t fancy eating their greens, but as parents, we have to hold firm, safe in the knowledge that it’ll help them both physically and mentally in the long run. Child obesity is on the rise around the world, too, so keeping on top of your child’s weight and, ultimately, their health is vitally important. It is easy to lose sight of it, though. We’ve all been too busy to cook up a healthy meal before heading off to a girls night or lost track of time while trying online roulette in the UK, so opting for the easier (and usually unhealthier option) appeals. But, in most cases, it’s actually no trouble at all cooking up a healthy, balanced meal.
So, to help provide you with some inspiration and to remind us all of some of the healthy foods out there for our kids, we thought we’d go through some of them. Get these foods into your child’s diet, and they’ll thank you for it in later life.
Beans
Regarded as a humble superfood and a favourite for so many people, beans are not only incredibly healthy, but they’re also damn tasty. Black beans, chickpeas or kidney beans are full of fibre and protein, and will go a long way in terms of making your child feel fuller for longer and providing them with the bundles of energy they tend to use up. A quesadilla or pasta dish usually goes down a treat.
Eggs
Eggs help aid a kid’s development in various different ways. Not only do they deliver vital vitamins such as D, B12 and other nutrients such as iron, but eggs also aid a child’s brain development thanks to their omega-3 fatty acids. Skip the likes of bacon and sausages for breakfast, and serve up a tasty plate of scrambled eggs on toast to give your child the best start to the day. Egg salads or egg casseroles also tend to be well-received, too.
Yoghurt
An ideal option for breakfast, lunch or dessert, yoghurt is incredibly healthy for our children, although make sure it doesn’t contain too much sugar. Yoghurt contains protein, vitamin D and good bacteria to help aid digestion and maintain a healthy gut. As mentioned, with so many commercial yoghurts containing shedloads of sugar, be sure to try plain Greek yoghurt and add any berries or nuts to spruce it up a bit. Alternatively, frozen yoghurt pops usually get kids excited.
Sweet potato
Sweet potato is adored by so many, but little do they know that it’s actually pretty good for you too. Not only are they sweet and delicious, but they’re easy to prepare too, be it in wedges form or mashed. Sweet potato is packed with vitamin A, fibre and potassium, which all helps towards keeping a child’s heart and bloody pressure healthy.
Berries
Berries offer antioxidants and a high dose of vitamin C and fibre, which will go a long way towards aiding your child’s overall health. Blueberries, blackberries and strawberries are also lower in sugar than many other fruits and usually go down a storm, especially in a smoothie or yoghurt.
Other healthy foods for kids are vegetables, milk, avocado, whole grains, and nuts and seeds.
