Healthy Diet For Children Aged 1 To 3
From the first year of life, most babies can already eat like the rest of the family. Healthy food, their best source of energy and health, cannot be missing from the food framework for children aged 1 to 3. Find out in this article which are the most suitable foods in a healthy diet for children from 1 to 3 years.
Benefits of a healthy diet for children
One of the main benefits of proper nutrition in childhood is health. As part of the World Health Organization’s global strategy on nutrition, physical activity and health, the experts stated that:
For this reason, it is important to give our children the right foods for them, as these will affect their present and future health. In this stage of life, there is an important development and physical growth.
Nutrition must provide enough energy and nutrients to keep them at an optimal level. All this, of course, without forgetting that childhood is also the most important stage in acquiring and consolidating some healthy eating habits, which will last even as adults.
Healthy diet for children from 1 to 3 years
A healthy diet must be balanced, adequate, varied and suited to the child’s tastes and appetite. For this reason, we will use the following healthy foods to include in a healthy diet for children aged 1 to 3, and a true source of well-being for our little ones.
Fruits and vegetables
As in the case of adults, vegetables must be present in the lunches and dinners of the little ones. There is not one in particular that is more suitable for this age, the important thing is to offer variety among seasonal vegetables and adapt their cooking to the tastes of children and those of the family.
Chard and spinach have higher levels of nitrates than the rest of the vegetables. For this reason, up to 3 years of age they should not be offered more than once a day.
Fruit can be consumed practically from the first year of age. Be careful, however, for fruits that can promote choking, such as whole grapes or cherries. The fruit should be fresh and not in the form of juice or yogurt.
Proteins
Fish, meat and eggs are the main sources of protein in the diet for children aged 1 to 3 years. However, there are some limitations to keep in mind:
- Do not serve swordfish, bluefin tuna and pike, as they can contain high concentrations of mercury.
- Not even the heads of molluscs or the bodies of crustaceans such as crabs, as they can contain a significant amount of cadmium.
We must not forget the importance of legumes. They are very healthy and nutritious foods for children. Red lentils, for example, are peel-free, which is why they can be digested more easily.
Healthy fats
Extra virgin olive oil must be the main source of fat in the infant diet. We will need it to season all their dishes, whether they are based on vegetables, cereals, legumes, etc. We can also serve dried fruit, a great source of polyunsaturated fats and vegetable proteins.
We must consider that the latter present a high risk of suffocation. We will therefore opt for their chopped or pureed version. Spread on a slice of bread, they are an ideal alternative for breakfasts and snacks.
Whole grains
Whole grains are more nutritious and, therefore, are preferable to refined ones. For children aged 1 to 3 the best are:
- Rice, rye or millet
- Pasta
- Cous cous
- Oat flakes
- Potatoes or sweet potatoes
At breakfast and as a snack, it is best to opt for wholemeal bread, oat flakes or other whole grains with no added sugar.
Dairy product
From one year of age, babies who do not continue breastfeeding can already take cow’s milk. It is advisable to gradually exclude the bottle, to serve it, instead, in the glass. Natural yogurts, fresh cheese, and small portions of aged cheese are healthy foods at this stage. However, we must control the consumption of the latter, as they contain high amounts of salt.
It is not necessary to give children yogurt or special or formula milk. In healthy children with an adequate and varied diet, these types do not offer greater nutritional advantages than ordinary milk. Indeed, many times they contain added ingredients, such as sugar, flavorings and added fats.
What should a healthy diet for 1 to 3 year olds not include?
Some foods that should not be included in the diet of children from 1 to 3 years, since they are not healthy or recommended even for adults. We refer to:
- Bakery products: biscuits, snacks, donuts …
- Sweetened cereals
- Salty snacks and chips in a bag
- Drinks and fruit juices
- Sweetened dairy products
- Processed meats
Other infant feeding considerations
At this age, children’s eating behaviors can be unstable. They may have a hard time accepting new foods and may experience moments of greater or lesser appetite. The important thing is that when it comes time to eat, the atmosphere is peaceful and that you eat with your family whenever possible. Minors should never be left without parental supervision during meals.
Children should not be forced to eat and the ideal is to offer them always different alternatives in terms of food consistency, flavors and colors. Nor should we forget that this is a stage of discovery and learning.
Even if initially, starting from the first year, we will have already introduced most of the main foods of the infant diet, it is important to remember that we must pay attention to possible adverse reactions every time we introduce a new food.
Feeding the little ones is one of the biggest concerns of parents. Offering them these healthy foods will make the task easier and more rewarding for everyone.
