Feeding toddlers

I normally place a lot of importance on a healthy and nutritious diet, or at least I try to, especially for my son and especially in the first years of his life. Until he was 4, I was in full control of his diet, deciding what goes and what not. Now he is 5, definitely not a toddler anymore and he has become cheeky and asking for stuff that he knows isn’t in my top preferences: like pizza and fries, chocolate and cake. But he also knows the limits and he is also used to eating healthy food. So we found a sort of balance where everybody is happy.

There are a lot of trends and recipes and lists of foods out there, some ok, some awful. As a new mother it is really tough to choose from so many so-called experts and you have a really hard time, always second guessing yourself, if you are doing the right thing by your kid. So what I have done to avoid all the chaos that the internet is causing, is that I applied the normal rules of healthy cooking. I listened to my pediatrician as well on the no-nos applied to young children.

I listed below some of my big no-nos for my ex-toddler depending on age:

Up to 1 year old NO: berries, egg whites, eggplants, mushrooms, garlic, beans (the first two because the high allergenic potential they have, the rest based on their effects on the liver).
Up to 2 years old NO: salt, sugar, bread, nuts.
Up to 3 years old NO: salmon or seafood (also because of highly allergenic potential), pork, chocolate, cocoa, fried meats or vegetables in heated oil.
Up to 4 years old NO: processed meats like ham, salami, hot dogs.
Up to 5 years old NO: snacks like chips, jelly bears, lollies, caramels.

My principles for cooking are very simple and as long as I abide by them, I hope my kid will be a healthy, well balanced child with great taste in food. So here are the ones I applied for the first 4 years of his life:

5 food groups every day, with no exception: fruit, vegetables, dairy, protein and cereal.
All the food is from biological sources or sources that I trust.
Fruit is better than juice, because it’s lower on sugars.
Diverse vegetables from early on so that the child likes and is used to all of them.
2 glasses of milk a day, one in the morning, one before bed at night (powder milk, cow milk, goat milk, coconut milk or almond milk…whatever the preferences).
Yogurt or cheese each day, full fat.
An egg three times a week (boiled or oven baked omelette with no oil).
Evenings cereal (oatmeal, oven baked puddings with pasta, rice puddings, chia and quinoa) with a drop of honey.
Lean meats like chicken, turkey, veal and sweet water fish.
Only virgin olive oil, every day.
Roasted is better than fried.
“Health friendly” pots and pans for cooking, ceramics are the best.
Lots of water every day, no juice at all.
Bio snacks (like rice crackers and cereal bars) and biscuits (honey sweetened).
Rice and pasta aren’t our only best friends, but also couscous, beans, lentils.
Chicken liver has the most iron in all the meats, so chicken liver pate is a favorite.
Potatoes are our enemy, they are often replaced by sweet potatoes and pumpkin.
Butter only a couple times a week.
Bread is a child’s best friend, but measure is always the key.
Garlic in dishes gives a great taste and is really healthy, as well as Parmesan.

These were some of my principles I tried to stick to over the past years, while my kid was still a toddler. What I found out over the years is that children’s tastes change from time to time and it is really difficult to keep up. For example he was hot for strawberries at the age of 2 and 3, now he doesn’t even touch any red fruit. Also milk has become a problem for him and so on… Now he mostly eats what we eat, which is the final purpose I guess, so my life got a lot easier.

So as a conclusion, I would like to encourage parents to cook as often as they can, children thrive on fresh food. Also use as many ingredients as you can so they get the best of everything. Deserts are not a priority, although the kids would love them if given half a chance. Healthy food ensures a great immune system, fewer colds and other illnesses…so healthy children, happy parents and more nights slept!