Feeding Kids

It is not uncommon for toddlers to go through a picky eating phase where they want nothing to do with meat. During this phase, many parents wonder if their child is getting enough protein. The answer most of the time is yes. Protein needs for kids are very low, which is why it’s not often a nutrient of concern.

If you are focusing on other nutrients, like iron, you will probably be able to help your child meet their protein needs. Many iron containing foods also contain protein, which is why I don’t list protein as a nutrient in my balanced plate.

You may never have heard of choline in your health classes or prior to the last few years. It’s only been recently that it’s been getting a lot of buzz. It’s used in a lot of processes in the body, one of which is early brain development, making it very important for babies and kids.

When babies are first starting to eat, it’s very common for them to put too much food in their mouth leading to mouth stuffing or food pocketing. It may actually take them a while to realize that they need to swallow their food. Many babies will figure out what they need to do on their own, but there are some tips and tricks you can use to help them figure it out.

Every parent knows the struggle of getting their child to bed. No child is ever as hungry or thirsty as a toddler at bedtime. Are they really hungry or are they stalling? While not necessary for every child, a bedtime snack can be an easy way to ensure that your child isn’t hungry and is really just avoiding bed.

If you’re dealing with a constipated toddler, you’ve probably heard how important fiber is for kids. Many times that’s all the information that parents are given. You may not have been told where you can get fiber or that you can actually have too much fiber.
Many people refer to fiber as roughage because it comes from plant foods or bulk because it’s something that our body doesn’t digest and adds bulk to our stools.