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Feeding Kids

Everything you need to know about feeding your kids. From the Division of Responsibility to tips for keeping your kids at the table, to the importance of family meals, I’ve got you covered.

 

When can babies have honey?

honey being dripped into a bowl

There are very few foods I recommend completely avoiding, however honey before age 1 is one of them. The issue with honey and babies is not nutritional, but safety. Babies are born with an immature immune system that develops over time. There is no magical change that happens at exactly 12 months, but it is around this age where most babies have a mature enough immune system to handle honey safely.

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B Vitamins for Kids

chalkboard with the text B vitamins and foods high in b vitamins surrounding it

B vitamins are a group of water soluble vitamins that help our body make energy from the food we eat and also form red blood cells. You may see them written out as something like vitamin B1 or as a name like thiamine.

Because they are water soluble, our bodies don’t store them very well. When we eat too much, we tend to get rid of it in our urine. This is actually why you may have extremely bright yellow pee after taking a vitamin B complex or even a multivitamin containing B vitamins (it’s the riboflavin that does it).

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Milk Alternatives for Toddlers

3 glasses of milk on a blue checkered towel

Around age 1, most parents are advised to switch from formula or breast milk to cow’s milk. There are many reasons why families may not want or be able to offer cow’s milk and are looking for milk alternatives. There is no food that your child NEEDS to eat, so if you do not want to offer milk, you do not need to offer an alternative, however you definitely can.

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Meal and Snack Schedule for Kids

foods on the left with a meal planner and grocery list showing a meal snack schedule

One of your jobs as the parent is to determine when your child eats. As with all feeding recommendations, your child’s personal wants and needs should be taken into account, but the overall decision should be yours.
In general, I recommend a flexible routine more than a rigid schedule. This allows for changes as needed. Some days your child may be hungrier than others. Some days they may need more sleep and take longer naps. The routine allows for predictability while still allowing you to respond to your child’s needs.

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Potassium for Kids

white background with potassium containing foods laid out

When most people think of potassium, the first thing that comes to mind is a banana. There are many other foods that have as much, if not more potassium than a banana, so if your child doesn’t eat bananas, don’t worry. It’s still possible for them to get enough of this critical mineral.

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Protein for Kids

the word protein on a chalkboard with protein containing foods around it

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.

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Vegetables for Picky Eaters

picky eater staring at plate of vegetables untouched

I am often asked “what are the best vegetables for picky eaters” or “how can I get my kid to eat veggies?” I wish I could just print out a list of vegetables for parents and send them on their way, but as with most parenting things, it’s not that simple. Most of my advice is very personalized depending on the preferences of the picky eater themself.

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Choline for Kids

a variety of foods that contain choline

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.

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Hiding Veggies in Food

kid with magnifying glass over eye looking shocked implying that he has found the hidden veggies

Whether or not their child is eating enough veggies is one of the biggest concerns I hear from parents of picky eaters. First and foremost, there is no food that your child NEEDS to eat. It’s totally possible for them to meet their nutrition needs without eating a plateful of veggies. That being said, many parents wonder if hiding veggies in their kids food is a good way to give their kids a little nutrient boost.

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