Smart Eating, Strong Growing!

One of the greatest challenges of parents is to get kids to love veggies. But vegetables are food world superheroes! They facilitate the development of children into taller, stronger and active throughout the day. When veggies form part of the day to day meal of the preschoolers, they would have healthy eating habits that would last all their lives.

This child nutrition guide will teach parents and teachers on the best vegetables to feed kids, why they are important as well as how to make them easy and enjoyable. 

Let Us See The 10 Healthy Vegetables To Be Added To the Plate Of The Kids!

 1. Carrots -Full of Vitamins and Vision

Carrots are bright orange due to the high concentration of beta-carotene which is converted to vitamin A in the body. This vitamin makes the eyes of children healthy and improves their vision, particularly at night!

Fun ways to serve:

• Carrot sticks with hummus

• Carrot noodles in pasta

• Sweet traditional food Halwa Carrot.

Carrots are certainly among the most appropriate veggies to be liked by children who learn to eat raw and crunchy food.

 2. Broccoli -The Little Green Tree.

Broccoli resembles mini-trees, and it is exciting to children! It has vitamin C and K, and it is full of fiber. It enhances immunity and makes the bones strong.

Fun ways to serve:

• Broccoli cheese bites

• Broccoli, cooked and served with butter.

• Combined with noodles or rice which is fried.

Broccoli is essential in a balanced diet of a kid to improve his/her immunity.

 3. Tomatoes–Fat, Red, and Sweet

Lycopene is found in tomatoes and this protects the heart and makes the skin healthy. And in everything they are delicious!

Fun ways to serve:

• Tomato soup

• Pizza prepared at home with tomato sauce.

• Healthy snacks are cherry tomatoes.

Tomatoes also make children hydrated since they contain a lot of water!

Related Topic: Hemoglobin-rich fruits and meals for kids – Parents’ Guide

 4. Corn — Sweet and Fun to Eat

Children like corn as it is sweet and crunchy. It provides a significant amount of energy and it has fiber that makes digestion healthy.

Fun ways to serve:

• Corn salad

• Lemon and salt sweet corn cups.

• Corn cheese sandwiches

Corn also makes it healthier by making picky eaters enjoy their meals.

 5. Spinach — The Iron Powerhouse

Spinach makes kids strong like a super-hero!  High in iron, calcium and vitamin C – very good in the blood, bones and as an immune system.

Fun ways to serve:

• Palak paratha

• Spinach pasta

• Spinach added to dal or smoothies

Spinach is also part of kids’ nutrition tips to make the muscles and bones stronger.

 6. Cucumbers -Chilled and Fresh

Cucumbers are ideal during hot weather as it keeps the kids hydrated. They are water-laden and soothing to the stomach.

Fun ways to serve:

• Cucumber and salt slices with chaat masala.

• Veggie salad boats

• Cucumber raita

An essential vegetable in the daily food of preschoolers to cool them!

 7. Bell Peppers -Rainbow Vitamins

Bell peppers are available in red, yellow as well as green- a rainbow of vitamins! They are among the most excellent sources of vitamin C, which prevents the sickness of children.

Fun ways to serve:

• Veggie pizza toppings

• Stuffed peppers

• Bell pepper spicy paneer stir-fry.

Colorful food is promoted as healthy foods that children love!

 8. Potatoes — Energy Provider

Potatoes are a source of instant energy that kids who are growing demand a lot of energy. They are a source of potassium and fiber particularly when cooked in skin.

Nevertheless, you should not use deep fried potatoes such as chips and french fries because it is better to cook in a healthier manner.

Fun ways to serve:

• Baked potato wedges

• Aloo paratha with less oil

• Veg potato cutlets

Adding potatoes in moderate amounts would be a good addition to a child nutrition guide.

 9. Eggplant (Brinjal) — Soft and Healthy

Eggplants contain antioxidants that are good in protecting the cells of kids. They also assist in digestion and in increasing the health of the brain.

Fun ways to serve:

• Baingan bharta (style of cooked soft butter!

• Eggplant pizza slices

• Oven baked eggplant chips.

An innovative approach to adding special vegetables into a child balanced diet.

 10. Onions — Healthy Hidden Hero

Onions enhance the flavor of food and make it healthy! They possess natural antibacterial effects that keep the kids safe against infections.

Fun ways to serve:

• Mixed in as an ingredient for curries and stir-fries

• Onion uthappam

• Onion rings (baked, not fried!)

Although children might not be fond of the onions per se, they are an intelligent addition hidden in the majority of dishes.

Related Topic: Top 10 Vitamin-Rich Fruits Every Parent Should Give To Their Child

The Question of the Amount of vegetables that Children need to consume per day

In the case of preschool children, professionals recommend:

•  1 to 1.5 cups of vegetables per day

• It is easy to serve small portions during the day to serve in the breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

Secrets to make Kids like Vegetables

(Especially for Picky Eaters!)

The following are parents nutrition tips on smart kids:

•  Come up and gay like a rainbow plate.

•  Cut veggies into fun shapes

•  Serve with kid-friendly dips

•  place vegetables in the welcomed dishes (pasta, sandwiches)

•  Allow children to assist in food preparation – children like to eat what they prepare.

•  Give the names of things to play with such as Super Broccoli Trees, X-Ray Vision Carrots.

The more entertaining you make your vegetables the more the kids will love to eat them!

Related Topic: Learn 50 Fruits and Vegetable Names in English and Hindi with Makoons Preschool

The Importance of Vegetables in a Child Diet.

Vegetables help with:

• Strong bones and muscles

• Better eyesight

• Healthy brain development

• Strong immunity

• Good digestion

• Healthy weight

Children learn to love vegetables at a young age and this will result in healthy eating habits that the children will maintain all their lives.

All-encompassing Veggie challenge to kids.

Attempt a 10 day vegetarian trial:

Daily – test another vegetable on the list of the top above.

Stickers every day that you complete! 

This creates enthusiasm and inspiration!

A Last Word to Parents and Teachers

When a child is exposed to a colorful world of vegetables, it becomes a gift of giving them good health! This addition of these healthy vegetables in the everyday food of kids helps them grow, improves their immunity and makes them happier.

And eating veggies will be fun.

Let us have good bodies and tough brains.

One bite at a time!