The toddler years are an essential time in your tot’s development. This phase is where all the growing and nurturing happens to mold your toddler into becoming a bright, happy and healthy child. At this stage, your toddler is still willing to explore new foods making it an excellent opportunity to establish healthy eating habits. The earlier you instil correct food choices, the earlier you can educate and guard your toddler from ailments and diseases.

The key to meeting all the toddler nutrition requirements of your child is to strike a balance between what is good for his body and what is good for his taste buds and lifestyle. Because your toddler’s stomach is still very small, forcing him to eat everything at once will not work. Feeding him small servings of food throughout the day will assure you that he gets all the necessary vitamins and minerals he needs.

Toddler Foods That Complete Nutrition Requirements

The following is a list of food and its benefits that meet your tot’s nutritional requirements. Take note that the foods mentioned must be served in small proportions to fit your toddler’s stomach to ensure proper digestion.

Milk

Different kinds of milk are essential to complete your toddler’s nutritional needs. Initially, breast milk is the best source of nutrients for your tot’s body. As your toddler grows, switch to formula milk and cow’s milk. This provides your toddler’s body with sufficient calcium that is essential for building up strong bones and teeth. Milk betters your toddler’s absorption and metabolism promoting overall strength.

Fruits

Fruits act like desserts. Because of its vibrancy and its crunchiness, it appeals to almost every toddler. Incorporating different kinds of fruits to your toddler’s everyday diet gives him adequate Vitamin C and folic acid. Vitamin C and folic acid are very important to boost your child’s energy and stamina especially during this time wherein playing is his number one activity. Fruits also supply your tot’s body with iron that helps improve his oxygen circulation. It has antibodies that avert damage to developing DNA. These healthy substances meet every nutritional requirement of the body eliminating the risk of cancer and heart disease in the future.

Vegetables

Every green leafy vegetable taken in meets all the required nutrients of your little tot’s body. Vegetables play a very important role in meeting his nutritional requirements because of its rich immune boosting components. Veggies like spinach, lettuce and cabbage are rich in iron that help formulate healthier red blood cells. Eggplant and tomatoes are very rich in nutrients while beans and broccoli provide magnesium that is ideal for bone development and proper muscle function. Also, vegetables contain dietary fibers that promote intestinal health eliminating constipation, diarrhea and irritable bowel movements.

Bread, Rice and Carbo Rich Foods

Carbohydrate rich foods such as wheat, bread, rice, oatmeal, potato and pasta supplies sufficient Vitamin B that nourishes his body. Adequate intake of these foods makes your toddler active, enthusiastic and full of vigor. Foods rich in carbohydrates also eliminate the risk of child obesity and evens out blood sugar level.

Dairy Products

Foods such as egg, butter, cheese and milk are excellent dairy products that can nourish your toddler by giving out combination of nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus that are important for bone health securing your toddler to a healthy childhood and adulthood.

Meat

A very vital food for a toddler’s body, lack of meat makes your child grow up smaller, less strong and less smart. Since it is a great source for providing his body with proper minerals and nutrients; arithmetic, mental and problem solving performances also improve. Vitamin B12 is generated allowing his brain to function normally and improve proper blood circulation as well as deliver fatty acids that supplies the body with fuel.

Good nutrition is the foundation of lifelong health. Foods taken in moderation secure your tot to a complete development allowing him to live life to the fullest sans sickness.