Poor nutrition is the number one problem among toddlers today. Aside from being a picky eater, they just love to munch on chips and sweets and drink soda. While toddlers can tolerate these foods better than grown-ups, the rising number of children with health complications at an early age is alarming. Hence, establishing a healthy and nutritional lifestyle is very important.

A hectic schedule, affordable and accessible fast food chains are just some factors that risk kids nutrition. To stop the growing population of unfit toddlers, parents must first learn how to categorize unhealthy foods from healthy foods. To help you out, here is a list of foods your little one must evade.

Foods Your Toddler Needs to Avoid

Even though your toddler has a fast metabolism due to his still developing body, limiting the intake of these unhealthy foods is still recommended by child health experts.

Candies and Chocolates

Two of the most favored unhealthy snacks of toddlers, candies and chocolates mainly consist of fat and sugar. Too much intake of sweets can cause obesity, trigger diabetes or increase your toddler’s sugar level. Plus, your toddler’s still developing teeth can acquire cavities and tooth decay which can delay his teeth development. Limit your toddler’s sweet cravings to two to three pieces per day. Better yet, choose soft candies over hard candies. They are easier to eat and will not stay too long inside his mouth.

Cereals

Boxes of cereals are sugary to the extreme. While most cereals claim they are all-natural, a lot of them actually contain food additives and are made using artificially produced products. Hence, it is essential you read food labels. See to it you choose a whole wheat cereal. For a healthier option, buy whole oats instead. Microwave it, add low-fat fresh milk and a few slices of his favorite fruit. In this way, he still gets to gobble up a naturally sweet breakfast.

Chips

Junk foods contain too much oil and grease which are very fattening. Chips are loaded with too much salt and are very poor in vitamins and minerals. High intake of salty chips can cause obesity, dehydration and hypertension. Also, eating too much junk food blocks fiber from nourishing your toddler’s body. Once he is low on fiber, he can get irregular bowel movements.

Go for fruits and vegetables instead. These are great toddler finger foods. Slice it into tiny pieces and put them in a plastic container. Store them in the refrigerator so your toddler can easily access them. For a yummier taste, add salad dressing to the veggies and whipped or sweet cream to the fruits.

Hot Dogs

Hot dogs are a choking hazard to children especially those below the age of 5. Most often, hot dogs have nitrate which is harmful to your little one’s health. Since hot dogs are processed meat, too much intake of this food can lead to cancer, diabetes and heart complications later on in life. 100% all turkey or all beef are a much healthier alternative to hot dogs. Limit your toddler’s intake of hot dogs to special occasions only.

Kiddie Meals

Greasy hamburgers, chicken nuggets, French fries and any food you see in fast food chains are unhealthy for your little one’s body. Deep fried meals contain too much salt and oil and have very small nutritional value. The next time the whole family eats out, order only a single burger and fries and share it with your toddler. A half-sized portion of these foods lessens the fats. At home, opt for grilled chicken over fried chicken, oven-baked potatoes over French fries and fish sticks instead of chicken nuggets.

While you cannot completely erase these foods to your toddler’s diet, letting him eat bite-sized servings will lessen its unhealthy benefits. Anything taken in moderation will not hurt your toddler’s body and risk his health.