The health movement in the United States has galvanized many parents to find out what types of foods are the healthiest for their growing kids. Of course, veggies and fruits are often seen as the healthiest and it’s important not to feed kids an excess of sugars or unhealthy fats, but what foods exactly are the healthiest for kids? Here’s a list of healthiest foods to feed kids who are growing and active.
Yogurt
Yogurt is a great choice for healthy kids because of the vitamin D contents and great number of prebiotics within the food. Yogurt can also be had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, although some variety is healthy as well. The main concern to think about when feeding kids yogurt is the possibility of excessive sugar, although the occasional yogurt as a snack or for dessert won’t lead to any negative health outcomes. You can also add fruit to your children’s yogurt to improve its health benefits.
Beans
Not many know, but beans are actually considered a superfood. Beans are packed to the gills with protein and fiber, making them one of the healthiest foods available. Luckily for kids, beans are also entirely affordable and simple to prepare. You can buy low-sodium beans and wash them to remove even more of the salt contents, which will keep your kids’ bodies in a healthy balance. There’s no better wat to ingest the daily required dose of protein than to add some beans to your foods.
Eggs
Eggs are a breakfast staple for good reason. Although eggs can heighten cholesterol, they’re also filled with vitamin D and vitamin B12, which are great for keeping inflammation in check. Eggs are even filled with omega-3 fatty acids, which is one of the healthiest ingredients on the planet. In addition, the cholesterol content eggs is actually lower than many trans fats, which should be avoided by both kids and adults in great portions.
Avocado
Avocados have been embraced by millennials and younger generations for good reason. They’re chock full of healthy fats and monounsaturated fats, which help prevent inflammation, keeping gut health in check and lowering bad cholesterol levels. Fat also moves through the digestive tract at a slower pace than other nutrients, so it will keep your kids fuller for longer. Add them to your meals or eat them straight for improved health benefits.
Sweet Potatoes
The unique property of sweet potatoes are their high contents of vitamin A, which keeps the body health and moving throughout the day. Sweet potatoes can also be prepared quickly and easily and made into a variety of different foods. Your kids will also appreciate the potassium in the potatoes because it works to keep the heart healthy and blood sugar low. There’s no end to the way you can prepare sweet potatoes, whether for lunch or dinner.
Milk
The classic superfood for kids, milk is full of vitamin D and vitamin B12. It’s also most famous for its high contents of calcium, which keeps your kids’ bones health and strong. Kids who regularly drink milk are less likely to break a bone when they injure themselves and the benefits of drinking milk early in life are sustained through the entirety of a child’s life. Milk also has nearly eight grams of protein per serving. When you feed your kids milk, make sure it’s plain and unsweetened, as sweetened milk can lead to an excess of sugar in their systems.
Trail Mix
Trail mix is a great snack to eat on the go and munch on in between meals. As long as there are no allergies to nuts in the family, trail mix is great for consuming dried nuts and fruits, which are healthy for the body. Trail mix is also a great substitute for foods and other snacks which are high in sugar, such as cookies and other unhealthy candies. Eating plenty of trail mix will keep your children healthy and strong.
Pears
Pears are a delicious and nutritious treat which can be easily sliced and fed to children all throughout the day. They’re high in fiber and possess a number of beneficial compounds which are only found in plants such as fruits and vegetables. You can also add some ricotta cheese to your pears to give your children plenty of probiotics and protein if they like the combination of tastes.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is one of the healthiest breakfast foods, although it can be eaten at any time and can even be given as a snack at different times during the day. Oats are actually high in soluble fiber, which raises the number of healthy bacteria in your gut and helps keep the digestive tract in check and chugging along. There are many packets of flavoring which counter the healthy nature of oatmeal, so keep the oats plain and simple for your kids.
A Veggie Pita Pocket
Kids usually don’t like to eat vegetables because of the taste, but there are a few different ways to bake vegetables into other types of food to make them delicious and fun to eat. For example, adding a few vegetables to a pita pocket and bake it in the oven or on a skillet, kids usually have no problem eating it. You can also let them choose their own foods to fill the meal.
Fruit Smoothies
Finally, there’s no substitute for a delicious and nutritious fruit smoothie. You can choose any number and types of fruit and mix them together into a blender to create a diverse, layered, and healthy snack for your kids to enjoy at any time of the day. You can even sneak in a vegetable or two into the smoothe to make it even healthier while not comprising its taste.