Feeding a toddler

Children are growing and developing their body and mind, if they lack the necessary nutrition we are compromising their developing brains, muscles, organs and all the body functions.

It is so clear now that most kids behavioral issues are related directly to their diet, so basically while you’re making your child’s breakfast think will this make him ready for today’s challenges? Will this make his mind functioning well and help him be smart or daydreaming, his emotions stable or bursting in mood swings and angers, his strength and energy going or he will crash down after a while…?

Giving our children processed junk food that are full of sugar and that are lacking all the necessary nutirents instead of fruits, vegetables, unprocessed sources of protein and real food does no good for anyone other than the big food industry and the pharmaceutical companies.

Two simple rules for kid’s food:

1- Avoid sugar

 It is a toxic substance that leads to all kinds of disease from diabetes to cancer, the number one cause of obesity, and qualifies as an addictive drug, It robs the body of its own vitamins and minerals just  to digest it, it contains no benefit what so ever…it is also linked to most behavioral issues in kids.

2- Avoid processed food

 Only feed your kids food that is minimally processed and that resembles the way it looks like in nature.

Wheat vs boxed cereals

Apples vs applesauce

Turkey vs smoked turkey

Potatoes vs French fries

Sound simple, but I know it is not, tell that to most people and take them to the grocery store and their heads will spin.

No sugar, No processed food what can we eat?!!

Protein:

• Home cooked chicken, meat. Fish, eggs, and all sorts of beans, seeds and nuts 
• Non processed dairy and plain youghurt 

Carbohydrates:

• Home cooked grains ( whole wheat kernels, oats, quinoa, millet, brown rice)
• Potatoes, sweet potatoes....
• Bread has to be 100% whole wheat free of preservatives, sugars, corn syrup and a long list of unknown ingredients. 
• All cereal boxes are highly processed and full of sugar and shouldn’t be eaten as a daily basis .

Vegetables:

• This evil word should make up about 50% of your kids diet
• They should get all the rainbow colors, each has a differ benefit.
• You can't go wrong here, unlimited amounts.
• The phytonutrients’ that make the color of fruits and vegetables are what makes your body fight infections, viruses, and even cancers, without them your body is so weak, and harmful viruses Can turn into dangerous invaders.your child's immune system depends on having enough phytonutrients only found in plant food.

Fruits:

• Kids looooove fruits, but we tend to neglect it, and think they won’t be satisfied unless we give them desserts.
• If you ask most children about their favorite food it is usually a fruit, they satisfy their sweet tooth and they know it’s good for them and gives them more energy than a chocolate bar.
• Just make it available and accessible.

Nuts and seed:

• Make your own nut butters, just grind some roasted peanuts or almonds with 1 tsp of honey and you got a healthy spread.
• Look at the ingredients of the peanut butter you buy if I has more than one ingredient ( penut ) don't buy it.
• Give them some raw nuts and seeds to chew on

When it comes to kids you have to be creative and the food has to taste good

These are my personal favorite recipes:

Ideas for breakfast:

Pancake:

Ingredients

• 2 small bananas mashed
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup oat flour, or whole-wheat pastry flour or almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Flaxseeds, chia seeds or any kind of seeds
• 1 Tsp pure ground vanilla beans
• Raw honey

Instructions

1.        Blend all the ingredients in a blender

2.        Heat a pan over medium-low heat, lightly oil the surface with oil.

3.        Once the surface of the pan is hot enough, pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan. Let the pancake cook  until bubbles begin to form around the edges of the cake.

4.        flip it with a spatula and cook for another 90 seconds or so, until golden brown on both sides. You may need to adjust the heat up or down at this point.

5.        Serve the pancakes immediately with some raw honey and fresh fruit

More pancake recipes:

Garbanzo pancake:

•  1/3 cup mashed banana(about a medium-sized banana)
• 1/2 cup cooked chickpea beans
• 2 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4-1/3 cup water

Squash pancake:

• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup butternut squash, roasted and mashed
• 2/3 cup almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
•  

 serve it with raw honey and their favorite fresh fruit.

French toast :

Ingredients:

• 1 slice of Whole wheat toast (free of sugar and preservatives)
• 1 egg
• Raw honey

Instructions:

• Whisk one egg
• Dip the toast in the egg on both sides until fully absorbent
• Heat a pan and lighly oil it
• Cook the toast on both sides
• Serve with some raw honey and some fruit on the side
• Optional: you can add some cinnamon, and vanilla to the eggs

Veggie omelets cupcakes:

Ingredients:

• Any of your kids favorite veggies, broccoli spinach, asparagus, bell peppers, etc
• Eggs
• Your choice of cheese

Instructions:

• In a pan cook down your veggies of choice
• Whisk some eggs
• Oil a cupcake pan
• Mix the eggs, and the veggies and pour them in your pan
• Sprinkle some cheese
• Bake until puffed and golden
•  

Homemade cereal:

Ingredients:

• Your choice of Whole grains ( whole oat grouts, whole wheat kernels, quinoa, millet ..etc)
• Raw honey
  

Instructions:

• Soak the grains that you like to use for a few hourse
• Spill the soaking water and add new water
• Boil for about 30 minutes or until cooked
• Wash it with cold water and strain it to avoid clumping
• Serve it with cold or warm milk and some raw honey
• You can add vanilla, cinnamon or nuts for extra flavor
• You can make a big batch and leave it in your fridge for about a week

Yoghurt 

Ingredients:

• Oats
• plain yoghurt
• Fresh cut up fruit
• Flaxseed
• Raw honey

Instructions:

• Put some yoghurt on a plate
• Top it with oats, flaxseeds, their favorite fruit and some raw honey if they insist

On the go snacks:

1.       Fruits : apple slices, strawberries, bananas
2.       Vegetables: baby carrots, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, slices of bell peppers
3.        Homemade granola bars: mix 1 cup oats, some dates or dried fruits, 2 bananas, 1 egg, vanilla , some seeds (flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds), some raisins and spread a thin layer on a tray and bake in oven until golden
   
4.       Sandwiches: use whole wheat bread and always have some sort of fresh produce inside like avocado and cheese, lettuce with cream cheese, cucumbers and white cheese, peanut butter (natural no sugars or additives) and banana, chicken salad with finely cut celery.
   
5.        Baked sweet potatoes ( you can bake it in oven with skin on leave it to cool and just grab on the go )
6. 
   
7.       Nuts, seeds and dried fruits

1.  Lunch and dinner:

• Kids tend to link simple food rather than complicated recipes.
•  
• Put the right portions for them and experiment with the kinds of veggies they like and be consistent and firm on them eating the food. They are most likely going to try.
•  
• You can also get creative by letting them dip their veggies in peanut butter, yoghurt, cream cheese …
•  
• If they are very resistant, you can start by making a reward system for very picky eaters, the child has to eat the good food first to get his preferred food or toy or game. In severe cases you might have to do this spoon by spoon, one spoon veggie one spoon of his favorite junkie, if you try to suddenly introduce a big plate of a food your child hates it won’t work, once he accepts a small piece reward him back and slowly increase the portions. And if he doesn’t eat the good food please don’t give him the reward.
•  
• If he refuses, then you have chosen the wrong reward, choose something they really care about.
• Let them watch TV and stop their favorite movie until they take a bite.
•  
• Do whatever it takes in the beginning to let them take these first few bites and then gradually you got to ease out of the reward system, but just get them used to the idea and taste of eating greens. 
• If you allow your child to win on the food issues, you have lost on many other issues…

 Food portions

1-       Fill ½ their plate with vegetables:

Steam up broccoli, carrots, cauliflower which ever their favorite veggie is

        Put some raw vegetables too, cucumbers, carrots, or lettuce

2-       Fill ¼ of their plate with protein

Home cooked chicken, meat, fish, or beans

3-       Fill ¼ of their plate with Carbs

Wholegrain rice, wholegrain pasta, quinoa, potatoes…