Preschool grocery list: Toddler-Friendly Grocery List {Free Printable!}

Toddler-Friendly Grocery List {Free Printable!}

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This toddler inspired grocery list is perfect for families with kids (babies, toddlers, or even older kids!) Be sure to grab the free printable below and use it to plan your own healthy family grocery list.

Creating Your Family’s Grocery List

Creating your grocery list should come from two basic places:

1. Your weekly meal plan. Your list should be based with your weekly meal plan. However, if you meal plan dinners only, make sure you have plenty of snack, lunch, and breakfast options to choose from.

2. Foods needed to replace the stock in your pantry, fridge, and freezer. In other words, these are the go-to items you keep stocked continuously. For me, this includes things like canned tomatoes, frozen fruit, meat in the freezer, yogurt, spinach, and bananas to name just a few. When you run out, add it to your list.

Grocery List Basics

A basic grocery list should have a variety of foods so that you can expose your family to different foods throughout the week. I’ve divided this toddler and kid friendly grocery list into the following categories:

• Veggies
• Fruit
• Meat, Fish, & Eggs
• Dairy
• Rice & Grains
• Beans/Legumes
• Canned and Packaged Goods
• Oils & Condiments
• Prepackaged Snacks
• Convenience Items

Healthy Grocery List for Kids and Families

This toddler-approved grocery list is a great starting place for any family. You can use it as is or to guide you in making your own list by marking foods off and adding some of your family’s favorite foods. Picky toddlers can benefit from being exposed to a variety of foods throughout the week, and planning ahead will help ensure you have a variety of foods on your grocery list.

Vegetables

Buy a variety of veggies you will use throughout the week. In general, fresh and frozen veggies are the best choices, but canned vegetables (such as tomatoes or green beans) can be a compliment to a meal in a hurry as well. Here are a few veggies that are perfect for your kid friendly grocery list:

• Bell Peppers – The orange and red ones are sweeter and may be more well-accepted among picky toddlers and kids.
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Corn – fresh or frozen
• Green Beans – fresh, frozen, or canned (no salt)
• Onions – can buy frozen to save time when cooking if needed
• Peas, frozen
• Potatoes
• Spinach, fresh or frozen
• Sweet Potatoes
• Squash
• Zucchini

Fruit

Try to buy a few different fresh fruits for your family each week. Things like bananas, apples, and grapes are usually well accepted among kids and toddlers and make great sides for lunch or snacks along with a protein or fat.

• Apples
• Avocado
• Bananas
• Blueberries
• Grapes
• Kiwi
• Mandarins such as “cuties” or “halos” – Oranges work as well, but I find many toddlers prefer these and they do encourage independence as they are typically easier for small kids to peel.
• Raspberries
• Strawberries

Meat, Fish, and Eggs

If you are making a budget grocery list for your family, consider stocking a deep freezer or other large freezer space with meat as it goes on sale. Here are some meats to consider using to create your family’s meals:

• Beef – Ground, Steak, or Roast
• Chicken – Breast, Thighs, or a whole chicken all work well in a variety of recipes. Chicken tenders are often small cuts of breast and can make cooking faster if you intend to cut the chicken. Buying a whole chicken to cook and create your own broth at home is one of the most budget-friendly options.
• Eggs
• Fish – Salmon or white fish – choose wild-caught when possible
• Pork – Tenderloin, Roast
• Turkey, Ground or Breast

Dairy

• Cheese – Block cheese or cheese sticks work well for snacks. Choose your cheese variety based on the recipe plan for the week.
• Cottage cheese
• Cream cheese
• Kefir
• Milk, Whole
• Yogurt, Unsweetened – For more information read all about how to choose the best yogurt for your babies and toddlers.

Rice/Grains

• Bread, Whole grain or sprouted bread.
• Crackers, Whole grain
• English muffins or bagels – whole grain or sprouted
• Noodles – Here’s some great information on choosing the best noodle from Jennifer Hunt, RD.
• Naan bread, whole-grain – Can use to make naan pizza, etc
• Oats – Here’s a complete guide to the different types of oats.
• Pasta – Whole grain or bean/legume-based
• Rice – wild, brown
• Tortilla – whole grain or corn
• Quinoa

Beans/Legumes

• Black Beans
• Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)
• Lentils
• Pinto Beans
• White Beans – Cannelini, Great Northern

Canned and Packaged Goods

• Broth – Chicken, Beef, Veggie
• Marinara/Pasta Sauce
• Pizza Sauce
• Salsa
• Tomato Sauce
• Tuna – My family likes Wild Planet Skipjack tuna which is easy to find at most stores (including Walmart). I like that it is lower in Mercury and caught using sustainable fishing methods.
• Nut Butter (Peanut butter, almond butter, sun butter, etc)
• Sliced/Chopped Nuts – Sliced Almonds, chopped cashews
• Chia Seeds
• Hemp Hearts
• Dried Fruit – raisins, prunes, or other dried fruits (choose no added sugar)

Note on canned/packaged goods: read the ingredient list when choosing products. Many may contain hidden sugars.

Snacks

• Applesauce
• Kids kind bars – They are not my preference as they do contain added sugar but at 5g it is much less than most kids bars on the market.
• Larabars – regular or “kid Lara bar” comes in a smaller size
• RX bars – they have smaller “RX kids bars”
• Green pea Snack Crisps – such as Harvest Snaps
• Whole-grain crackers – Triscuits or Mary’s
• Hummus
• Dry cereal with no added sugar

Oils& Condiments

• Coconut Oil
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Here’s more info on choosing the best olive oil
• Honey
• Jam/Jelly – no sugar added
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Maple syrup
• Mayonnaise – Choose a brand such as Primal Kitchen
• Coconut Aminos – makes a great soy sauce replacement
• Vinegar – Red wine, Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother for enzymes and good bacteria benefits)

Convenience Items

Convenience items can certainly be a dinner saver on busy nights or unexpected situations. Although the term convenience food gets a poor reputation, they certainly have their place in a healthy meal and can make a necessary snack on the go easier.

Here are a few of my favorite convenience items and brands that I prefer to use for my family:

• Applegate Naturals Brand – Chicken nuggets, Chicken strips, Nitrate free deli meat, Grass-fed hot dogs
• Hillary’s Veggie Burgers (many varieties available)
• Dr. Prager’s Brand Items (Veggie Burgers, Fish Bites, Spinach Cakes, Kids products)
• Simply Nature Spinach & Kale Bites, Broccoli Bites (this is an Aldi’s knock off of Dr. Pragers)
• Sweet Potato Fries

Why a Healthy Grocery List is Important for Toddlers

Having a healthy grocery list to shop for your family will help you to serve a variety of healthy foods to your kids. Exposing toddlers and even older kids to a variety of foods is the best way to develop their palette over the years.

FAQ: Toddler Grocery List

What are good 2 year old foods?

Serve your 2 year old a variety of foods throughout the day from this grocery list. Aim to serve them proteins, healthy fats, and produce throughout the entire day. Ensure that you properly cut and prepare foods that are choking risks. For example, any cylindrical veggies (carrots, cucumbers, etc) should be cut lengthwise to avoid small round pieces.

If you are looking for more food ideas – here are our favorite lunch ideas for 2-year-olds.

What should 2 year olds have for breakfast?

Two-year-olds can have eggs, toast, oats, homemade pancakes, homemade low sugar muffins, smoothies, yogurt and more for breakfast. Here are some of my favorite toddler breakfast ideas.

What are good finger foods for toddlers?

Toddlers enjoy a wide array of easy to eat finger foods. Healthy finger foods for your toddler could include: thin-sliced cucumbers, bell peppers, bananas, melon, berries, peanut butter and jelly, toast, avocado, and more. Be sure to follow safe cutting guidelines when providing food to your toddler.

What can I make my picky toddler for dinner?

Toddlers and preschoolers can be a challenge to feed! In general, feed them what you are serving the rest of the family. Here are some tips on dealing with a toddler who won’t eat dinner.

If you are really having trouble with picky eating then implementing the Division of Responsibility can really help ease both your mind and work to improve picky eating tendencies.

How do you make a budget grocery list for family?

Prioritize your list with the most important items first and unnecessary/wants last. In general, eating whole foods is budget-friendly as you stick to the basics: meat, veggies, fruit, and basic pasta, etc. Here are more tips on eating healthy on a budget.

Get the Free Toddler-Friendly Grocery List Now!

Don’t forget to click here to grab the free toddler grocery list now!!

I hope this list helps you to streamline your grocery shopping and find new foods that your toddler loves.

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Master Healthy Grocery List for Families

If you’re looking to include a variety of healthy foods into your family’s diet and want some help at the store, this toddler-friendly healthy Grocery List should make things easier for you!

Healthy Grocery List

I share quite a bit of behind the scenes of how I feed my family over on Instagram and I decided to put together a version of my shopping list since I had a few requests. This free download is the way that I organize my food planning.

Now, clearly, there are hundreds of apps that do this sort of thing, but for me, I actually don’t like to walk around a store looking at my phone. But I do love crossing things off of lists and being able to organize my shopping at a quick glance. I realize that I might be behind the times on this one, but if you prefer a good old pen and piece of paper and you are set in your ways on this topic like I am, this might help.

Get access to my FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY here, which includes my printable Healthy Grocery List.

Basic Grocery List

Here are the basics:

• Things are organized by category so you can both get ideas for how to vary your diet—and that of your kiddo—but also so you can remember what you need to buy. This also syncs with how most stores are organized!
• There is extra space to add special ingredients or other things you might need at the store.
• I’ve included some foods that are helpful to have in the house when feeding toddlers including snacks, sauces, and all kinds of grains and pasta.
• The download is printable, so you can simply highlight or circle what you need and take the list to the store with you.

Healthy Grocery List: Fruits

Fresh fruits should make up the majority of your fruit purchases, but you can also stock up on frozen fruit, dehydrated fruit, canned fruit in water or 100% fruit juice, or dried fruit. Here are some staples:

• apples
• apricots
• bananas
• blueberries
• cherries
• clementines
• grapes
• kiwi
• mango
• pineapple
• oranges
• raspberries
• strawberries

Basic Grocery List: Vegetables

Fresh vegetables should be plentiful in your cart, though frozen are a wonderful option and are often much easier to cook since the prep work is done for you!

• carrots
• cauliflower
• beets
• broccoli
• edamame
• tomatoes
• peas (frozen)
• potatoes
• snap peas
• spinach
• squash
• sweet potato
• zucchini

Healthy Grocery List: Whole Grains

Keeping an assortment of whole grains in your pantry can ensure that healthy meals are accessible and easy to prepare. I like to make a double batch of whole grains (such as rice or quinoa) and store half in the freeze for a future week.

• bagels, whole grain
• bread, whole grain
• bulgur
• brown rice
• cereal, whole grain
• couscous
• crackers, whole grain
• millet
• oats
• pasta, bean flours
• pasta, whole wheat
• pita bread
• pizza dough
• rice noodles
• tortillas, corn
• tortillas, whole grain
• quinoa

Master Grocery List: Nuts, Seeds, Dried Fruit

Whether to top toast, as snacks, or to take on the go, here are some nuts, seeds and dried fruits to stock up on at the store. Remember to avoid giving little kids whole nuts since they can be a choking hazard.

• almonds, sliced
• almond butter
• cashews, pieces
• chia seeds
• dried apricots
• dried cranberries
• flaxseed, ground
• fruit leather
• hemp seeds
• peanuts, chopped
• peanut butter
• raisins
• Sunbutter

Master Grocery List: Meat & Fish

The kind of proteins you shop for will depend on your preferences, but here’s a broad look at the options you might want to keep on hand.

• beef, ground
• beef, steak/roast
• chicken tenders
• chicken breast
• chicken nuggets
• chicken thighs
• chicken, ground
• fish sticks
• turkey breast
• turkey, ground
• salami
• salmon (fresh or canned)
• sausage
• shrimp
• tuna (we like Safecatch canned tuna which is lower in mercury than most brands)
• white fish

Basic Grocery List: Dairy

If your family eats dairy, here are some of the options you might want to buy. I try to keep at least one probiotic-rich dairy on hand each week, such as yogurt or kefir. Look for the terms “live active cultures” to ensure you’re getting the good stuff to help with gut and immune health. I prefer plain, unsweetened dairy—and you can always flavor the yogurt yourself.

• cheese
• cream cheese
• eggs
• goat cheese
• kefir
• milk (dairy and nondairy)
• Parmesan cheese
• ricotta cheese
• yogurt

Healthy Grocery List: Beans and Legumes

Filled with both fiber and protein, beans and legumes are a great way to add nutrition to family meals. And they’re super cheap to buy. Look for canned beans in cans free from BPA if possible and rinse and drain any canned beans to remove excess salt.

• black beans
• garbanzo beans
• edamame beans
• kidney beans
• lentils (red, brown, green)
• pinto beans
• split peas
• white beans

Master Grocery List: Sauces/Dips

While you may want to make some homemade sauces and dips, here are a few store-bought ones that can quickly make food more appealing to kids.

• honey
• hummus
• ketchup
• pizza sauce
• pesto
• salsa
• soy sauce, low sodium
• ranch
• yogurt

Healthy Grocery List: Snacks

Stock up on healthy snacks to ensure that the kids are meeting their nutritional needs and to make it easy to feed them foods you want them to eat. (Because buying the food you want your family to eat is the best way to get them to eat the good stuff!)

• applesauce, unsweetened
• crackers, whole grain
• fruit leather
• dry cereal, with less than 5 grams of sugar per serving (and 0 grams for toddlers under 2 if possible)
• pretzels
• puffs
• rice cakes
• snack bars
• snap pea crisps/Veggie Straws

You may also like my tips on How to Save Money on Groceries and my Happy Family Meals meal planning system.

Top 10 healthy foods for a preschooler / What should be in the diet of a 3-6 year old child – an article from the “Correct Approach” section on Food.ru

What a 3-6 year old child needs

growth and development of the child. The time when he needs the maximum amount of vitamins and microelements, because right now the basis for the health of all organs and systems is being laid. The motor activity of children at this age is colossal, which means that they need much more energy than adults. Vegetables and fruits alone are not able to cover all the needs of a growing organism.

Important

The recommended physiological energy requirement for this age is 1800 kcal per day. And the ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates is 1:1:4. You can also calculate the exact energy consumption in children aged 1-7 years. To do this, it is enough to apply the formula: 80-100 kcal per 1 kg of body weight.

On the one hand, at this age, many children go to kindergarten, which to some extent relieves parents of the responsibility for a healthy diet. The menu of kindergartens is compiled by nutritionists in accordance with all recommendations and standards. And the main part of the daily diet, and this is at least 70%, the child receives there. On the other hand, no one canceled dinner at home and rational nutrition on weekends. And then there are children who flatly refuse to go to the garden at the age of three and five.

And then the daily agenda for parents sounds something like this:

What to cook so that the child is not only full, but also gets everything he needs for his age norm.

Three simple rules for organizing a healthy diet for preschoolers:

• intervals between meals should not exceed 3.5 hours;

• dinner is recommended 1.5-2 hours before bedtime;

• breakfast should provide 20-25% of the daily requirement for nutrients, lunch – 35-40%, afternoon snack – 15%, dinner – 20-25%.

Food safety rules

Children aged 3-6 are ready to learn basic food safety rules.

It is important to teach them:

• observe the rules of personal hygiene: wash hands before eating, wash vegetables and fruits;

• be able to distinguish between fresh and stale food, check the expiration date on the packaging of your favorite cereal or muesli, curds, etc.;

• do not try unfamiliar foods without adults. Products that have not yet been introduced into the child’s diet, for one reason or another, can cause an allergic reaction, and therefore it is worth tasting them only under the supervision of parents.

Top 10 healthy foods for preschoolers

Children don’t want it, but they need it

1. Vegetables

The battle for vegetables in a child’s diet can be compared to Tolkien’s epic battles. Here you need strategy, tactics and a little bit of luck. Instead of Gandalf, who promised to ride at the dawn of the third day, other tricks are used:

• preparing pancakes and soufflé;

• we cook pureed soups;

• mix vegetables with fruits or combine your favorite vegetables with those that are not in honor of the child.

Children’s diet should include vegetables every day. Five baby fists is the optimal daily intake of these healthy foods.

Potatoes, cabbage, beets, carrots, onions, zucchini, peppers are vegetables that are best used on a regular basis for cooking first and second courses.

Cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, all kinds of greens, spinach can appear in the child’s diet in the form of salads, vegetable snacks, as an addition to homemade rolls and sandwiches.

2. Meat and poultry

Children are divided into those who are happy to steal a piece of steak from their father, and from their mother a fricassee of turkey, and those who cannot be forced to eat even a piece of chicken.

Meat is a source of protein, namely, it is extremely important for the construction of all organs and systems of an actively growing organism. Contains essential amino acids, as well as taurine, which is important for the proper functioning of the nervous system.

For the nutrition of preschool children, it is better to use low-fat varieties: beef, veal, rabbit. Lamb and pork should appear on the table a little less often. It is preferable to include chicken and turkey dishes in the diet as often as possible. But duck and goose are not the most suitable meat for feeding young children.

3. Cereals

A source of complex carbohydrates, cereals are an ideal side dish for vegetables and meat. They contain vegetable proteins and fibers, B vitamins, microelements.

Porridge for breakfast will give your child energy for the whole day. Oatmeal, buckwheat, rice, millet – even if a preschooler is not enthusiastic about any one type of cereal, you can always find an alternative.

Exotic quinoa, couscous, bulgur can be added to salads and prepared as unusual “restaurant-like” side dishes.

4. Legumes

A source of vegetable protein, which is indispensable for building all body systems. Peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas – these products should appear on the child’s menu at least two to three times a week. It can be soups and stews, side dishes and salads.

5. Dairy and sour-milk products

Sweet curds from the store are not at all what should be in a child’s diet. They have nothing to do with healthy eating. But natural dairy and sour-milk products should be on the table every day.

Children of preschool age are recommended to eat:

• at least 300-320 ml of milk per day;

• at least 150-180 ml of fermented milk products;

• not less than 35-50 g of cottage cheese or curd products;

• 7-10 g sour cream;

• 5-7 g cheese;

• 30-35 g butter.

6. Fish

Fish is a source of phosphorus, iodine, omega-3 and omega-6. A fish day should be held every week. But you should strive to ensure that the fish was in the diet at least twice a week.

However, not all children like this useful product. The solution can be the preparation of fish cutlets, fish fingers, as well as home-made fish and chips.

7. Eggs

Omelet for breakfast is a familiar option for many preschoolers. But you should not abuse this product: two or three eggs a week will be enough.

Eggs contain proteins, fat, various minerals, phosphorus, calcium, iron, vitamins A, D, B1, B2, PP, fat-like substances – lecithin, cholesterol.

If your child doesn’t eat chicken eggs, try offering quail eggs. In terms of composition, they are even more useful, and children will like their unusual look.

Important

In children aged three to six years, the need for fluid is about 60 ml per 1 kg of body weight. That is, a child weighing 20 kg needs to drink 1200 ml per day. It is important to understand that this is all the water that is in food. Vegetables and fruits contain up to 50% water, milk – 87%, bread products – 47%.

Children do not eat this

Top 16 products not recommended by Rospotrebnadzor for feeding children aged three to six years:

• offal, except for the liver, tongue, heart;

• blood, liver, raw smoked sausages;

• foods fried in fat, deep-fried and chips;

• dairy products, as well as cheese curds, ice cream and condensed milk made with vegetable fats;

• koumiss and fermented milk products with an ethanol content of more than 0. 5%;

• cream confectionery containing vegetable protein;

• first and second courses based on instant dry food concentrates;

• carbonated drinks;

• vinegar, mustard, horseradish, hot peppers and other hot spices, as well as hot sauces, ketchups, mayonnaises and mayonnaise sauces;

• pickled vegetables and fruits;

• natural coffee;

• apricot kernels, peanuts;

• caramels and hard candies;

• products, including confectionery, containing alcohol;

• chewing gum;

• products containing a large amount of food additives: information is indicated by the manufacturer on consumer packaging.

This is what kids love

Not all healthy foods that are essential for a child’s diet make kids want to leave the table, make a grimace of displeasure, or make a riot in a single kitchen. There are those that at the same time meet the requirements of a healthy diet, and have won the love of the children’s population.

8. Fruit

This is something that you can eat without restrictions. According to recent studies by endocrinologists, nutritionists and gastroenterologists, the Mediterranean diet is recognized as useful, it is based on vegetables and fruits. Fruit for preschoolers is much better than candy and other store-bought sweets. And to instill love for them is one of the tasks of parents.

Advice

An easy way to feed any fruit to your baby is to make smoothies. The most common reasons for dislike: the appearance and texture of the product. And smoothie solves them for five plus.

Choose seasonal fruits – they contain more vitamins and microelements. So, it is better to buy tangerines and oranges from autumn to spring, and apples – from May to September.

Try to include as many different fruits as possible in your child’s diet. Ideally, there should be five different fruits on the table every day.

Important

Dried fruits are the concentration of vitamins and useful trace elements, an excellent alternative to purchased sweets. Dried apricots, cherries, cranberries, raisins, candied fruits, and pineapples can be perfect snack options.

9. Berries

The season of these useful products is limited. This does not mean that you need to eat for the future. But fresh berries are hard to replace. Therefore, strawberries, raspberries, all kinds of currants and gooseberries must be in the child’s diet at least in the summer. And in the autumn-winter season, you can cook compotes and fruit drinks from fruits frozen for future use.

10. Nuts

Salted pistachios and peanuts are something kids will love to steal from your plate. However, nuts should not be abused. A handful of mixed nuts a day is enough. Keep a vase on the kitchen table, in which there will always be walnuts and pine nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews.

Remember that children should be supervised when trying nuts for the first time, as they can cause an allergic reaction.

What can be done?

Teach your child to wash their hands, teach them to eat meat and vegetables. And to make this process more effective, read which cartoons form healthy eating habits in children.

And all products for proper nutrition can be ordered at Crossroads: on the website or in the application. Put the ingredients in the basket – and in an hour the courier will bring everything you need.

Read also

• 5 cases when a child needs help to change eating behavior

• if he doesn’t like them

List of harmful foods for children: what not to feed a child – April 4, 2021

1

Chicken nuggets

At first glance, there is nothing wrong with nuggets – chicken breast, breading of flour or breadcrumbs, sometimes cheese – that, in general, is the whole composition. But while manufacturers focus on the fact that their nuggets are made from real chicken, let’s take a closer look at this dish. The first thing that brings all possible benefits to zero is deep fat. With this method of heat treatment, carcinogens are formed, and a merciless amount of oil makes the product fatty and high-calorie.

Another point is the quantitative ratio of meat and everything else. The examination showed that often there is a lot of breading in nuggets – up to 50% of the total mass. There are no regulations regarding ingredients, so, in fact, manufacturers do not violate anything. But not only do you overpay for crackers and butter, it also turns out that the protein in the nuggets is less than it should be in the chicken breast, and there are too many carbohydrates.

Nuggets can also contain too much moisture. Yes, this makes them juicier, but you overpay for regular water. And due to the fact that in addition to chicken meat, nuggets contain many other ingredients (including those not indicated in the composition), their nutritional value is much lower compared to the same chicken breast.

What is really hidden in nuggets

Infographics: Vitaly Kalistratov / Network of city portals

And do not forget that nuggets are a product of deep processing. With sugar (even if it is not felt, but it is) and added fats.

“Over time, due to uncontrolled consumption of large amounts of sugar, a person develops insulin resistance,” says dietitian Irina Toropygina. – Decreased sensitivity of insulin receptors. That is, there is a lot of glucose in the blood, but it is not absorbed, does not enter the cell, the cell experiences hunger and does not receive glucose to perform energy functions. In response to this, a person consumes sweets even more and only aggravates the situation. Excessive consumption of sugar inevitably leads to the development of carbohydrate dependence and, over time, to the formation of diabetes mellitus and obesity.

Irina Toropygina — dietician, specialist in functional integrative nutrition, DNA testing specialist.

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2

Corn flakes and muesli

Doctors say that it is more beneficial to feed a child with biscuits than with corn flakes – it even has less sugar. In addition, the option of a light and quick breakfast, beloved by children (and sometimes their parents), will “give” the body extra sweeteners, flavor enhancers and flavors. And if you see the inscription “enriched” on the packaging, this only indicates that the product has undergone maximum industrial processing.

Maybe replace muesli flakes? Maybe. But not the fact that they will be more useful.

– Any muesli due to the content of cereals and nuts is quite high in calories: from 300 kcal and more, – says dietitian Elena Pavlovskaya. – Baked ones are fried in oil, they are, of course, tasty and crispy, but this is more a dessert than a healthy meal. The recommended amount of muesli even for an adult is no more than 30–50 grams per day. Do not forget that there are contraindications to eating muesli: if you have an exacerbation of gastritis or problems with the intestines, you do not need to eat them. They contain a lot of dietary fiber, which can irritate the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines.

Elena Pavlovskaya — dietitian, candidate of medical sciences, researcher at the clinic of the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.

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3

Juice

Children’s juice producers are usually honest with their little consumers. In their examination products, neither sulfur dioxide (a preservative), nor ethyl alcohol, nor patulin (a toxic substance of natural origin that affects the digestive tract; sometimes present in food) is found. These drinks are made from exactly the fruits indicated on the package, they even contain a certain amount of vitamins and nutrients. But what’s the catch?

“Let’s start with the fact that the best source of fluid, both for a child and an adult, is water,” says nutritionist Irina Borodina. – Theoretically, juices can be used for baby food, but we must remember that packaged juices contain a lot of sugar, have a high glycemic index, increase appetite, have a sweet taste, which can lead to the formation of wrong taste preferences and refusal of some children from unsweetened foods (vegetable puree, porridge without sugar). For children aged 7-12 months, the World Health Organization generally recommends not giving juices, but chopped raw fruits and vegetables, such as banana, melon, tomato.

Irina Borodina — dietitian, candidate of sciences, therapist of the 1st category.

Rospotrebnadzor notes that the most useful juice products are freshly squeezed juices made at home or in a restaurant. They retain the vitamins that were in the “source codes”. But even they are not as healthy as whole vegetables and fruits due to the abundance of simple carbohydrates and low fiber content. Pasteurized direct-pressed juices are somewhat less useful. They are made from fresh vegetables, fruits or berries by mechanical pressing, and then kept at a temperature of 60-80 degrees: this method allows you to save a significant part of the beneficial properties of freshly squeezed juice. Reconstituted juice is even less useful. There are very few vitamins in it, and to make it healthier, manufacturers can artificially add vitamins and other biologically active substances (and this will be enriched juice). 9Yoghurt

If children tried the “proper” yogurt, most likely they would refuse from him once and for all – he’s practically tasteless. But in a natural product there are definitely those very living bacteria for which it is valued. But the choice of thermally processed yogurts (the same ones that you see on store shelves) is Russian roulette, in which, moreover, it is important to separate at least two types of products: for babies from eight months old and for children from three years old.

Yoghurts for babies from three years of age usually contain almost twice as much sugar as yogurts for babies from eight months. For a child under three years of age, this amount of sugar puts a lot of stress on the liver and pancreas. The risk of developing diabetes and obesity increases. Therefore, added sugar in complementary foods, if possible, should not be at all. Also, yogurts for children over three years old may have a higher acidity, which is also not good for babies.

Children’s dairy products should contain no more than 7-8% sugar. But studies show that in some cases this norm is significantly exceeded (but who will tell you about it on the package) – 10% or more. Three sugar cubes in one jar. Half the daily value of an eight-month-old baby.

— For example: ice cream contains four spoons of sugar, vanilla yogurt contains five, and 300 grams of sparkling water contains nine, says Irina Toropygina. “Besides, we all heard about probiotics, but their effect is somewhat exaggerated. They artificially settle in the intestines and restore the population of beneficial bacteria. This is their main property. However, most of it is lost during digestion.

How to tell good from bad yogurt

Infographics: Vitaly Kalistratov / Network of City Portals

An important component of yogurt is calcium. According to reference data, natural yogurt should contain 110–125 mg of calcium per 100 g of product. Some manufacturers promise even more – up to 240 mg. But these numbers remain only on the packaging. Experts checked how much calcium is in different yogurts. It turned out to be 2-3 times less than promised. That is, sometimes manufacturers take the numbers on the packaging, as they say, from the ceiling.

Calcium is essential for normal growth and development of the child. With its deficiency, the formation of bones and teeth is disturbed, children suffer from nervous disorders, increased nervous excitability, and convulsions may occur. The daily requirement for calcium depends on the age of the child: from 1 to 6 months – 400 mg; from 1 year to 5 years – 600 mg; from 6 to 10 years – 800-1200 mg.

“Children get only empty carbohydrates from sweet yoghurts,” says pediatric endocrinologist Natalia Lomonosova. – But dairy products cannot be excluded from the children’s diet. They can and should be eaten. But let it be ordinary kefir, without sugar. If the child loves “Snowball”, add half a teaspoon of sugar to a glass of kefir, it will be more useful. The child will receive both calcium and protein.

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Instant noodles

Although it has been proven that all these doshiraks are the same egg noodles, and without the spices that are in the package with the product, everything is not so bad, it should be excluded from baby food. Instant noodles, prepared according to the instructions on the package, are mostly rich in phthalates – chemicals that can cause endocrine disruption, reduce testosterone levels and harm reproductive performance. A large amount of phthalates, as it turned out, is contained in cheese powder (it’s time to skip the cheese-flavored pack) – more only in flexible PVC and some types of cosmetics. For all that, the European Union, known for its strict regulations on food and household chemicals, has not listed phthalates on the list of highly hazardous substances, so manufacturers, in general, work within the established norms.

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More reading about kids, breakfast and food:

• Seven foods to avoid in the morning;

• What doshiraks are made of and how much harm they actually contain;

• Dietitians – what should be the ideal diet for schoolchildren;

• 7 juice health myths that everyone believes;

• Everything you never wanted to know about oatmeal.