12 best foods and meal ideas to boost your child's healthy development

Want to make sure that your child is getting all the nutrients he needs? Here are some of the best food for kids, along with some tips on how to get your kid to eat them.

Your child’s nutrition plays a big role when it comes to their development, which is why it’s very important to give them healthy foods for kids that can help them grow up to be smart, active, and healthy individuals.

Best food for kids: Healthy and delicious

The truth is, however, that making a child eat nutritious food all the time is one of the most common challenges parents face. From being babies and toddlers who would try everything you feed them, there just comes a phase when they would become pickier about food and prefer sweet, processed snacks over healthy foods for kids or homecooked meals.

As parents, it’s our job to make sure our kids consume food that is nutritious and helps in their muscle and brain development. But with so many choices around us, where do we even start and how do we feed it to our children?

To make your life a tiny bit easier when it comes to feeding your little one, we’ve compiled a list of healthy foods for kids that are packed with nutrients your child needs as he grows.

And before you start to worry, you’ll actually be pleased to find out that some of these best food for kids are already present and are even staples in your child’s diet.

12 best food for kids

1. Eggs

This is one of the best healthy foods for kids to eat for breakfast. But of course, you can also give your kids eggs as part of their meal even if it’s not for breakfast.

Eggs are chock-full of protein (one large egg has 6 grams of protein) which helps muscle development, and it also has Vitamin D, which helps your child’s bones absorb calcium from milk and other sources.

This superfood also has vitamin B12 and iron, and some eggs are even fortified with omega-3 fatty acids, which help in a child’s brain development.

Eggs keep your kid strong and healthy, so don’t skimp on the eggs! Just make sure they don’t eat too much and are cooked well to avoid food-borne diseases.

2. Oatmeal and whole grains

Oatmeal and other whole-grain foods help improve your child’s concentration and have calcium which helps strengthen your child’s bones.

They are also rich in fiber which helps with your kid’s digestion and keeps them full for longer since they digest slowly. Fiber rich foods are best for toddlers.

Aside from oatmeal, other examples of whole-grain foods are wheat bread and whole wheat pasta, and brown rice. You can serve these along with your child’s favorite snack or meal to make sure they have the recommended fiber that they need for the day.

3. Milk

Here’s a staple in your child’s diet that is also one of the best food for kids!

Children grew up drinking milk, so it won’t be hard to give this to them. Milk is very good for growing children as it has a lot of nutrients such as vitamin D and calcium, as well as protein that can help build up your child’s brain tissue, which is essential during their younger years.

Check out the other benefits of drinking milk here.

4. Fruits

No “Best food for kids” list would be complete without this food group.

Fruits are an amazing source of vitamins, minerals, water, fiber as well as sugar. Need us to say more? Challenge accepted!

Oranges are rich in vitamin C which helps keep your child’s immune system strong. Guavas are packed with Vitamin A and even have Omega-3 fatty acids and fiber. Bananas are loaded with potassium, which is essential to grow strong, durable bones. We can go on and on, but we’ll stop here.

The best part about this is that it’s quite easy to get your kid to eat fruits! So the next time your kid is looking for a snack, or needs an energy boost, you can try giving them a piece of fruit instead of a cookie!

5. Yogurt

Chances are, you’ve seen the numerous yogurt commercials on television showing just how healthy yogurt is. Yogurt has a lot of live good bacteria which help strengthen your child’s tummy, help improve their digestion, and improve their health in general. For this reason, this particular superfood is one of the best food for your toddler’s brain development.

However, it would be best to avoid buying the sweetened kind, as it has a lot of sugar that’s not really good for your child. Try and look for plain old yogurt, and make it tastier by adding fresh fruits, or a bit of honey (only if your child is 1 year old and above).

6. Salmon and other fish

According to WebMD, fish is a good source of vitamin D and omega-3s, which protect the brain from declining mental skills and memory loss.

Salmon, aside from being tasty, has a lot of omega-3 fatty acids which help in the development of your kid’s brain. According to Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD, author of Read It Before You Eat It:

“The more omega-3s we can get to the brain, the better it will function and the better kids will be able to focus.”

Aside from being a superfood for the brain, salmon is also an anti-inflammatory nutrient, so it’s really one of the best food for muscle development.

You can try and pair salmon with healthy fruits and vegetables to make it more appealing to your child, or cook it in a way that kids prefer (try salmon and cheese nuggets). It’s also best to look for natural or farmed salmon as they usually have a lower mercury content compared to other salmon.

Kids don’t usually like fish as the smell and presentation may turn them off. But if cooked in the way they prefer, they might actually enjoy it (I was so surprised that my kids loved fish fillet!).

7. Black beans

The humble black bean is surprisingly healthy. Black beans are full of protein, fiber, and help fight against heart disease and high cholesterol, so you could also do yourself a favor by eating more black beans!

They’re great with nachos, and you can make them into tasty veggie burgers, or put them in a burrito. Black beans are very versatile ingredients, and your kids will surely love them!

8. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are not only tasty, but they’re really healthy. They are full of lycopene, which protects the body against different types of cancers, plus it’s easy to add tomatoes to your kid’s diet!

You can try making simple and healthy homemade pizzas, add some fresh tomatoes to your spaghetti sauce, and add it to dishes like sinigang or sinampalukang manok. Tomatoes are tasty, versatile, and good for you!

9. Cocoa

Cocoa, not sweetened chocolate mind you, is pretty healthy. It contains a lot of flavonoids, which are compounds that keep your heart healthy, and also protect the skin.

Instead of giving your child regular chocolate bars which are very high on sugar, why not try giving them a small cube of dark chocolate? They may find it too bitter at first, but they’ll get used to it after a while. It’s good for their health, and it also tastes good!

10. Cabbage and other green,  leafy vegetables

As they say, one way to keep your child’s plate healthy is to inject a splash of color on it. And we don’t mean assorted color of Skittles, we’re talking about fruits and veggies. And if your child’s plate has some green leafy veggies on it, you’re on the right track.

While making a child eat vegetables can seem tricky, easing them into some neutral-tasting ones can help. Cabbage is one of those.

Thankfully, this veggie also has a lot of phytonutrients that help keep cancer at bay and improve digestion. It also keeps toxins away from your body by triggering enzymes that flush out toxins.

Cabbage is easy to cook and add to different meals! You can steam it, grate it, add some mayonnaise on it and serve as a side to fried chicken or pork cutlets.

Meanwhile, broccoli has 2 days’ worth of vitamins C and K in each serving, and spinach is one of your best sources of folate, which keeps the body in a good supply of oxygen-carrying red blood cells. Try serving steamed broccoli with cheese sauce (just like mac n’cheese) or fried, breaded spinach with a yummy dip.

11. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are packed with Vitamin A, which is great for your eyes, and are also an amazing source of potassium and fiber.

Another reason to include this in our best food for kids list is that sweet potato is so versatile. You can mash it and cook it with a bit of butter and serve it with your meals. Or you can also slice it into sticks, fry it, sprinkle a bit of salt and serve it as a healthy alternative to French fries.

12. Nuts

Nuts are packed with protein that is essential in muscle development and also contain fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that can help boost your mood and give your kids the brainpower they need.

How do you serve nuts to kids? First off, there’s always peanut butter that you can spread on a slice of bread (preferable whole wheat) or some bananas. You can also include some with fruits and desserts like ice cream or frozen yogurt. Finally, you can serve them as is, for your kids to munch on while they’re doing their homework.

Just a reminder though, make sure that your child is not allergic to nuts or that he is old enough to chew them as these bits can become a choking hazard to very young children.

There you have it. Our list of the best food for kids and some suggestions on how to get them to eat it. We’re not saying it’s easy, but with a  little creativity in the kitchen and a lot of perseverance, your kid will likely try these foods in the long run and have the nutrients he needs as an active growing child.

Fiber rich foods for toddlers

According to WebMD, the simple formula for building a healthy digestive system for your kids are fiber, fluids, and exercise. And if your child lacks any of those three, they are more likely going to have some problems with their health.

So, to keep your toddlers healthy, fiber rich foods for toddlers are necessary. Foods that are rich in fiber are the best food for kids. That is why we compiled a list of fiber rich foods for your picky toddlers.

Here are some fiber rich foods for picky toddlers that your child will actually eat!

• Apple
• Popcorn
• Oatmeal
• Berries
• Carrots
• Bananas
• Pears
• Sweet potatoes
• Whole-grain pasta

Foods that are rich in fiber are the best food for kids. Aside from keeping their digestive tract moving along as it should and avoiding constipation, fiber may also help in preventing diabetes. Aside from what is stated above, you can also make the following fiber rich food for your kids’ meals.

• Quinoa chicken nuggets
• Energy bites that are rich in fiber and protein
• Homemade breakfast cookies
• Cheesy bean toast
• Blueberry muffins

Blueberry muffins are not only rich in fiber but also high in protein. On the other hand, your picky toddler might want to eat homemade cookies for breakfast.

Other healthy foods for kids to eat for breakfast

Your kids’ bodies need to be refueled after sleep. A healthy breakfast will give your child not only the nutrients that they need but also most of the energy they will use for the rest of the day.

For breakfast, the following foods are important to give your child a boost for the whole day:

• Eggs
• Whole grain
• Fruit and Vegetables

Here are some of the best egg-based food for kids to eat for breakfast:

1. Egg and vegetable muffins
2. Scrambled-egg tacos
3. Ham and cheese frittata
4. Hard-boiled egg pops
5. Berry breakfast strata

Whole grain foods options you can try at home for your kids:

1. Baked Oatmeal
2. Overnight oats
3. Blueberry mug muffin
4. Pear-sorghum porridge and pumpkin-quinoa porridge
5. Peanut butter-banana breakfast cookies

On the other hand, fruits and vegetables are part of the best food for kids. Giving your child fruits and vegetables during breakfast can be one of your quick and easy breakfast options.

Here are some of the healthy foods for kids to eat for breakfast:

• Berry yogurt parfaits
• Breakfast banana split
• Baked apples
• Avocado-cucumber-tomato toast
• Vegetable tofu scramble
• Oatmeal with greens and cheese

Mommies, remember to choose breakfast options that are easy to make. Because we all know how fuzzy our toddlers can be in the morning.

But no matter how quick and easy to prepare the foods we will give them, it’s also important to make sure you are giving the best healthy food to your kid! Breakfast is a great opportunity to give your child protein, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Unhealthy foods for kids

And of course, if there is the best healthy food for kids, it’s important to also know what unhealthy foods for kids you should avoid giving your child.

Avoid giving the following unhealthy foods to your kids:

• Sugar cereals
• Sweetened drinks or soft drinks
• Sports drinks
• Junk foods
• Granola bars
• French fries
• Deli meats

According to India Times, some researchers found a link between eating processed red meat like hot dogs and the risk of having diabetes, heart disease, and colon that your kid may experience as they age.

Hotdogs and other processed meat are loaded with sodium, fat, and nitrates. Those substances have been linked to cancer. So, when buying deli meats, it is best to choose low-sodium or organic variants of it that are free of added nitrates. But of course, fresh meat is the best option.

Remember mommies and daddies, it’s important to give the best food to your kids. It’s also important to choose food for toddlers to gain healthy weight. Toddlerhood is a quite challenging time for parents. May all the lists we have provided help you choose food for toddlers to gain healthy weight, it may also mean having healthy life ahead.

Additional information by Camille Eusebio and Jobelle Macayan

Here at theAsianparent Philippines, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advise or medical treatment. theAsianparent Philippines is not responsible to those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend to consult your doctor for clearer information.