There’s a difference between being fed and being fed well. Learn more about where Filipino children lack when it comes to their nutrition and what experts say about bridging the nutritional gap to keep your 3+ toddlers strong and healthy.
3+ toddlers are in an exciting stage where they start to explore their environment, discover new food, develop language quickly, and love to show their affection for family. As a parent, you want to serve what’s best for your child.
But sometimes, you’ve probably run out of time to properly plan and make a nutritious meal, giving in to their request for fast food. Parents and the rest of the household get busy, after all, and we have no choice but to serve something readily available and accessible such as processed food.
Given the current situation, how do we bridge a toddler’s nutritional gap safely and healthily?
What’s a nutritional gap?
In an ideal meal scenario, you would be able to serve your 3+ toddler the right amount of balanced and nutritious meals every day. These meals will include a variety of protein, carbohydrates, good fat, fiber, and loads of nutrients.
But the reality is, it takes time and energy to create meal plans, cook the food, plus feed your child—and make sure they eat it, too!
According to a study conducted by Nestle Research Center and the Philippines Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Filipino children of all ages lack vitamins and minerals in their food. In the usual Filipino diet, there’s a lot of food that has carbohydrates and refined sugars and not enough of the good stuff, like vegetables, fruits, and age-appropriate milk.
If you’ve noticed that your child runs out of energy quickly, you are not alone. Because of the limited variety of food that Filipino kids eat daily and their preference for sugar-loaded drinks, rice, sweetbreads, and instant noodles, these foods don’t give your toddler energy--it makes energy levels go down!
How to bridge the nutritional gap
Bridging the nutritional gap in your 3+ toddler can begin with their favorite food and beverages. From their favorites, how can you create a balanced meal? A balanced meal consists of protein, carbohydrates, and fruits and vegetables. Add what you need to your toddler’s meal to strike that balance—and that addition is usually 
fruits and veggies.
If you need a visual for what a balanced meal looks like, look no further than our own Pinggang Pinoy. It suggests you mentally divide a plate into four equal parts. One part is for fruits, one part for veggies, one part for protein (or ulam), and one part for carbohydrates, which is usually rice for Pinoys.
You can also figure out creative ways to serve nutritious food, such as giving them in the form of veggie sticks or fruit kebabs, having dipping sauce, or using colorful, playful plates that they can tinker with during mealtimes.
Drinking a glass of milk that’s age-appropriate to your child’s age and needs play a vital role to bridge the nutritional gap. NIDO® 3+ is expertly made for 3+ Filipino toddlers, giving your child the right amount and right kind of nutrients that they need to grow up and develop appropriately.
NIDO® 3+, with the help of the NUTRITODS™ program, is developed to be rich in nutrients that Filipino 3+ toddlers usually lack, such as Lactobacillus Protectus®, DHA, PREBIO3®, Iron, Zinc, and other essential vitamins and minerals that are not in regular milk. These nutrients are for proper growth and brain development, without the added table sugar!
Guest parents saw for themselves the NIDO® 3+ difference during the recent NIDO® 3+ Todo Expert Toddler Indoor Picnic Sessions event, where parents learned TODO EXPERT TIPS on how they can provide the right nutrition and health protection for their 3+ toddlers.
Siksik sa nutrients and expertly-made for Filipino Toddlers, learn how you can TODO PROTECT your kids with a glass of NIDO® 3+. TODO PROTECT your 3+ toddlers through their healthy 3+ toddler years through this www.momandme.nestle.com.ph/nido3.
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