FOODS FOR TODDLERS

                                                  (Image source: Wikimedia)                               

Kids are gift from God to parents. Every parent has a dream that their kids grow nicely and become healthy. For their healthy growth, toddlers diet is extremely important. It is vital to his rapid physical growth, general health and well being, his ability to learn and play, and also his future health. Eating habits are set in early childhood and if we choose vegetarian diet, it can give your toddler and whole family the chance to learn to enjoy different variety of wonderful nutritious foods.

Kids who are raised up on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and homemade diet grow up to be slimmer and healthier and even live long life than that of non-vegetarian. It is much easy to make a nutrious diet from plant food than from animals products which have fat, cholesterol and other materials which is not so much necessary for growing kids. Complete nutrition for toddler’s vegan diets provide a high nutrition for all ages of childhood from birth itself. Doctors also suggest solid foods in the middle of 1st year of life. The best foods are soft foods as sheera, cooked, boiled vegetables, mashed fruits etc. Some studies clearly shows that the growth of vegetarian kids is more than that of non vegetarian kids.

So extra efforts should be taken to see that he/she gets the right types of food. Proper nutrition is very important for any toddlers growth and development. But many parents are not sure that which food is proper at what age.

Let’s have a look at some fast, healthy, easy and delicious recipes

The best food for a new born baby is mother’s milk. After 6 month we can start with CERALAC. As there are many different types of ceralac available in market, but there is no comparison with homemade ceralac. Homemade ceralac is very good for growing toddlers..

1.CERALAC

INGREDIENTS:

 1.  Whole wheat:                                       1cup

 2.  Whole rice:                                               1cup

 3. Whole tuvar daal:                                          1cup

 4. Whole mung:                                          1cup

 5. Mung daal(green):                                      1cup

 6. Mung dala(yellow):                                      1cup

 7. Chana dal:                                             1cup

 8. Whole ragi:                                             1cup

 9. Masur dal:                                              1cup

10. Whole bajra:                                            1cup

11. Peanuts:                                                1cup

12. Mix daals:                                               1cup

13. Daliya dal:                                               1cup

14. Casunuts:                                               1cup

15. Badam:                                                  1cup

16. Pistachios:                                               1cup

17. Sugar (sakar):                                            1cup

18. Ghee:                                                     for roasting

 METHOD:

1. Soak all ingredients separately except sugar (sakar) for 3 to 4 hours.

2. Then drain all the water from all ingredients and then put all ingredients in a cotton cloth separately and let it dry overnight.

3. Next morning roast all ingredients separately with slight ghee except sugar (sakar).

4. After everything is roasted let it cool down at room temperature.

5. Now grind all ingredients separately also sugar candy and churn all ingredients so that it becomes a fine power mixture.

6. Fill in air tight container and can store for 20 to 25 days.

This ceralac is used for toddlers above 6 months. And this ceralac is given to babies with mixing any daals, veg soups, warm milk, warm water in it. Any liquid can be used with this ceralac. It is really a very nutrious meal for any growing kid.

2.RAGI SHIRA:

INGREDIENTS:

 1. Ragi Flour:                              1cup

 2. Ghee:                                    2tsp

3. Jaggery:                                   to taste

4. Water:                                     as required

METHOD:

1. Put ghee in a pan, when it gets hot add ragi flour and roast at slow flame.

2. Add water+jaggery in another pan, put on gas and take to one boil till that jaggery will melt than off the gas.

3. When the ragi flour starts changing its colour and a pleasant smell will start coming so take it off the flame and add jaggery water in it and stir it fast on slow flame so that lumps are not formed.

4. Now let it become warm feed the babies.

NOTE: Same way this shera is also prepared with wheat flour also

All most all parents have complain that his/her kid doesn’t like vegetables and don’t eat it ,so I ask all parents to start it with their childhood itself as in early stage of life they are developing the tastes of all items....And for this vegetables the best option to start from early age is vegetables soup.

3.VEGETABLES SOUP:

INGREDIENTS:

1. Tomatoes:                 1big / 2 small

2. Beetroot:                  1/4th part of whole beetroot

3. Carrot:                     half piece (red/orange)

4. Bottle guard:              a small piece

5. Spinach leaves:           3 to 4 leaves

6. Green peas:              15 to 20 pieces

7. Salt:                      to taste

8. Ghee:                    1/2 tsp

9. Water:                   1/2 cup to 1 cup depends on quantity

METHOD:

1. Wash and peel all vegetables

2. Take all vegetables in cooker n add water in it and add salt to taste and ghee.

3. Cook the vegetables till 4 to 5 whistles.

4. Let the pressure cooker for sometime then open it.

5. Blend all vegetables with the water inside to make it smooth Puree.

6. Churn it so that all rough part comes out.

7. Then feed this soup to your baby…

With these kids gets all vitamins n minerals from all vegetables

All together so it’s best for toddlers of 6 months n above.

4.KHICHADI:

INGREDIENTS:

              Rice                  1cup

              Moong dal              1/2cup

              Water                 3 to 4 cups (as needed)

              Ghee                 1/2tsp

              Hing (asofatadi)       1 pinch

              Salt                  to taste

METHOD:

            

1. Mix rice and moong daal and wash it well.

2. Put this mixture in pressure cooker and add water, salt, hing and ghee.

3. Take 5 to 6 whistle and then off the gas.

4. When pressure cooker cools down open it and blend it nicely and feed the baby.

5. If the baby is below 1 year then churn it and feed it as the baby of 7 to 9 month can’t chew it so…

This khichadi is whole some diet for growing toddler.

Thanks !