It's no secret. Toddlers and kids are picky eaters. This faze is a normal stage in all childrens' development. In an environment where most children control very little, they try to carve a small bit of independence where ever they can find it. In this case, at meal time.
According the the Mayo Clinic, "Many parents worry about what their children eat — and don't eat. However, most kids get plenty of variety and nutrition in their diets over the course of a week."
As a result, most parents try to push the protein, thinking that it would keep their kids fuller longer and aid them in brain and heart development. But, more protein isn't always the answer. Nutritianists caution parents to not over expose their kids, and themselves, to too much protein.
"The emergence of more and more foods pumped up with protein—everything from granola bars to pasta, Cheerios with protein, high protein pretzels and even pancake mix made with extra protein is likely to make even more adults and children consume protein in amounts that can greatly exceed their daily needs." dietitian nutritionist Elsia Zeid told Parents.com.
That being said, there is nothing wrong with making every bite count. Here is a list of nutrient charged foods that are yummy to eat and keeps kids full for longer.
1. Bananas: Technically a berry, bananas are known as the "super fruit." One medium sized banana offers 422 mg of potassium, 3.1g of fiber and 1.3g of protein along with a variety of essential vitamins.
2. Eggs: Eggs are a fast and easy food to prepare. It is packed with 6g of protein and one of the only foods that provide vitamin D. Scramble it up with a little cheese and kids will eat it up!
3. Oats: Foods like Oatmeal digest slowly, keeping kids full longer while providing 6g of protein, 143mg of potassium and 4g of fiber. Add in some antioxidant fortified blueberries and it's really cooking!
4. Milk: Around the time kids start becoming picky eaters they are nursing less and getting less breast milk. Cows milk is a great way to supplement that. Milk is jam packed with 8g of protein, 366 mg of Potassium and is 30% calcium that helps build strong bones and teeth. Of course, you can add these nutrition facts to many dairy products like yogurts and cheeses.
5. Tomatoes: Tomatoes are another potassium packed food with 292 mg. But, it also offers protein and is a great source of vitamin C. Pasta and tomato sauce or pizza is a great way to get kids to get some tomatoes in their system.
6. Cinnamon: Research shows that adding this little spice to foods can help the body regulate sugars. Sprinkle a little in pancakes, over oatmeal or even in muffin mix.
7. Sweet Potato: This is almost always baby's first food. And there's a good reason for that. The veggie has 2.1g along with essential vitamins.
8. Wild Salmon: Stalked full of brain boosting Omega-3 this is not always an easy food to give kids, but try mixing it with some steamed rice or a little sweet mayo and some crackers.
9. Avocado: This is one of the foods that has a lot of "healthy fats." It has 2.9g of protein and also has a lot of vitamins to help kids grow strong.
10. Nuts: Nuts can be seen as a "grown up food" but most kids will be thrilled to have what mommy and daddy are snacking on. Add it to some low-fat greek yogurt for an extra dose of calcium and protein.
When it's all said and done, children who are picky eaters, or sometimes, no eaters, it's easy to stress out about if they are getting enough nutrients. The idea is not to force them to eat when they don't want to. With a few extra steps and little planning, kids can make their snacks and the few bites they actually eat during the day count. And they taste good, too!
