With two toddlers in the house I am constantly trying to feed my kids healthy foods and have nutritional options available. So here is a list of crucial nutrients a toddler must have in their growing ages.
1. Calcium - 500 milligrams a day. Aids in strong bones, healthy teeth, enzyme maintenance, blood clots and more.
The best sources of calcium are yogurt, milk, cheese, fortified juice, ice cream, cottage cheese, sweet potato, and spinach.
2. Iron - your toddler needs 7 mg. of iron every day. Iron is important for making hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying red pigment in blood, and myoglobin, a pigment that stores oxygen in muscles. Lack of iron can cause anemia, which can result in fatigue, weakness, and irritability. Iron also affects brain development.
Iron is found in beans, meat, chicken, iron fortified cereal, fortified oatmeal, eggs, wheat germ, and raisins.
3. Zinc - Your toddler needs 3 milligrams a day. Zinc aids in digestion and metabolism. It also will aid in not stunting growth.
The highest sources of Zinc in lentils, corn, steak, hamburger, beans, bran flakes, and egg yolks.
4. Vitamin D - 5 micrograms per day. Vitamin D helps the body absorb minerals like calcium and builds strong teeth and bones. It's called the "sunshine vitamin" because the body can make it when the skin is exposed to sunlight. But vitamin D production is prevented by smog, clouds, dark skin, and sunscreen with an SPF of 8 or more, so it's a good idea to make sure your child gets 200 IUs of vitamin D every day from food sources.
Good sources include tuna, eggs, salmon, milk, margarine, and fortified cereal.
5. Vitamin A - Your toddler needs 300 micrograms of vitamin A daily. Vitamin A plays an important role in vision and bone growth, and helps protect the body from infections. Vitamin A also promotes the health and growth of cells and tissues in the body, particularly those in the hair, nails, and skin. The best sources are carrots, squash, milk, eggs, broccoli, and mango.
6. Vitamin C - Your toddler needs 15 milligrams of vitamin C a day. Vitamin C helps form and repair red blood cells, bones, and tissues.
High sources are papaya, orange, strawberry, mango, broccoli, bananas, tomato, potato, spinach, and grapefruit.
So obviously your kids aren't going to get all these things. But many healthy food not listed above full of nutrients. Especially fruit and veggies, lean meats, and dairy. Also, companies make cereal nutrient packed these days - and they will say exactly what they have in them. Just check the label on everything and make sure you are giving your kids food with nutrients in them.
Also, my kids love the Flinstone Sour Gummy Vitamins with Calcium. It is like a little treat for them and if I don't get all the nutrients to them in a day, they sure help out and make me feel better.
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