Healthy Kitchen and Your Toddler
Load your shelves with these delicious, nutritious foods, and we promise that your kids will stop begging you for junk food.
In the Fridge
Milk.Whole or Skim or 1 percent milk or fortified soy milk.
Fresh fruit. Keep at least one kind of fruit washed, cut, and stored in a clear plastic container where your kids can see and grab it.
Low-fat yogurt. Mix fresh fruit into it.
100 percent fruit juice. Dilute it with water or seltzer.
Bagged salad. Look for darker greens like baby spinach or a mix of multicolored lettuces like mesclun or field greens.
Tortillas. If you can find these at your grocery store they're a fun alternative to bread.
Fresh veggies. Buy your own to wash and chop. Or pick up prewashed, precut veggies like broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, snow peas, and celery to serve as a snack, toss into salads, or steam.
Low-fat cheese. Stock reduced-fat block cheese, reduced-fat string cheese, and part-skim shredded cheese.
In the Pantry
Whole-grain crackers. Choose brands with at least 2 grams of fiber (and no trans fats).
Whole-grain pasta such as high-fiber has extra protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
Reduced-fat salad dressing. Low-fat ranch makes a great dip.
Oatmeal. Choose whole oats or unflavored instant.
Whole-grain bread. Check labels for brands that have at least 2 grams of fiber per slice.
Applesauce. Look for an unsweetened brand.
Dried or canned beans. Chickpeas, black beans, and fat-free refried beans are rich in protein.
Whole wheat couscous cooks just as quickly as the regular kind.
Brown rice. A great source of whole grains.
Sweet potatoes have lots of vitamin A.
Whole-grain breakfast cereal. Aim for at least 3 grams of fiber. Ones to try: Raisin Bran, Multi-Bran Chex, or Kashi Heart-to-Heart or Mighty Bites.
Nuts and seeds. Go for almonds, walnuts, and sunflower seeds.
Salsa. A zesty way to sneak in more veggies.
Canned fruit that's packed in juice.
Jarred pasta sauce. Add extra veggies like shredded zucchini.
Dried fruit. A half-cup counts as a serving of fruit.
Peanut butter or other nut butters.
In the Freezer
Frozen veggies. Besides the basics, pick up high-protein edamame.
Veggie burgers made from soy protein.
Frozen fruit (no sugar added) to eat from the bag or add to smoothies.
Fast Meal: Salad
Bagged lettuce + canned salmon or tuna + veggies + dried cranberries + reduced-fat salad dressing
Fast Meal: Pasta
Whole-grain pasta + jarred pasta sauce
Fast Meal: Healthy Oatmeal
Oatmeal + milk + frozen fruit + almonds (for kids 4 and up)
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