National Nutrition Week 2023: Tips To Prepare Nutrient-Rich Meals For Picky Eaters

The trick to prepare nutrient-dense meals for your toddler is to work on wisely camouflaging nutritionally packed ingredients in food options that the child enjoys!

Nutrition for kids (Representational Image)

Planning nutrient-dense meals for their child is a goal for every parent, however, this can be challenging for parents raising picky eaters. While it may be difficult, it isn’t impossible. The trick is to work on wisely camouflaging nutritionally packed ingredients in food options that the child enjoys!

In this regard, Dr. Vanshika Gupta Adukia who is a Pregnancy & Lactation Expert, Pre & Post Natal Fitness Expert, Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist & Founder of Therhappy shared some tips to create nutrient-rich meals for Picky Eaters.

• Use freshly grated coconut in sabjis, porridges, dal that the child is fond of eating.
• Add soaked ground almonds to overnight oats, upma, dalia.
• Dry mixed nut powder can be sprinkled into batter of your choice for dosas, cheelas, pancakes.
• Add a dash of ghee to the khichdi, rice, dal of the child.
• Make pasta sauces with mixed vegetables hidden in tomato puree, spinach hidden in a pesto base, pumpkin in white sauce base.
• Use bhakris instead of regular bread to make pizzas at home.
• Moong daal, rawa or ragi batters can be used for multiple purposes of paniyarams, idlis, wraps etc.
• Make sattu date ladoos or besan jaggery ladoos with nuts and cardamom to have handy as an option between meals as a snack. It will also be a great swap for unhealthy sweets.

Healthy And Tasty Dips For Toddlers Who Are Picky Eaters:

In this regard, Dietician Garima Goyal said, "A great way to add vegetables in the plate of tiny picky eaters is by introducing sauces and dips, whose sight will make their mouth watery. Homemade dips and sauces are an excellent and healthier alternative for including raw vegetables in the diets of kids. They offer an extra boost of nutrients along with the child's meals." 

Here are a few healthy and tempting dips that you can add to your kid's plate as suggested by Garima:

• Hummus: Hummus is a very easy dip made with boiled chickpeas ground to a paste and its flavoured with lemon juice and cumin seeds. Its a smooth and creamy puree of cooked chickpeas or white chane. Its a good choice for adding protein and fibre to the diet. Hummus plays a role in weight management and blood glucose and insulin regulation too.
• Pumpkin chilli dip: Rarely is any kid who enjoys eating pumpkin. So try adding a classic dip made with pumpkin puree and chilly flakes to enjoy the flavours and the benefits. Add maple syrup for the sweetness, garlic for an additional flavour and little vinegar for that tangy taste.
• Skordalia (potato and garlic dip): Its a thick puree of Greek origin made with garlic in a paste of potatoes, walnuts, almonds or liquid soaked stale bread mixed with olive oil. This dip is made in a pestle and mortar.
• Roasted eggplant dip (Baba Ganoush): This is made by roasting eggplants until soft, scooping the insides and mashing with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and spices. This is one of the best way to add brinjal to your kids diet.
• Garlic yoghurt dip: Creamy, luscious and tangy, this dip made with hung curd is mouth watering. Tanginess of the curd is increased by Tabasco sauce and cream gives it a bland flavour and improve its mouth feel. Serve it with homemade crackers or kababs.
• Guacamole dip: This avocado based dip is prepared by mashing peeled and ripe avocados and salt with a mortar and pestle. Like juice, onions and jalapeños are also added to it. Its base being avocado, it is rich in fibre, B vitamins, vitamin K, Vitamin E and potassium.
• Sweet potato hummus: This orange coloured dip has a burst of flavours, both savoury and sweet. Made with a combination of baked sweet potatoes and boiled chickpeas, it has enhanced flavour with the help of olive oil, tahini, garlic cloves, lemon juice and cumin seeds.
• Roasted beet dip: This is a savoury dip with a slight sweet flavour of the beets. This purple dip is made with garlic, lemon juice, walnuts and fresh herbs. Blend the roasted beets with fresh yoghurt and season it.

Sometimes a little sauce can go a long way to give you flavour, nutrition and taste. So try to add these tiny add ons to the tiny plate of your kid for a long list of health benefits.

Healthy Alternatives For Your child's Favourite Dishes:

Mr. Ashwani Vohra, Chief Executive Officer, Food Services, Compass Group India suggested some healthy, yet tasty options for kids:

• Muffin with choco chips: Add pumpkin puree as a filling which is loaded with Vitamin A to strengthen your child's eyesight, growth and immune system.
• Rainbow mini idlis: These colourful finger foods can be prepared with natural colours from carrot and fenugreek leaves which are good for your child's eyesight, hair and skin. These vegetables are a good source of fiber which helps prevents the child from getting constipated.
• Baked Penne Pasta: Who says pastas are unhealthy when you have vegetables like tomatoes, mushroom, carrots, capsicum rich in Vitamins A, B, C and D hidden in the pasta sauce itself. 
• Grilled Cottage Cheese Quesadilla: This dish is a yummy source of protein, along with other important vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium and vitamin A.