4 Ways to Improve Your Children’s Nutrition

4 Ways to Improve Your Children’s Nutrition

Children’s nutrition is extremely important for the future of humanity.  The food we eat provides the raw materials for healthy cells in our body.   Children need high quality nutrition to function and perform at their peak.   Our society trains children to devalue the importance of high quality food choices.  Raising healthy children takes determination and great meal planning on the part of the parents.

Most government provided school lunches are packed full of toxic genetically modified, highly processed foods that offer no real nutritional content other than calories.  Micronutrients and antioxidants are never considered in designing these meal plans.  Additionally, our society has bought into the idea that it is acceptable for children to eat junk food at parties and events.

To raise a healthy family in the 21^st Century world you must be different!  90% of what we are sold as healthy food for kids is not good.  Whole grains and pasteurized dairy are used in abundance as healthy parts of a daily diet.  Unfortunately, gluten containing grains and pasteurized dairy are inflammatory foods that are linked with digestive problems, allergies, concentration challenges and much more.

Breakfast Foods

Ideal breakfast foods for children’s nutrition include low-glycemic foods that have good fats and clean proteins to keep stable blood sugar.  Berries are a great addition as they are loaded with antioxidants and are low-glycemic, so they help maintain a healthy blood sugar.  Berries have a thin skin and are sprayed heavily with pesticide and herbicide in conventional practices, so it is important to get these organic.

Great fats for kids include coconut products, butter, avocados, & extra virgin olive oil.  Nuts and seeds are great, but they should ideally be raw, soaked and sprouted.  Going with the best nuts for snacking can really make a difference here.

The quality of the added nuts can completely change how nutrient dense and digestible the meal is – in a good way, of course.  The best seeds include hemp, flax, pumpkin, sesame, black sesame and sunflower.  All nuts are great except for peanuts which often contain fungal toxins and are highly allergenic and inflammatory.

Best Protein Sources:

Great protein foods for children’s nutrition include grass-fed beef products, organic cheese products, organic Greek yogurt, organic eggs, organic chicken & turkey, wild fish and seafood from clean waters and wild game from cleaner parts of the country.

The best way to begin the day is high-quality liquid nutrition.  Making a shake with frozen, organic blueberries, cinnamon, grass-fed whole milk or coconut milk, extra virgin coconut oil or avocado for more good fats and bone broth protein is fantastic.   One could also substitute organic, raw eggs or a sprouted hemp, pea & brown rice-based protein.

You could also do eggs, sunny side up or scrambled with turkey bacon or ground beef in the scrambled eggs.  I like putting parsley or cilantro in scrambled eggs as well to get in more greens.

Lunch and Snack Foods:

Lunch should consist of soaked and sprouted nuts and seeds.  Granola’s, crackers and cookies can be made out of soaked and sprouted nuts & seeds and flavored with low-glycemic sweeteners like stevia & coconut nectar.  At home, a stevia sweetened chocolate avocado mousse is a great treat that contains no sugar and lots of good fats and antioxidants

Great snack foods include raw veggies like carrots, celery, cucumbers, red cabbage & bell peppers.   Almond butter, guacamole and hummus can be used for dips for these veggies.  Also, raw nuts, coconut flakes, dried berries and cacao nibs can be combined to make a great antioxidant trail mix.

Best Foods For Dinner:

Children’s nutrition for dinners should be designed around high-quality animal protein, healthy fats and veggies.  This could be grass-fed beef, lamb, bison, organic chicken, turkey, duck, eggs, wild game, wild fish, etc.

Steamed or sautéed veggies along with a baby spinach salad is great.  Make a dressing with fresh squeezed lemon, dried herbs and extra virgin olive oil.

Starches that are okay to use include brown rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, yams & sprouted grain breads.  Sweet potato fries can be made with sliced sweet potatoes grilled with coconut oil on a stainless-steel pan.  A mashed potato alternative can be made out of steamed cauliflower or sweet potato.

Improve Gut Microbiome 

Digestive problems, such as tummy aches and bouts of nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting are common in children. Gut microbiome imbalances and gut infections are some of the top root causes of children’s health challenges. They may lead to digestive troubles, increased infections, poor immune health, asthma, growth issues, nervous system problems, emotional and mental health challenges, other chronic symptoms, and chronic conditions.

Improving your children’s gut microbiome is important not only for their digestive but their overall health. I recommend following an anti-inflammatory, gut-friendly, and nutrient-dense diet and avoiding food sensitivities and inflammatory foods as outlined earlier. I recommend that your children eat probiotic-rich fermented food, such as sauerkraut, fermented vegetables, coconut kefir, and coconut yogurt. Additionally, I recommend using a high-quality, child-friendly probiotic blend designed specifically for children.

For children, I recommend NDF Tummy. This blend supports healthy bowel movements, digestive health, reduces stomach aches, and supports speech, communication, and sociability. It was designed with children in mind. Natural Detox Factors (NDF®) is our micronized chlorella. It sticks to heavy metals, chlorine, BPA, and pesticides and carries them safely out of the body.

It includes a powerful probiotic blend safe and appropriate for children, including lactobacillus rhamnosus, bifidobacterium bifidum, bifidobacterium infantis, bifidobacterium longum, lactobacillus acidophilus, lactobacillus reuteri, lactobacillus plantarum, lactobacillus helveticus, lactobacillus casei, lactobacillus salivarius, lactobacillus paracasei and micronized chlorella (NDF®). For children 50 lbs or less, I recommend 1 ml 1 – 2 times per day, and for children 51 lbs or more, I recommend 2 ml 1 – 2 times per day.

My Favorite High Protein Snack Food

One of my favorite ways to consume grass-fed beef is the Paleovalley Meat Sticks which are amazing!  The 100% Grass Fed Beef Sticks are made from happy, healthy cows. They are NEVER fed grains.

Unlike most companies using the term “grass-fed” even though their products are NOT grass-finished – Paleovalley actually cares about the quality of life the animals enjoy. Truly pasture-raised cows are, not surprisingly, much healthier than grain-fed cows and contain higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

They also have a much more favorable omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid ratio which is important because when omega-6 levels are too high inflammation is often the result.

With such high-quality ingredients, Paleovalley didn’t want to degrade the product in the process. While most snack stick products contain a health-damaging ingredient called encapsulated citric acid, they naturally ferment their sticks which results in a delicious, shelf stable product with the presence of gut-friendly probiotics.

Final Thoughts

Protein is the necessary building block of human health. It is critically important for muscle health and muscle recovery, fat burning, improving lean body tissue, stabilizing blood sugar levels, reducing cravings, supporting satiety, and many other areas of your health.

Getting enough protein from the right food sources is critical for your health. I recommend that you follow my tips in this article on how much protein to eat, what protein sources to use, and what helpful supplements to try for better health.

If you want to work with a functional health coach, I recommend this article with tips on how to find a great coach. On our website, we offer long-distance functional health coaching programs. For further support with your health goals, just reach out—our fantastic coaches are here to support your journey.

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