Your preschooler is still growing and developing so a healthy diet is important throughout the early childhood years. Many preschool age children are developing their own food preferences, but making sure they eat a healthy dinner each night will contribute to their overall health and development. Christelle Le Ru, author of "Fresh Start: Healthy Recipes and Tips for Parents of Preschoolers," recommends serving a family meal at the same time each day to help encourage your little one to eat a healthy dinner.
Chicken and Vegetables
Lean chicken is a good source of protein and iron, two minerals important for the growth of your preschooler, comment Hope Ricciotti and Vincent Connelly, authors of "The Healthy Family Cookbook." Preparing chicken breasts without seasonings or spices allows you to tailor the meal to your preschooler's tastes. Offering roasted or grilled cubed chicken with a variety of dipping sauces, such as ketchup, barbecue sauce or melted cheese, may encourage many preschoolers to eat a full serving of meat at dinner time. Ricciotti and Connelly suggest cooking chicken breasts with vegetables to enhance the taste of both ingredients. Choose vegetables that you know your child enjoys to ensure that he eats plenty. You can also try adding a sprinkle of cinnamon to carrots or squash to help entice your preschooler to eat a few bites.
Pasta and Vegetable Sauce
Whole wheat pasta is a good source of fiber for your growing preschooler, notes La Ru. Adding a sauce filled with vegetables will add additional fiber as well as several essential nutrients. Prepare your preschooler's favorite shape of pasta as another way to encourage him to eat. Prepare a sauce using low-sodium tomato sauce and cut up vegetables, such as carrots, zucchini or bell peppers. If your child is unwilling to eat the vegetables if he can see them, try adding pureed or shredded vegetables instead. Top the pasta with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese to boost your child's calcium intake.
Fish and Fruit
Many preschoolers are willing to eat commercially prepared fish sticks, but may turn away from fish prepared in other ways. Ricciotti and Connelly, recommend making fish sticks at home to decrease the fat content and encourage your preschooler to try many different kinds of fish. Start by cutting haddock, cod or pollack fillets into small strips. Coat them in breadcrumbs and seasonings. You can add a sprinkle of cheese to the bread crumbs as well, note Ricciotti and Connelly. Bake the fish sticks until they are golden brown. Fresh fruit can is healthy accompaniment that contains several vitamins and minerals. Chop up one or two of your child's favorite kinds and serve alongside the fish sticks.
References
- "Fresh Start: Healthy Recipes and Tips for Parents of Preschoolers"; Christelle Le Ru; 2008
- "The Healthy Family Cookbook"; Hope Ricciotti and Vincent Connelly; 2004
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