The first 36 months of a life are all about growth and exploration. Our little one grows and grows as they take in everything around them and figure out how to think, react and solve. With many plays and activities like reading, building with blocks, and exploring different environments together we can encourage their cranial development. But just like every development aspect, you can and should support them with nutrition. If activities are one half, nutrition is the other. What are the best foods to encourage cranial development in our little explorers?
The Best Brain-Boosting Foods for Your Toddler
Foods with high antioxidants, choline, omega-3 fatty acids, and complex carbohydrates all have their own part in boosting brain health and development. Of course, a balanced diet won’t suffice for the best developmental outcome but making sure your little genius gets plenty of these key nutrients ensures the road to good health, and is a smart start to a smart life. But before preparing your kiddo a diet, if you have any doubts and concerns about any allergies and intolerances, it is best to consult your paediatrician or dietician.
Antioxidants are good for protecting your toddler’s brain and body from daily wear and tear, and choline is essential for brain, memory and muscle development and function and helps the brain communicate with the rest of the body and regulate mood. Omega-3 fatty acids like ALA, DHA, and EPA come in handy as they are crucial to brain and eye development, and can help stabilise mood. And to fuel the brain, complex carbohydrates take the stage as the main source. When the body absorbs complex carbohydrates, they are broken down into glucose, which the body and brain use as energy. Keep in mind that when we say complex carbs, we do not mean sweets and candy. Those are processed carbs that are low in vitamins, minerals and fibre and can cause blood sugar to spike and fall. The fibre in complex carbs on the other hand slows the body’s absorption of energy and ensures the brain has a steady supply of fuel.
Here is a list of the best foods rich in these nutrients, helping your kid climb the stairs of growth:
- Beef
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Most of the berries like blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry
- Salmon
- Shrimp and scallops
- Seeds like flaxseed and chia seeds
- Walnuts
- Tofu
- Eggs
- Yoghurt
- Whole grains like whole wheat bread, whole grain pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa, buckwheat and barley.
How to Incorporate Brain-Boosting Foods Into Your Kid’s Meals
Especially in toddlers, preparing meals and getting them to like and eat it all can get tricky. While we should not force them to eat as this can permanently damage their relationship with food and eating and may result in needing medical assistance later in life, we have to ensure they get all the nutrients they need for the needs of their growing body and brain. With some fun recipes, we can integrate fun into mealtimes and ensure our children enjoy all the mealtimes.
Purées: Introducing a new texture if they do not like the bounciness and unique texture that changes with each berry might be helpful to get your little one to enjoy them more.
Whole wheat pancakes: Everyone loves a good pancake! Instead of using all-purpose flour, you can opt for whole wheat options to have health and fun at the same time. For an antioxidant bonus, you can make small pancakes with smashed pieces of berries in the batter.
Peanut butter and homemade jam: Peanut butter and jam sandwiches are always splendid for a quick snack. You can use whole grain bread, peanut butter with no added sugar and fresh berries or your homemade sugar-free jam for a healthier snack time.
Yoghurt with berries: Slightly smashing the berries or pureeing them, then adding them into the yoghurt provides a fun bowl of food with unique colours and plenty of nutrients. For a more entertaining presentation, you can pour the purée over the yoghurt and instead of mixing it completely, you can swirl it or make other unique designs that they can recognise.
Salmon: serve small pieces of salmon with dinner, or make a salad with ingredients that they like to have and add small boneless pieces of salmon to it. For snacks and quick meals, you can make sandwiches with whole-grain bread or pita pocket, their favourite ingredients and salmon.
Scrambled eggs: Not every kid might be a big fan of scrambled eggs, we know… To get them to get their daily nutrients and enjoy their meal at the same time, you can add in their preferred ingredients like other vegetables and cheese.
Smoothies: Fun of colours mixed with health benefits! You can toss in yoghurt, fruits, and some milk, and blend to make a fun and easy-to-drink smoothie which your kids will enjoy.
Stir-fries: Stir-frying pieces of your preferred choice of meat with nutrient-packed vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach make up the best meal! For added carbs, you can serve it over buckwheat pasta or noodles.
Trail mixes: If your child does not have any nut allergies, you can make a brain-boosting snack with walnuts, whole-grain cereals, and fresh or dried berries. With this, your child can explore different textures and have fun while getting all the necessary nutrients for their brain.
