Children don’t understand the need for nutrition in their diet; they usually prefer to eat whatever feels the most delicious to them, which are mainly junk food, processed food, and desserts. Chocolates, fried food, and fast food items are what attract children the most, but you can’t go on feeding them these unhealthy foods forever. 

While children usually have a better metabolism than adults and can process processed food better than we do. However, young children need healthy food and proper nutrition for the betterment of their health in the future. You can indulge them in their favourite desserts and fried foods every now and then, but as the parent or the guardian, you also need to make sure their meals are nutritious and healthy. 

Children between the ages of 2 to 10 are the hardest ones to satisfy; this is the age when they first learn to enjoy and choose food for themselves, and you can be sure they are going to choose the wrong foods for themselves. Here are some meal ideas that your young children might like, but that will also be delicious for them. 

  • Yogurt 

Children might not like the taste of plain yogurt, but you can drizzle honey on their cup and fill it up with their favourite fruits – mangoes, bananas, strawberries, and cherries. You can even add chocolate chips to their yogurt cups because children of this age shouldn’t really bother about weight gain from a little chocolate.

Yogurt is rich in calcium and contains live bacteria, which is great for your children’s digestive system. They are extremely nutritious for children and for adults; however, if you buy the yogurts marked for children, you’d be feeding them a lot of processed sugar. It is better to buy or make plain yogurt at home, and then garnish it with your child’s favourite foods. 

  • Popcorn  

Popcorns are actually healthy snacks and most children love to munch on them! When you are making popcorn for your kids, it is better to give them ones with chocolate, raisins, peanut butter, caramel or unsalted butter, instead of the salted ones. Salted popcorn may be too rich in sodium to be good for your child’s healthy, but they might enjoy caramel, chocolate or cheese-sprinkled popcorn. 

It is important that your child is old enough to eat popcorns before you give them this treat. Popcorns are dry and a choking hazard for very young children.  

  • Assorted Nuts  

Everybody has a favourite nut, and your children might as well. Almonds, cashew, pistachio, hazelnut, peanut (allergy alert!) or mixed – nuts are one of the most nutritious snacks you can give your children. Salted nuts might taste better, but the processed ones that come in packets are also full of sodium, trans-fat and preservatives. It is much better too but the raw ones or the roasted, unsalted ones. 

If your child doesn’t like the taste of raw nuts, you can cover them in melted chocolates or add their favourite dried fruits to the mix. A handful of nuts every day is just what your young children need to fulfil their body’s daily requirement of nutrition. 

  • Banana Pancakes 

Just as delicious as regular pancakes, these are made from a mixture of ripe bananas and whole-wheat flour, and sometimes oatmeal. Drizzle melted chocolate syrup on them or garnish them with fresh berries, nuts or chocolate chips, and your children will love them for breakfast or for a snack. Instead of the empty calories, these pancakes are filled with the goodness and nutrition of bananas and oatmeal, as well as berries and nuts. 

  • Cottage Cheese 

These cheese sticks are soft and chewy, and even your infants can eat them by themselves. They are excellent sources of calcium, selenium and Vitamin B12, which are all nutrients needed for a child’s mental and physical development. 

Many children love the tangy and creamy taste of cottage cheese, and prefer to eat them whole with a garnish of dried and fresh fruits; if your young child doesn’t like this cheese, you can always use it as a spread on their toast or bread. 

  • Smoothies 

Just as fruit smoothies are a great breakfast for adults, they can be nutritious snacks for children. A creamy and naturally sweet smoothie made from all their favourite berries, bananas, and mangoes, as well as a few squares of chocolate or a few teaspoons of honey, is exactly what your kids need for energy and nutrition. 

If you have a picky eater who doesn’t want to spend much time on food, a smoothie is a perfect way to make sure they get all the nutrition they need. Drinking a whole glass won’t take much of their precious time away from them, and as the parent, you can be sure of the smoothie’s nutritious value. 

  • Eggs 

Eggs in any form are great for your child. Boiled, scrambled, poached or fried – you can include at least one egg in their breakfast, lunch, or snack. Eggs, as you must know, are excellent sources of protein, vitamin B12, selenium, minerals, and riboflavin. Try out different recipes with eggs until you can find the one your child likes best, because they need one egg every day, or at least, one every other day.  

  • Energy balls 

If your child loves their desserts, energy balls are something you can make for them. They are sweet enough to fulfil their sugar craving, but at the same time, nutritious. Energy balls are usually made from oats, natural honey, almond butter, flax or chia seeds, chocolate chips, and dried fruits – mixed together, rolled into small balls and hardened in the refrigerator. 

They can be the perfect healthy snacks for your kids when they want something sweet. They may taste and feel like dessert, but they are healthy and nutritious nevertheless. 

  • Fruits and Peanut Butter Dip 

Apples, banana slices, pears, and grapes – these fruits are best served with a peanut butter dip. If your child loves peanut butter as a spread with their toast, they’ll love it with fruits too. 

If you are not too comfortable with serving store-bought peanut butter to your children, you can replace it with home-made almond butter. Almond butter is also creamy and delicious, and you can sweeten the mixture with some natural honey. 

  •   Fruit Popsicles 

Instead of giving your children processed ice-cream and popsicles, you can make some at home yourself, with fresh or frozen fruit slices. Blend your kids’ favourite fruits and berries together, and froze them in a popsicle mould, with popsicle sticks inside. These are the perfect, delicious snacks for summer! 

It’s not always easy making sure your children are getting nutritious snacks and meals because their natural interest always lies with junk food, processed snacks, and fast food. However, healthy and natural food can be delicious as well if you know just what to serve to get your children interested in home-prepared healthy food.