Autumn 2015 - The Pre and Primary School Guide

health Fun with fruits and veggies As your little one grows, continuing good eating habits can be tricky. The toddler years are a time of transition and independence, when they learn to eat table food and experiment with a variety of tastes and textures. Kids are also unbelievably fussy during this time and may reject some of the most nutritious foods. Serving your children homemade fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies is one of the simplest and most delicious ways to fit several servings of healthy food into their diets. Children experience rapid growth and development during the first few years. It is essential that they be fed a healthy and nutritious diet in order to maximize this time. Also, when it comes to eating, be sure to lead by example and also consume some of the same ingredients. Fool-proof recipes Making your own baby and toddler food allows you to know exactly what you’re feeding your little ones. It increases the nutritional value and freshness of foods and eliminates additives and is less costly. Create a versatile and simple meal plan for your child with the ingredients below as well as a tasty smoothie recipe. Baby food puree Ingredient ideas: Bananas, peeled; peaches, peeled; avocado meat; papaya, peeled and seeded; mango; apples, seeded; pears, seeded; sweet potatoes, peeled; squash, peeled and seeded; carrots; green beans; spinach; corn. Directions: Choose one or more items from the list of sample ingredients and prepare accordingly. Place into the blender along with 1/4 cup water, formula or breast milk. Depending on ingredients used, to achieve the desired consistency. Blend for 20-30 seconds. If mixture is too thick, add additional water, formula or breast milk, 1/4 cup at a Continue blending to achieve desired consistency. Serve immediately or freeze excess baby food in ice cube trays. Banana Blueberry Orange Smoothie Ingredients: 3/4 cup water 1 medium orange, peeled, halved 1 small banana, peeled, frozen 1/2 cup frozen unsweetened blueberries Directions: 1. Place all ingredients into the blender 2. Blend for 1 minute or until desired consistency is reached. Article by: Brand Point http://www.brandpointcontent.com pre & primary school guide • autumn 2015 11

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