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Meat in the diet of children:
five simple meals for every day
Meat plays an important role in the nutrition of children. And if the introduction to fruits and vegetables does not cause great difficulties, then the introduction of meat into the child’s diet requires a special approach and compliance with a lot of subtleties.
Meat alphabet
When to start giving meat to a child? Usually acquaintance with it occurs in 8-9 months. With anemia or an acute lack of B vitamins, meat is introduced into the diet from 7 months, but only with the approval of a doctor.
The most useful meat for children is rabbit and turkey. They are hypoallergenic and optimally balanced in composition. They are followed by chicken, veal, beef, pork, and last of all, lamb. Wild animal meat for children is prepared only after a year. For the first time, the baby is given ½ tsp of mashed meat. If during the day you do not notice any problems with digestion and rashes on the skin, start gradually increasing the portion.
The daily norm of meat for a child in 8-9 months is 30-40 g, by the year it is increased to 50-70 g. The baby will get used to the new product faster if you mix the meat with the already familiar vegetable purees and porridges. Is it possible to give meat to a child every day? At first, pediatricians recommend limiting yourself to 1-2 times a week, because meat is a heavy food. When the body of the crumbs learns to cope with it, it is allowed to feed it with meat dishes more often. And now let’s talk in more detail about what and how to cook a child from meat for the first complementary food.
Turkey on the clouds
The most suitable dish for children is a meat souffle. Double-scroll through the meat grinder 100 g of turkey and mix the minced meat with 20 ml of low-fat milk. You can take breast milk or a special milk mixture. Add here 15-20 g of flour or semolina, egg yolk, and then carefully whisk the mass. At the end, add the beaten egg white and mix again. Lubricate the baking dish with butter, put the souffle in it and bake for 30 minutes at a temperature of 180 °C. Meat souffle is a proven way to teach a child to eat meat, because it turns out very tender, airy and delicious.
Affectionate chicken
If you cook meat for a child in a slow cooker, it will better retain its useful qualities and will be absorbed faster. Lightly brown in the bowl of a slow cooker 500 g of chicken fillet in pieces, add 150 g of chopped onion and 1 medium-sliced carrot. Simmer the mixture with the lid open in the “Baking” mode for 15-20 minutes. Next, spread 500-600 g of potatoes in cubes and 1 zucchini, cut into rings, and lightly salt. Then pour in 2 cups of warm water and, without changing the mode, cook the dish for 60 minutes with the lid closed. Stewed potatoes with meat and vegetables for an older child can be made on the basis of meat broth and add a little spices.
Calf and company
Disputes about the benefits and harms of red meat for children do not subside, because it can provoke allergies and digestive disorders. Therefore, it is better to go to it after the “pink” veal. Pour water in a saucepan 3 finely chopped potatoes about a third and bring to a boil. After 5-7 minutes, add 200 g of veal cubes. Next, at intervals of 2-3 minutes, pour out the carrots in circles, ½ chopped onion. When the vegetables are softened, we flavor them with 1 tbsp. l. tomato paste and bring the stew to readiness. At the end, we salt it a little and put a handful of greens. You can add any other ingredients to the vegetable stew with meat for children. The main thing is that they are to the baby’s taste.
Red Cow
Cooking meat for children in the oven is quite acceptable, especially in combination with a tender pumpkin. Peel 4 tomatoes, chop and simmer in olive oil until they turn into a thick mass. In another pan, fry the chopped onion, add to it 600 g of ground beef and simmer until tender. Combine the minced meat with tomato sauce and dilute it with water to the desired density. At the bottom of the heat-resistant mold, we spread 600 g of pumpkin slices and cover it with meat mass. Put the mold in a preheated 180 °C oven for 45 minutes. Pumpkin with meat for children under one year is better served in this form. For older kids, you can sprinkle the dish with grated cheese.
Rainbow Rabbit
Cook soups with meat for children — this is a proven way to teach them to new products. Meat, in our case 250 g of rabbit, cut into cubes, pour 2 liters of water and cook for 30-40 minutes from the moment of boiling. Meanwhile, fry 2 small beets in vegetable oil in strips for 20 minutes and put it on a plate. Now we make a light roast of carrots and ½ head of onions. When the meat is cooked, add 2 potatoes to it in cubes and cook for 15 minutes. Next, we send the beets, toasted carrots and onions, half a glass of beet juice, a little salt, bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. This recipe for making beetroot soup with meat for a child has every chance to become his most favorite dish.
These and other recipes on our website will help you decide what to cook for your child from meat. And if you want to share your own culinary findings and successful ideas, we will be only too happy. We look forward to your original meat dishes for children.