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So that your child can discover the real taste of a tomato or a strawberry, favor seasonal fruits and vegetables from local channels. They are picked when ripe, unlike those that have traveled thousands of kilometers.
Quality products and well preserved
To benefit from maximum vitamins, consume them quickly after purchase and learn how to store them properly. No, they do not all put in the fridge, otherwise they will lose their taste qualities! This is the case, for example, with tomatoes which can be kept at room temperature. To optimize conservation, go to the site www.interfel.com.
No time to prepare fresh fruits and vegetables? Frozen foods are a good alternative because they are peeled. And in addition, on the nutritional side, they have nothing to envy their fresh counterparts. Frozen quickly after picking, their vitamins are well preserved. Should we favor those from organic farming? Yes, especially for younger children, because AB fruits and vegetables do not contain GMOs or chemical pesticide residues (or in infinitesimal quantities). However, some pesticides are endocrine disruptors.
On the meat side, it is also better to opt for those stamped AB, favoring the leaner parts. For example, choose pure beef patties with 5% fat.
In video: Meat and fish: how to cook them well for your baby? Chef Céline de Sousa gives us her tips.
For fish, additional precautions are necessary because some may be contaminated by pollutants (methylmercury, PCB, etc.). To limit the risks of exposure, vary the fishing grounds, alternate between wild and farmed fish, and choose species suitable for toddlers. Certain fish, likely to be particularly contaminated (swordfish, shark), should be excluded from their diet.
The right amount of fish: 60 g per week for halibut, sea bream, tuna … For other species, you can offer it twice a week, alternating between lean fish (cod, hake …) and fish fatty (salmon, mackerel, etc.).
Gentle cooking
Once you’ve bought the right products, it’s best to try and cook them properly! To keep the maximum amount of vitamins from fruits and vegetables, prefer gentle cooking with steam or in a pot of water. And let’s use the cooking water (it contains all the vitamins) to dilute soups or purees! At the start of dietary diversification, it is important to cook the vegetables sufficiently to “predigest” the fibers and reduce the fermentation processes, which cause stomach aches.
As for meat and fish, it is best to grill or steam them, in foil or in court bouillon. For children under 3 years old, the pieces must be well cooked through to avoid the risks of listeriosis or salmonella that cause diarrhea and fever. On the other hand, no frying or breading before 3 years, and to limit thereafter, because of their fat content. Thus, they are given good eating habits from an early age.
A maximum of flavors
Do not rely on your adult taste to prepare your child’s meals: a pinch of salt is enough in the water for the pasta or in the pot of ratatouille. Another golden rule: do not re-show the plate for children under 3 years old. And for the older ones, let them test before resaling. Little tip: to enhance the taste of certain vegetables, let’s bet on spices and aromatics (paprika, cumin, Provence herbs, basil…). It will also awaken his taste buds. And no need to sweeten your compotes. Here again, let’s use our imagination to sweeten certain fruits. Let’s add apple or banana for example, sprinkle them with a pinch of cinnamon …
Finally, for cakes and cookies, it is recommended to reduce the amount of sugar by 30 to 50% compared to conventional recipes. Instead, you can flavor the dough with a little vanilla, almond or hazelnut powder, cocoa … If salt and sugar are to be limited in the dishes of toddlers, no question of reducing them in fat. In appropriate quantities, they are essential for their brain development. So let’s incorporate a teaspoon of vegetable oil (rapeseed, olive, walnut), or crème fraîche, or a knob of butter, in their dishes.