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How to Get More Fiber into a Toddler's Diet

Contributor
By Martha Edens
eHow Contributing Writer
(3 Ratings)

It may be easier than you think to get more fiber into your toddler's diet. Many foods your toddler is already eating can be "tweaked" a bit to make them higher in fiber, without changing your toddler's diet so much that they notice a difference.

From Quick Guide: Baby Foods
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions
  1. Step 1

    Offer a high fiber, easy-to-eat cereal as part of your toddler's daily diet. Most toddlers will happily eat O's type cereal that is high in fiber.

  2. Step 2

    Serve the new added-fiber yogurts with meals. Toddlers usually love yogurt. The added-fiber yogurts are just as tasty and creamy as regular yogurt, but with extra benefits.

  3. Step 3

    Make sandwiches with high fiber wheat bread. Try serving your toddler's peanut butter and jelly on high fiber wheat bread. If they refuse to eat it, try the whole grain white breads. This is less fiber than 100 percent wheat, but definitely more fiber than plain white bread.

  4. Step 4

    Make high fiber vegetables like broccoli, sweet potatoes, spinach and cabbage an appealing part of your toddler's diet. Broccoli served with ranch dressing may prove to be virtually painless to your toddler's tastebuds. Sweet potatoes can be served with a little butter and brown sugar for a toddler-pleasing dish, while small amounts of spinach and shredded cabbage can usually be added to a turkey sandwich without a toddler putting up much of a fuss.

  5. Step 5

    Provide high fiber fruits such as apples, pears and prunes. Fruits are a painless way to add fiber to your toddler's diet.

  6. Step 6

    Serve your toddler whole grain pasta and brown rice, instead of their highly refined white counterparts.

Tips & Warnings
  • Don't force your toddler to eat. Offer foods that are healthy and high in fiber but do not make mealtimes and snack times a power struggle between you and your toddler. Forcing toddler's to eat can cause an unhealthly relationship with food that can last a lifetime.

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