Including vitamins and minerals in your toddler's diet
From first steps to first words, there’s no end to a toddler’s development and growth. They are constantly on the move, exploring, discovering and playing. But with all this activity and development comes a need for higher levels of certain nutrients.
Vitamin D for bones and teeth
Vitamin D is important for healthy bones and teeth. Most of our vitamin D is produced in the skin due to the action of sunlight on it during summer months. So it’s a good idea to ensure your toddler plays outside regularly. However, given the English weather, it’s unlikely that they’ll get the recommended 7μg of vitamin D a day, especially during the winter. You can help by offering foods providing vitamin D, like:
- Oily fish, such as salmon or mackerel
- Eggs
- Fortified margarine
- Fortified breakfast cereals
However, because so few foods contain an adequate amount of vitamin D, the Department of Health recommend that toddlers receive vitamin D supplements.
Zinc for growth
Zinc helps in the creation of new cells and aids healing. It’s an essential nutrient for your toddler’s development, so try to include zinc containing foods in your toddler's daily diet, like:
- Meat
- Milk
- Cheese
- Bread
- Cereals
Vitamin C protects your toddler
Now your toddler is exploring the world around them, they’re bound to pick up the odd scrape or bump, which is why the skin healing properties of vitamin C are so important. It also helps their body to absorb iron and encourages the development of white blood cells, which help to fight infection. Try to include foods that contain vitamin C in your toddler's diet, some of these are:
- Peppers
- Broccoli
- Brussel sprouts
- Sweet potatoes
- Oranges
- Kiwi fruit
Vitamin A is important for vision
Vitamin A is needed by a growing toddler as it's important for healthy eyes, skin and in cell development, including the production of immune cells. Some good sources of vitamin A include:
- Dairy foods e.g. cheese, milk and yogurt
- Eggs
- Oily fish like mackerel
- Fortified margarine