Every new day for a child should be a holiday. From morning to evening, parents do everything to make their baby happy and cheerful. However, it is the first half of the day that sets the tone, and breakfast for children is a key moment for proper development.
For various reasons, not all parents know about the features of baby food. Therefore, the morning turns from a joyful time of the day into a difficult and hectic period. To prevent this from happening, you should carefully begin organizing the baby’s morning life.
Granola
We will need:
- Oatmeal - 2 cups
- Walnuts - 100 g
- Raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries - 50 g each
- Sunflower seeds – 100 g
- Honey - 3 tbsp. l.
- Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. l.
- Cinnamon - 1 tsp.
How to cook:
Preheat oven to 120°C. Mix all the dry ingredients in a deep bowl, add honey, vegetable oil and mix thoroughly so that the flakes are evenly coated in the liquid ingredients.
Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread granola evenly. Bake it in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring every five minutes.
Remove the dish from the oven, let it cool and place it in an airtight container for storage. Serve the granola with milk, Greek or fruit yogurt and let sit for 2-3 minutes.
Diet
At the age of 2, a child’s meals become four meals a day and consist of breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner. Pediatricians say that children should eat 4-5 times a day. It should be remembered that frequent feedings will lead to poor appetite, and less frequent feedings will affect the digestive system and, accordingly, the well-being of your child.
Breaks between meals should not exceed 3-4 hours. By the age of two, the baby develops his own food preferences, and his favorite and least favorite dishes appear. New products and methods of processing them are gradually being introduced into its menu. At 2 years old, a toddler's usual routine changes slightly. There is a desire for independence, which parents should only support and not suppress.
The value of food as fuel for the body is measured in heat units called calories. Every day a child receives an average of 1400-1500 kcal. By caloric content, meals are distributed as follows: 25% of calories for breakfast, 30% of calories for lunch, 15% for afternoon snack and the remaining 30% for dinner. The most important thing is to ensure a sufficient supply of essential minerals, macro- and microelements, and vitamins.
Quiche with sausage
We will need:
- Egg - 1 pc.
- Milk - 1.5 tbsp. l.
- Butter - 1 tbsp. l.
- Salt - a pinch
- Black pepper - a pinch
- Cherry tomatoes - 4 pcs.
- A piece of bread
- Grated cheese - 1 tbsp. l.
- Greens (onion, dill, parsley)
How to cook:
Beat the egg with milk, melted butter, salt and pepper. Cut the tomatoes in half, cut the bread into small cubes, and finely chop the greens.
Add all ingredients to the egg mixture and stir until evenly distributed and coated. Pour the mixture into a glass mug and microwave for 1 minute at maximum power.
Portrait of meat
But dads competently declare that the best breakfast for children is a sandwich. The main thing is to cook it correctly. Grind the onion and a slice of bread in a blender. Then add 250 g of minced veal and turkey, yolk, a pinch of marjoram and beat again. From the resulting mass we make cutlets and fry them in oil. Cover the hamburger bun with a lettuce leaf and place our patty on top. Proper serving will help awaken your child’s appetite. You can make ears for a sandwich from pieces of ham, and eyes from cucumbers and olives. Even the most irreconcilable whims will approve of this breakfast recipe for children.
Mini pizza
We will need:
- Puff pastry - 1 sheet
- Tomato sauce - 5 tbsp. l.
- Mozzarella – 8 pieces
- Olives (large) - 2 pcs.
How to cook:
Preheat oven to 200°C. Roll out the puff pastry sheet and cut into 8 pieces. Cover the baking sheet with parchment and place the dough on it. Bake for 6-7 minutes.
Remove the dough from the oven. Lubricate each piece on top with 2 tsp. sauce. Cut the olives into rings. Cut each piece of mozzarella into strips 1 cm wide. Wrap the pieces of dough with strips of mozzarella and place a few slices of olives on top. Place in the oven for another 2 minutes.
Berry oatmeal with egg
We will need:
- Oatmeal – 30 g
- Milk – 100 ml
- Egg - 1 pc.
- Banana - 0.5 pcs.
- Raspberries - 5 pcs.
- Strawberries - 3 pcs.
- Cinnamon - for sprinkling
- Chocolate topping
How to cook:
Pour the oatmeal into a microwave-safe dish, beat in the egg, and pour in the milk. Add berries and banana, cut into rings. Mix all ingredients and microwave at maximum power for 1 minute. Add cinnamon and topping to the porridge.
Holiday menu
What menu should I choose for my child's birthday? Of course, you want your 2-year-old child to have a bright, interesting, and memorable holiday. Parents themselves carefully think through and organize everything so that it is interesting and tasty, especially for children. Mothers face a difficult task. We need to prepare food that is both tasty and healthy. Dishes should be served in a special way to attract children's attention.
Products such as smoked meats, pickles, fresh fruits that cause an allergic reaction in two-year-olds, mayonnaise, chocolate, fish with bones, and cake with rich cream should be excluded from the children's birthday menu.
Popular dishes on the holiday table
- Today, sandwiches in the form of canapés are very popular. To attract the attention of toddlers, they are made in the form of boats, stars, and bugs. Cooking recipes are different, mainly prepared from bread, boiled or baked meat, cheese and vegetables. You can use your imagination and prepare canapés from your child’s favorite products.
- Particular attention is paid to healthy salads in the children's holiday menu. They can be laid out on plates in the shape of a flower or an animal; this serving attracts the attention of children. The salad should be hearty and light. Children eat fruit and vegetable salads with great pleasure.
- As for the main courses, you can prepare a side dish and a meat dish in addition to it. It is advisable to prepare the latter from minced meat. It will turn out, firstly, tender and soft, and secondly, kids will be able to chew it easily. These can be: chicken zrazy, meatballs, cutlets.
- Juices and milkshakes with the addition of berries and fruits are good drinks.
- As for the birthday cake, children can be served “Carrot Cake”, “Bird’s Milk”, “Sponge Cake” or any other without fatty cream.
A two-year-old toddler needs a healthy diet. His food should be fresh and of high quality, balanced with nutrients. This type of food does not require special culinary techniques or gourmet delights. Parents should establish clear rules for creating a children's menu at 2 years old and try to adhere to the daily routine. You need to encourage your baby to eat a variety of foods that contribute to his harmonious development. As for the child’s taste whims, they can be corrected in time by resorting to small pedagogical tricks.
Oatmeal fruit smoothie
We will need:
- Natural yogurt without additives – 150 ml
- Oatmeal - 2 tbsp. l.
- Honey - 1 tsp.
- Berries - 100 g
- Cinnamon - a pinch
How to cook:
Fry oatmeal in a dry frying pan until golden brown. Mix honey and berries with yogurt to form an airy foam. Pour the yoghurt mixture into the cognac pot, sprinkle with oatmeal and cinnamon.
How to better create a menu
It is recommended to prepare food for a 2-year-old child only for one meal, since when the food is heated, its components lose their beneficial properties. The menu of a one-year-old child differs significantly from the diet of a two-year-old baby. As for the weekly menu for two-year-old children, it must be compiled taking into account all the needs of your little one’s body. What does it include:
- In the morning, the main dish is given in the amount of 200 g, bread with butter or cheese. The drink should be 100-150 ml.
- For lunch - a first course, for example, soup in a volume of 150 ml. For the second - a meat or fish dish - about 50-80 g and a side dish - about 100 g, compote or juice - 100 ml.
- The afternoon snack consists of 150 ml of kefir, 40 g of cookies or pastries, fruits and berries.
- Dinner in the amount of main dish 200 g and drink 150 ml.
Dr. Komarovsky argues that feeding a child with high-quality and varied food is a prerequisite for the moral well-being of parents.
General recommendations
A tasty and healthy menu, enriched with vitamins and minerals, will contribute to the healthy growth and development of the growing baby. A 2-year-old child is already familiar with many products from the adult table, and his tastes grow with him.
New gastronomic discoveries give the baby the opportunity to explore the world around him. In order for these acquaintances with adult cuisine to be successful, mothers should adhere to some rules for creating a diet for their children:
- Introducing your baby to a new product should begin in the first half of the day in order to monitor the body’s reaction to it and avoid adverse consequences in the event of allergic and other manifestations.
- Portions offered to a child aged 2 years should not be large - a new dish always starts with a couple of teaspoons.
- Feeding is a special ritual for both: mother and baby. Therefore, preparations for the meal and the process itself should be pleasant and useful at the same time. Diet for 2-year-old children is an important rule for developing healthy habits.
- Snacks may be present on children's menus, but they should not be frequent, but used in rare situations when nutritious food is not available. But even you need to have a snack in a calm environment (not “on the go”) for favorable digestion and the safety of the child.
- The diet of two-year-old children must include meat, fish, cottage cheese (heat-treated), fermented milk products, cereals, and always fruits and vegetables (daily). Adequate feeding will be the key to good immunity during the period when a child gets acquainted with kindergarten. You should be careful with baked goods, sweets, and store-bought sweets with a long list of ingredients and various chemical additives.
- At the age of 2, a child should be taught table manners. Most of this process will fall on the shoulders of the kindergarten teacher, however, as you know, all the habits of a child come from his family, so we instill the rules of etiquette by our example!
- For the little ones who don’t want to eat, you can come up with different stories about products and dishes. Let the process of eating an “unloved” dish become full of adventure for your baby. Let him come up with interesting names for foods - this will stimulate a new interest in food.
- Options for serving dishes from the menu can be standard, without any frills, but such meals quickly get boring for little gourmets. The solution to such issues will be an interesting design of the dish, let it be funny faces or magical animals - this is the ideal way to get your baby to eat raw vegetables.
- A two-year-old baby is already quite an adult, and he can safely be seated at the common table. Do not forget that a small child takes an example from an adult brother or sister, from his parents - let your meal together be constant. Then the responsibility of mothers to feed the baby with their own hands will soon disappear.
By following these simple recommendations, you will instill in your child the necessary skills for independent feeding. This will make life easier for both mothers and, in the future, his kindergarten teachers. And besides, it’s such a blessing to see your child’s healthy appetite, which will undoubtedly be the foundation for strong immunity in the future.
Cheesecakes with banana
We will need:
- Cottage cheese – 250 g
- Egg - 1 pc.
- Flour - 1 tbsp. l.
- Sugar - 2 tbsp. l.
- Salt - a pinch
- Banana - 1 pc.
- Orange - 1 pc.
How to cook:
Cut the banana into rings 1 cm thick. Mix flour, cottage cheese, sugar and egg until smooth and thick. If the dough turns out watery, add flour.
Roll balls 3 cm in diameter and make cakes out of them. Place a banana slice in the middle of each. Roll another similar flatbread ball and cover it with the previous banana preparation. Using a glass, cut the cheesecake to make an even circle. Fry for 1.5 minutes on each side. Serve with an orange slice or honey.
Needs of a 2 year old child
Mothers all over the world have to think every day about what to feed their children. Food should be steamed, baked or boiled. The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the baby’s diet should be 1:1:4.
Proteins are the main building material for the growth of the body, so dairy products, meat, fish and eggs should be included in the diet of a 2-year-old child. Carbohydrates are needed as a source of energy for children. These are mainly cereals, fruits, sugar, flour products and vegetables. Fats act as a guarantor of the energy needs of a growing body.
The menu for a child should not include such products as:
- mayonnaise and ketchup;
- chocolate;
- smoked meats and sausages;
- pickled products;
- carbonated drinks;
- mushrooms;
- margarine.
Allergies are common in the modern world. If a 2-year-old toddler has allergies, then his diet is adjusted and all food that can cause illness is excluded. With such increased sensitivity to certain foods, a hypoallergenic diet for children is proposed. The menu of a child with allergies consists of safe products that do not cause a negative reaction in the baby. For allergy sufferers, only the right diet will eliminate the risk of contact with potentially dangerous products.
As for liquids for a 2-year-old child, about 100 ml of water is required for every kilogram of weight. per day. The amount of water includes any liquids that the child drinks: soups, compotes, milk, kefir, tea and others. Of course, in hot weather the volume of fluid increases.
Curd mousse
We will need:
- Cottage cheese - 100 g
- Yogurt - 2 tbsp. l.
- Banana - 1 pc.
- Kiwi - 1 pc.
- Muesli - 2 tbsp. l.
- Lemon juice - 1 tbsp. l.
How to cook:
Cut the banana into pieces, place in a blender bowl, add cottage cheese and yogurt. Mix until smooth. Peel the kiwi and puree in a blender in a separate container. Add lemon juice. Place curd mousse in a glass, muesli on top and pour kiwi.
Chocolate exercise for the brain
Breakfast options for children that include chocolate are particularly popular. Making them useful won’t be a big deal. Peel 2-3 ripe bananas and cut them into several pieces. Break 100 g of milk and white chocolate into pieces. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan, pour 700–800 ml of milk over them, and slowly bring to a boil until all the chocolate has dissolved. Then pour the mixture into a blender and beat until smooth. Pour the smoothie into a glass, garnish with cinnamon and grated chocolate.
Our modest collection of recipes is not all that can please your precious children in the morning. You can also share with us ideas about what to cook for breakfast for children and your favorite dishes.
Cheesecake in the microwave
We will need:
- Cream cheese - 60 g
- Sour cream - 2 tbsp. l.
- Egg - 1 pc.
- Lemon juice - 0.5 tsp.
- Vanillin - on the tip of a knife
- Sugar - 0.5 tsp.
- Berries (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries) - several pieces each
- Berry topping
How to cook:
Mix all ingredients in a glass bowl and microwave for 30 seconds at maximum power. Remove, stir and cook for another 30 seconds. Stir again and bake for another 30 seconds. Serve sprinkled with berries and topping.
Lazy dumplings
We will need:
- Cottage cheese – 170 g
- Egg - 1 pc.
- Sugar - 1 tbsp. l.
- Flour - 150 g
- Berry topping
How to cook:
Mash the cottage cheese in a bowl, beat in the egg. Add the sifted flour and knead into a thick, homogeneous dough. Form it into a sausage 2–3 cm wide and cut into pieces 1 cm wide.
Add salt and boil the water. Place the cheese balls in boiling water. Cook for 2-3 minutes until they float to the surface. Remove the balls from the water using a slotted spoon. Serve with berry topping.
Waking up the baby
What a child sees first when he opens his eyes after sleep completely determines his mood. Ideally, the morning should begin slowly, calmly and without tension:
- carefully turn up the light in the bedroom; there is no need to suddenly pull back the curtains in the hope that the baby will wake up faster;
- also increase the volume of your voice, refuse the army version of lifting;
- quietly play your baby’s favorite songs, if you like this way of waking up;
- when you notice that the baby begins to wake up, help him - give him a light massage, stretch his hands, feet, stroke his tummy;
- then each parent has their own routine: someone asks the child about his dreams, others lead or carry him to the bathroom to wash, etc.
After sleep, a child’s body needs time to fully launch all processes. This also applies to digestion. If the first minutes after waking up are quiet and pleasant, then the baby will be prepared for breakfast.
That is why experts categorically prohibit spending the morning hours in a hurry and irritation. A child’s tummy simply does not have time to wake up, and parents are already trying to feed the baby unwanted and sometimes tasteless food.
The way out of this situation is to get up early. If you know that your baby has difficulty waking up, give him more time.
Many parents come up with special morning rituals, so the baby learns to get up cheerfully and calmly.
Parental blunders
Already at the stage of awakening of children, mothers and fathers sometimes make serious mistakes. This is too unexpected a rise, sudden braking of the baby, talking in a loud voice while the baby is sleeping, etc. The listed factors do not contribute to, and sometimes even suppress, the child’s appetite. Even an adult in such an environment will not have time for breakfast, let alone a small organism?
When arranging morning preparations, make sure there is enough time. It should be enough for a full awakening, hygiene procedures, breakfast, on the way to school or kindergarten. This usually takes 2-3 hours.
Another mistake is to try to feed the baby anyway. Here you should forever forget the rule of giving the baby food “to eat.” At a minimum, there will be no benefit from it, and at a maximum, the child’s body will simply reject it, causing illness. It is better to give the baby time to think, let him decide when and what he wants to eat.
Don't rush your child into choosing what to eat for breakfast. This way you will save both yourself and him the nerves.
Apple-oat dessert
We will need:
For the test:
- Butter - 2 tbsp. l.
- Sugar - 2 tbsp. l.
- Oatmeal - 2 tbsp. l.
- Flour - 2 tbsp. l.
- Cinnamon - 1 tsp.
- Nutmeg (ground) - 0.5 tsp.
- Salt - 1 pinch
For filling:
- Apple - 1 tsp.
- Butter - 0.5 tbsp. l.
- Sugar - 2 tbsp. l.
- Starch - 1 tsp.
- Cinnamon - 1 tsp.
- Nutmeg - 0.5 tsp.
How to cook:
Mix all ingredients for the dough in a deep bowl. Peel the apple and cut into 1x1 cm cubes. Place in a glass bowl, add butter and heat in the microwave for 1 minute.
Mix apples with the remaining ingredients for the filling and oatmeal dough. Microwave for 2 minutes.
Bon appetit!
Oatmeal with seasonal fruits
Oatmeal is also perfect for breakfast for a two-year-old child. It is best to take oatmeal, which requires a long cooking time. Such flakes require fewer operations during industrial production. Nothing bad will happen if you sweeten the finished porridge with half a teaspoon of sugar.
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- Pour one hundred grams of oatmeal with milk (about 500 grams) or water.
- Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes (or as long as indicated on the package).
- Meanwhile, cut seasonal fruits (apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, melon) into small cubes.
- Add a piece of butter to the finished porridge. Place the porridge on a plate and add fruit. When serving, you can add natural yogurt or a few drops of 10% fat cream to the porridge.