Foods Rich in Iron for Toddlers

One of the key reasons of iron deficiency in toddlers is cow’s milk. Toddlers who drink an excessive amount of cow’s milk and have no proper dietary intake of nutrients and iron-rich foods are more likely to suffer the consequences of iron deficiency. Cow’s milk makes it hard for body to absorb iron and the baby gets anemic. It’s highly recommended to prevent that iron deficiency through dietary iron.

Note: Premature baby or baby with low-birth weight needs more iron as compared to a normal baby.

Dietary iron is available in two forms and both of them are essential for good health of your baby. These include:

• Heme iron (derived from meaty source)

• Non-heme iron (does not come to animal source)

Note: Heme iron is easily absorbed by body while non-heme sources need the boost of vitamin C for absorption.

Ensure that your baby is getting enough vitamin C, along with iron rich foods. The best sources of vitamin C for a toddler are:

• Oranges

• Strawberries

• Green/leafy vegetables

• Potatoes/sweet potatoes

What about Iron Supplements?

Too much iron intake can be harmful. If you are using iron rich foods for toddlers (and they are eating regularly), you don’t need to opt for iron supplements. Even follow-on formula milk should be avoided. Supplements must never be tried without consulting your doctor.

Meat

Meat or poultry is the best source of iron. The iron-rich meat list may include—turkey, dark chicken and beef (particularly liver). How would you convince your toddler to ingest it? Make them spaghetti with meat (beef) and tomato puree (for absorption). Secondly, you can give it to them in the form of a stew. Don’t forget to remove those fats from the meat, as it does not have enough iron in and is bad for toddler’s digestion. For dark turkey or chicken, make your kid sandwiches with iron-fortified bread and turkey/dark chicken slices. Or these can simply be added in soups and 

Eggs

Egg yolks are super enriched with iron. Ensure daily intake in the form of scrambled egg with or without fortified whole wheat bread. If your child doesn’t like it that way, simply beat the raw egg yolk and sugar in his milk (warm), and let him gulp it.

Tofu

One of the best non-heme form of iron, kids love to have these fun-looking small cubes. To add more to its appearance and taste, sprinkle it with ground flax seeds or wheat germ.

Green Vegetables

Green vegetables (spinach, kale, collards and broccoli) are the best natural sources of iron. Kids usually don’t like veggies, so you are supposed to provide them with best recipes. The most recommended way is to chop the green veggies and add them in the scrambled egg. Or you can cook them in the form of salad, with fruits (sweet peppers and strawberries). Enriched with vitamin C, fruits ensure complete absorption of iron. Or simply make them pasta with kale and tomato (for vitamin C).

Dried Fruits

Dried fruits are one of the best iron rich foods for toddlers. It’s something every kid loves to eat. Mothers would not have to put much effort in making them eat dried fruits. Dried fruits like raisins, apricot, dates and prunes, all come with sufficient amount of iron. It can be added to their morning cereals (after slightly mashing or crushing them) or they can also munch on these as an afternoon snack. Using them in baked muffins is yet another great way to feed. Be careful that this can be a choking hazard so provide small pieces and ask them to chew thoroughly. Prefer serving them in a mashed form. Or keep a close watch on them while they are eating.

Fortified Cereals

Dry and instant fortified cereals ensure a balanced amount of iron for the baby. Cereals and oatmeal are best for breakfast. If the baby doesn’t eat daily, giving it a few times in a week would be enough. To ensure the best absorption in the body, put pieces of strawberries or blueberries on the top. This addition of colors would make it appealing for toddler’s eyes and baby would eat it fondly.

Beans

Enriched with minerals and other essential vitamins, beans belong to non-heme source of iron. These include—lentils, kidney beans, soybeans, lima beans, chick peas and pinto beans. Beans can be used in boiled, baked or mashed forms. Toddlers can have them as snacks. Try soup of mashed lentils or you can add beans in vegetarian chili. Since it’s a non-heme source, addition of tomatoes in the soup or chili (whatever you cook) can help in better absorption. This can also be a choking hazard, take care as with dried fruits.

Potato Skin

This might sound weird to some but that’s what we mean. Potato skin is enriched with iron, about 5 times more than the whole potato. The best way is to give your toddlers French fries or baked potatoes without removing the skin. Potatoes have vitamin C as well, so iron would easily be absorbed. You can follow the same procedure with sweet potatoes.

Fortified Whole-Wheat Bread

Fortified whole wheat bread is the easiest way to get iron on daily basis. Make them sandwich with their favorite, Nutella, jelly or peanut butter.

Quinoa

If your toddler doesn’t like meat, try quinoa. Quinoa is iron-rich seed. It can be consumed in a number of ways—cook it like rice, serve it with any rice dish or simply add it to salads and soups.

Seafood

Sea foods like tuna and clam come with a noticeable amount of iron. Try clam sauce and serve it with their favorite pasta. Get tuna in shredded form and get it mixed with pureed vegetables.