Not all food products or items can be introduced to kids and toddlers at all ages. In this article, let us find out when you can start giving red meat to your child. Also, find out more about the various aspects of red meat and nutrition facts that you must be aware of before incorporating this new food item in your child’s diet menu.
The right age for introducing red meat
You can start giving red meat to your child between the ages of 1 and 2. However, the portion must be small. Initially, you can give small cut pieces so that there is no risk of choking. By the time your child attains 2 years, you can start with 2 ounces of red meat or any other type of meat daily.
The best way to start giving red meat is to start with lean cuts of beef and lean meat. Also, deli meats can be tried but make sure you make the recipe tasty and ideal for your child’s taste buds, without too much spice, salt, and chilly. Offering it with a sandwich and a light snack can make it sumptuous.
Value of meat consumption for toddlers
It is a well-known fact that consuming lean cut meats is a good source of protein, vitamins, and other essential nutrients that your child requires for optimum growth, not just physical but all-rounded development.
If you fear any episode of choking, you can as well try ground lean beef meat. It has a lot of nutritional value, and you can always find out the lean ground beef nutrition factsbefore administering this new dish to your toddler.
Once your child attains 1 year of age, watch out for iron deficiency, which is a common thing among toddlers. Over time, if left untreated, it can lead to anemia.
Ideally, daily, you must include the following in your child’s meals, 7 milligrams of iron every day. For kids aged between 4 and 5, an iron-rich diet comprising 10 milligrams of iron is a recommendation from experts.
Offering variations help
Regardless of whether you are offering lean cut beef or any other meat or ground beef meat, variations can make your toddler grow interested in the food. It applies not just for meat food items that you are offering but for all other dishes too.
Even if your child refuses in the first instance, do not be disheartened or lose hope. Keep trying and experimenting with the food you offer. Also, make sure that you do not impose or force any dish. The best way to judge whether your child will like it or not is to taste it on your own.
How will you introduce red meat if he is stubborn?
Not all your attempts to make your child eat will succeed. If you are not able to make tour child eat ground lean beef meat or any other meat directly, mix it with his/her favorite food. So, if you are doing this, you the meat must be ground and made into a smooth paste so that your child is not aware that you are offering the meat. However, once he starts liking it, you must tell him that he has started loving red meat.
Experts usually say that a child must know what he is eating. It will be easier for him to identify or get familiar with the food items that you are offering him daily.
