Healthy Drinks for Your Picky Toddler

If your toddler is going through a super picky phase and prefers to drink instead of eat, you have to be careful what to give him. So many supposedly toddler-friendly drinks out there are actually high in sugar content, the regular consumption of which often leads to dental problems and behavior issues.

For this reason, the recommendation is that toddlers only drink milk and water.

Nutritional Value of Milk and Water

Unfortunately, water doesn’t really offer much in the way of nutrients. It is essential to life and allows the body to function, of course, but it typically doesn’t supply the nutrients that people require. You may get some calcium, iron, fluoride, potassium, and sodium from drinking water, depending on its source and if it has been filtered or enhanced, but in itself, it’s a healthy, but not necessarily nutritious beverage.

Milk, on the other hand, is very nutritious, but it still cannot provide all that the body requires even when it’s fortified. Your child needs to branch out, but try reasoning with a stubborn and willful toddler.

The good news is that there are truly healthy drinks that can provide a nourishing treat for children.

Healthy Beverages for Toddlers

There are other options out there, and they’re meant to complement what milk and water already provide. What drinks other than milk and water are also good for toddlers?

1.      Coconut Water

It has a sweet, pleasant taste and is packed with nutrients like calcium and vitamin C. It is often drunk during or after diarrhea to replenish the body’s natural salts and prevent dehydration.

2.      Diluted fruit juice

Even natural 100 percent fruit juice has lots of sugar in it, so it’s recommended that you dilute it with water. Your toddler still gets some of the vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but without the strong sugar content.

3.      Vegetable juice

Little children are usually sensitive to the bitter component found in many vegetables, so to cover up the taste, you might want to mix in some fruit juice. In effect, you get the nutrients from both the vegetable and the fruit.

4.      Milk-based drinks

There are so many toddler-friendly concoctions that you can come up with using your child’s usual milk. They still offer all the usual goodness of milk, plus so much more. Here are some examples.

• Smoothies can be made out of milk or yogurt. Many like to use yogurt because of its live cultures, but you can also use milk with probiotics in case your child prefers milk to yogurt. Blend some fruits in, perhaps even some nuts and seeds for good fats, and you have a power drink for your toddler.

• Chocolate milk or even hot cocoa can be made using your child’s usual milk. If you use dark chocolate, then you get to serve up all the antioxidants it is loaded with and add them up to the nutrients from milk.

• Strawberry milk is another favorite milk variant. Unlike smoothies with blended up whole fruits, strawberry milk has only the juice from the berries mixed in with the milk. This is a tasty pink treat that many toddlers like.

5.      Infused water

Infused water was all the rage in health circles some time back, but the enthusiasm for it has calmed down since. It’s still a good idea even if it’s not as trendy anymore. Putting herbs and fruits in the water makes an engaging picture and creates a fascinating flavor. Your toddler could very well be captivated.

Drinking Nutrients

These are just some of your options for getting essential nutrients into little ones who prefer to drink instead of eat. If they’re fussy about new drinks too, try putting some thought into the presentation. Swirly straws and cute cups often do the trick.

Giving your picky toddler nutritious drinks is just one solution. You should still continue to serve them actual food and persist in cultivating healthy feeding habits.