11 Best Iron Rich Foods for Kids

Children tend to be picky eaters and they have ample excuses to say no to healthy and nutritious foods that are a must-include in their diet. If you’ve got a picky eater at home, you’re likely to worry about your child not getting enough nutrition from the food he eats. Your child needs various essential nutrients in his growing years, and iron is one of them. Iron-deficiency is common in kids and it can cause various health problems in kids and affect their overall well-being. That’s why you’ve to make sure that your child gets enough of it through his diet. Do not worry, you’ve got this, and we’ve got you!

Now that you’re here, let’s take you through some iron-rich foods that you can include in your child’s diet. But before we tell you about the iron-rich foods, you must understand why is iron essential and what good does it offer to a child.

Benefits of Iron for Children

The following are the benefits of iron for children:

• Iron is essential in the body to produce haemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that helps the body to carry oxygen to other cells in the body. Iron deficiency leads to anaemia that’s why iron is necessary. It can keep your child’s blood healthy and circulating.
• Sufficient iron intake is linked to proper cognitive development in growing kids. Majority of a child’s cognitive development takes place within the first 6 years of their lives which is why including iron-rich foods in your child’s diet is a must.
• Iron fights against hair loss and brings a glow to the skin, thus keeping it healthy.
• It fastens the healing of wounds and injuries and the oxygen supplied to different muscles and tissues promotes proper growth of different organs in the body.
• Improves appetite, fights against fatigue and keeps children energetic throughout the day.
• Iron aids in developing strong immunity and produces reactive oxygen specimens that combat pathogens.

Amount of Iron Your Child Needs

The amount of iron your child requires will depend on his/her age. The following are the iron requirements for kids in different age brackets-

• Babies between zero to six months- 0.27mg/day
• Babies between seven to twelve months- 11mg/day
• Toddlers ranging between 1 to 3 years old- 7mg/day
• 4-year to 8-year-old kids- 10mg/day

Best Iron-rich Foods for Children

Dietary iron comes in two forms – heme and non-heme. Heme iron is the iron you find in animal meats while non-heme iron comes exclusively from plant-based foods. Lean meats, seafood and eggs/dairy contain both heme and non-heme iron.

The key difference between heme and non-heme iron is their absorption rates in the blood. Heme iron gets absorbed and utilized easily in the blood while non-heme, not so much. Here is a list of iron-rich foods for kids, both heme and non-heme.

Heme Iron-Rich Foods

Heme-rich sources of iron for children are crucial for growing kids. Try to include fortified cereals and seafood to meet the daily requirement for iron intake in kids. Here is a list of iron-rich food sources for kids.

1. Lean Meat

From chicken, lean turkey breast to beef – lean meat and organ meat are rich sources of heme iron for your kids. Remove fatty parts in meats since there is little iron in them. Aim to add liver to their meals and another kid-friendly iron-rich meal choice is spaghetti with meatballs or baked casserole. Pork chops work just as well.

2. Tuna

If your child is not allergic to seafood, then give them a serving of canned light-tuna. Not only is this low in calories and a low-fat option, but it’s also an ideal source of iron for kids and can be served with pureed vegetables and sandwiches.

3. Lamb

Iron content is higher in red meats, and lean lamb portions provide adequate iron content. Lamb chops contain up to 2.1mg of iron per 3-ounce serving, and its portions are excellent sources of essential fatty acids like Omega-3s and CLA. Lamb is also rich in protein and contains vitamin B12 which is essential for cognitive development.

4. Oysters

High in iron and zinc, most types of shellfish are rich in iron, especially clam and oysters. Oysters regulate cholesterol levels in the blood, and a 3-ounce serving of cooked oyster provides up to 5.9 mg of iron in kids.

Non-Heme Iron-Rich Foods

A nutritious meal plan includes both heme and non-heme iron for proper cognitive and organ development. Excess iron can be toxic while too little iron causes iron deficiency and impairs children’s development. This is why a good mix of heme and non-heme sources is crucial in your child’s diet.

Here are some non-heme sources of iron-rich foods for kids.

1. Spinach

Spinach, kale, broccoli and your favourite daily greens are non-heme rich sources of iron for kids. Chop them up into salads and sandwiches or serve them alongside scrambled eggs. You could even make vegetable juices or smoothies with kale and broccoli and serve them to your kids.

2. Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are excellent sources of iron for kids. Ensure you cut them up into smaller chunks so that your children don’t choke or have trouble eating them. You could serve by creating a trail mix of pumpkin seeds, raisins, apricots and prunes or even make pumpkin seed milk for a delicious daytime beverage.

3. Raisins

Kids love to snack quite often, and a good way to meet their daily iron intake is to give them a quarter cup of raisins every day. A quarter cup of raisins not only will help prevent constipation, but they also contain approximately 1 milligram of iron.

4. Potatoes (with skin)

The skin of the potatoes is rich in non-heme iron and also contain a good deal of vitamin C. Be sure to not leave out the skin when making baked potatoes for your little one. Potato skin is known to carry over 5 times as much iron as regular peeled potatoes. It is rich in nutrients, so do not leave it out.

5. Fortified Cereals

Most instant and dry cereals (fortified versions) contain almost 100% of your child’s daily iron requirement. Oatmeal is another good alternative too. Just be sure to check the nutrition info on labels to check for the amount of iron included in these cereals. Also, make sure you shop for low-sugar options and aim for one serving of these a day. If fortified cereals are not readily available where you live, you can always consider other iron-rich, plant-based options.

6. Beans and Lentils

Beans and lentils are your go-to choices for iron if your child especially does not like eating meat. A half-cup of beans contains 4 mg of iron while a half-cup of lentil contains about 3 mg of iron. Excellent iron-rich bean choices include soybeans, lima beans, kidney beans and garbanzo beans (chickpeas). Make bean sandwiches with whole-wheat bread or serve them alongside iron-enriched rice for a complete meal that’s rich in protein, essential amino acids, and iron.

You could even make iron-rich hummus with chickpeas for serving with pita bread as an evening snack.

7.  Mushrooms

Certain types of mushrooms are rich in iron and if your kids love coming back to these, why not keep serving to meet their needs? To give you a figure, one cup of cooked white mushrooms provides up to 15% of the RDI while oyster mushrooms offer iron twice as much as the white ones. It is important to note, however, that Portobello and Shiitake Mushrooms contain very little iron content as per nutritional guidelines.

Other options you could turn to for a mix of heme and non-heme iron are eggs, nutritional yeast, and fortified dairy products which include milk and cheese. Cow’s milk, however, doesn’t provide iron and consuming too much of it leads to an iron deficiency in children.

Tips to Include Iron in Children’s Diet

An iron-rich diet is one which includes both heme and non-heme iron. Here are some tips for creating an iron-rich diet for kids.

1. Add Pulses and Fortified Grains

Make sure to include a few beans and lentils in your child’s daily meal plans or use fortified grains like amaranth and quinoa to help your child meet their daily iron requirement.

2. Use Vitamin-C Rich Foods

From oranges to greens, sweet potatoes, bell peppers and different berries, vitamin-C rich foods help the body better absorb iron-content from other foods. Whenever you’re planning to serve lean meats, be sure to throw in a dash of sweet potatoes or fruit and vegetable smoothies for a nutrient-perfect meal.

3. Ask the Doctor

If you’re thinking of giving iron-supplements to your kids, be sure to consult the doctor before resorting to them. Children’s bodies react differently to supplements due to diets which is why consulting with your paediatrician is vital before you make this decision on your own.

If your child takes in too much iron one day and a little less on the next, then there’s no need to worry. Keep a track of your child’s iron intake on average throughout the week and if he is falling a little short, be sure to add the above foods in his diet. Keep things interesting, make snack time fun and your child will be consuming the right amounts of iron in foods in no time!

Also Read:

Calcium-Rich Foods for Kids
Brain Development Food for Kids
Nutrition for Children