Moms who cook desi food at home…how do you include iron in you toddler’s diet?othet than cereals…
Re: iron rich foods for toddlers
best I know is apple … you can make apple puree for him.
I’d also suggest if you are giving him sooji then add small chunks of apple in it (add them while cooking sooji they’ll become soft and will also sweeten the sooji)
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and read about fruits / veges and grains nutritional values to find out about things that contains iron and so that you can feed those your child
Re: iron rich foods for toddlers
apples, anar, potatoes, beets are rich in iron
Re: iron rich foods for toddlers
Too much Iron can cause constipation, however, so check with your paed before upping your kids intake.
Re: iron rich foods for toddlers
He takes an apple everyday and I dont think there is any other food with iron in it(in his diet)…I gave him so many types of cereals and porridges since he started taking solids…so he’s not interested in.them anymore…plus he’s taking cows milk…
Do yoy guys have same routine for your kids?
He is very active and energetic Alhumdulillah…
Re: iron rich foods for toddlers
Give him what you are eating at home- roti, salan, meat, veggies. As a toddler, he should be past the baby cereal stage.
Re: iron rich foods for toddlers
OP i was searching on this topic right when you posted this. The doctors hasn’t mention anything about my toddler being low on iron, but my cleaning lady mentioned it :} anyways, my toddler drinks a lot of whole milk and apparently there is a connection in btw milk consumption and iron absorption.
here is what i found on it:
Cow’s milk is low in iron. Drinking a lot of cow’s milk also can put a child at risk of developing iron deficiency. Toddlers who drink a lot of cow’s milk may be less hungry and less likely to eat iron-rich foods. Milk decreases the absorption of iron and can also irritate the lining of the intestine, causing small amounts of bleeding and the gradual loss of iron in the stool.
Iron deficiency can affect growth and may lead to learning and behavioral problems. And it can progress to anemia (a decreased number of red blood cells in the body). Iron is needed to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. Without enough iron and red blood cells, the body’s tissues and organs get less oxygen and don’t function as well.
To help prevent iron deficiency:
•Limit your child’s milk intake to about 16-24 ounces a day.
•Serve more iron-rich foods (meat, poultry, fish, enriched grains, beans, tofu).
•When serving iron-rich meals, include foods that contain vitamin C (tomatoes, broccoli, oranges, and strawberries), which improve the body’s iron absorption.
•Continue serving iron-fortified cereal until your child is 18-24 months of age.
Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned that your child isn’t eating a balanced diet. Many toddlers are checked for iron-deficiency anemia, but never give your child a vitamin or mineral supplement without first discussing it with your doctor.
Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Anyways, may research on that if you toddler is drinking too much cow’s milk (more thn 16-24 ounces.)
Re: iron rich foods for toddlers
Ditto to what scg said.
Re: iron rich foods for toddlers
Rabia…thats funny…I actually read the same article(googled) and then came here to ask other moms about what they give to their children 
Problem is …meats…fish and beans are cooked on high flames in desi cooking so I asked for other options…
Now I can include strawberries broccoli(boiled) and would grill the meat for him…
Sgc…sorry i meant regular wheat n rice cereals/oatmeal etc
Re: iron rich foods for toddlers
High flames are a problem because? 
Re: iron rich foods for toddlers
I feed my son all sorts or Desi and non Desi food. If it is a salan or daal, I give him a spoon and he doesn’t seem to have any issues. He loves eating raw bell pepper, cucumber, carrots and broccoli. He loves daals and beans, I add veggies to them. He loves kaddu, spinach, potatoes. In fruits, he loves apples, graprs, strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, honey dew, pears. Offer your kid everything, you’d be surprised the kind of things they will enjoy.
Re: iron rich foods for toddlers
Thankyou lusi now i can think of some more options…he doesnt eat veggies in raw form but atleast he can eat fruits…
Sgc…when we cook food in cooking oil and masalas etc then the nutrition(of meats n veggies)fades away ofcourse…
We use less masalas but still desi khana isnt nutritious at all…(In my opinion)
Re: iron rich foods for toddlers
Ya know how when you donate blood with the red cross, they give you a list of iron-rich foods to eat beforehand. That list outlines the food and then the actual amount of iron per gram or ounce. Well I was surprised to see that SOOJI has the HIGHEST amount of iron per gram on the list, even more than red meat, apple, spinach, etc.!!! They call it farina/cream of wheat/ semolina but my understanding is that these are all the same. I hope someone can correct me if I’m wrong, but since then I’ve developed a new appreciation for sooji halwa which my toddler loves
Re: iron rich foods for toddlers
Cook with little and don’t kill the food with Desi style bhoonafying. Add light masalad.
Re: iron rich foods for toddlers
Pkgrl…really???i didnt know that sooji has highest iron content…is there any other way to use.sooji in foods?my son.doesnt like to.eat halwas 
Thankyou lusi
Re: iron rich foods for toddlers
Yup: The Health Benefits of Semolina | LIVESTRONG.COM I have used sooji in cookie mixes in place of flour and it turns out great (crispy cookies) and my kiddo eats it fine.
Re: iron rich foods for toddlers
Brilliant!! Thankyou so.much pkgrl