Kids Health
Salt does add a nice flavor to foods, however, these are some strong reasons not to add salt to the foods you make for your baby or toddler. Kids health is more important than a salty flavor. Check out this article that shows that most 8-month-old babies are taking in too much sodium.
- A baby’s kidneys can’t metabolize more than .4g or (400 milligrams) of sodium a day. That’s a really small amount and it’s challenging to figure out how much salt was added to the food versus how much was eaten and how much ended up on his or her face.
- For toddlers (ages 1-3), aim to give them 1,000 – 1,500 milligrams of sodium or less.
- For kids ages 3-8, aim to give them less than 1,900 milligrams or less.
- You want your child to learn to love the taste of savory vegetables without the flavor of salt. Otherwise, she may get used to it and later in life will salt her foods. Studies show that over time too much sodium is not healthy or a variety of reasons.
- The taste for salt is acquired and learned over time. You are helping to teach your child lifelong habits and those start so early.
Kids deserve healthy and flavorful foods. Use spices and herbs to add flavor! You can start adding spices as early as 8 months. Use herbs and spices instead of salt.
Learn more bout kids health and how much is too much sodium for kids of all ages.
Check Out These Other Great Resources:
- 20 Super Simple Crock Pot Breakfast Ideas. Easy Recipes Perfect for Feeding a Crowd!
- Six Feeding Tips For Parents with Infants Turning Six Months
- Meet Our Feeding My Kid Experts
Tips on How Not To Drive Yourself Crazy Making Multiple Meals
It’s important to feed your child the same thing the rest of the family is eating. I can’t stress this one enough! You don’t want to become a short-order cook.
Prepare your food as normal, but set aside the portion you will serve your child and not salt that portion. Then you can salt the rest of the dish for the family.
Processed and Pre-Made Meals
Be careful of processed foods, (even toddler pre-made meals) as studies have shown that as much as 75% of foods targeted towards toddlers are high in sodium. It all adds up, so keep track of how many processed snacks you are feeding your young one along with the sodium in her main meals.
There have been a number of studies done on toddler pre-made meals performed by the American Heart Association‘s Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions in New Orleans. Their findings showed that ” products marketed to toddlers were significantly higher in sodium: more than 75% of the toddler meals and snacks had high sodium content.”
If you are purchasing pre-made meals, look for labels that say “no salt added” or “low sodium.”
Restaurants and Processed Foods Are the Biggest Contributors to a Person’s Sodium Intake
An estimated 80% of the sodium Americans consume is added by food manufacturers or restaurants, according to research published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
The CDC reports that Americans now eat 75% of their meals away from home. Those are some incredibly high numbers and that’s a great opportunity to overdo it with sodium intake.
Find out how much sodium is added to the meals you feed your child at your favorite restaurants.
Too much sodium isn’t the only culprit when it comes restaurants and processed foods, another is sugar. Almost 74% of all processed foods have added sugar. Watch this video to learn more.
Kids deserve healthy and flavorful foods. Use spices and herbs to add flavor! You can start adding spices as early as 8 months. Use herbs and spices instead of salt.
It’s important to feed your child the same thing the rest of the family is eating. Prepare your food as normal, but set aside the portion you will serve your child and not salt that portion. Then you can salt the rest of the dish for the family.
Be careful of processed foods, (even toddler pre-made meals) as studies have shown that as much as 75% of foods targeted towards toddlers are high in sodium.
It all adds up, so keep track of how many processed snacks you are feeding your young one along with the sodium in her main meals.
There have been a number of studies done on toddler pre-made meals performed by the American Heart Association‘s Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions in New Orleans. Their findings showed that, ” products marketed to toddlers were significantly higher in sodium: more than 75% of the toddler meals and snacks had high sodium content.”
If you are purchasing pre-made meals, look for labels that say “no salt added” or “low sodium.”
Here Are the Top 10 High Sodium Foods for 2-19 Year-Olds:
Check out the list to find the top 10 high in sodium foods. You might be surprised. Next time you go shopping, make sure you look at the labels.
Start buying brands that have less sodium. Read the nutrition labels to find the best ones and don’t just go off what the front of the package says; it can be misleading. Make sure you bookmark this page, How to Read Nutrition Labels for more info on what to look for when reading nutrition labels.
- Pizza
- Bread and Rolls
- Poultry
- Cold cuts and cured meats
- Sandwiches
- Savory snacks
- Soups
- Cheeses
- Mixed pasta dishes
- Frankfurters and sausages
- Pickles
- Canned beans
Reduce How Much You Eat Out
We all have such busy lives! It can be challenging to make more meals at home. I am a mom of twins and another on the way. I get it! It’s tough. We do try to make it easier for parents. On our website, we have hundreds of recipes to help make mealtime easier on you.
Check out our meal planning guide to help. Eating out regularly just isn’t as healthy as cooking at home.
For your child’s long-term health, try to make more food at home and skip the processed stuff like boxed mac and cheese, chicken nuggets and control of your child’s daily sodium intake.
I know it’s not always easy and life is so incredibly hectic! Do your best and when you need to serve processed foods, pick those with less sodium.
Check out our video on why you should cook with your kids.
Share your thoughts and comments below.
Have you found pre-made meals low in sodium? Share your favorite brands.
