Fiber is one of the most important nutrients to add to the diet of our kids and grown-ups, too. And I understand you; incorporating it into your kid’s diet is a tedious job to do.
I, being a mother myself, have been finding fiber content in different kinds of food. Fiber is the crown jewel in our diet 🍱 which can help us to be “regular” if we are facing constipation. And this is for both adults and kids.
Let’s find out what fiber-rich food can be encompassed in our kid’s diet to maintain a healthy 💪🏻 balance.
High Fiber-Rich Foods For Kids
These fiber-rich foods have been listed, keeping in mind that our kids are not a fan of vegetables.
I have tried to include all possible yummy foods that our young ones enjoy eating by themselves without much hustle.
Chickpeas
Chickpeas are more generally referred to by different names in parts of the world, and they contain 8 g of fiber per serving, along with 116 calories. It is among the top fiber-rich meals for children.
I cook the white variety by blending it into hummus to go with pita or cooked with rice or chapati. And roast the black variety to serve as a crunchy snack or boiled to mix with rice or flat bread🍛.
We can also make savory chickpea salad, so with the additional vegetables, the fiber content will also increase. In addition, chickpeas are a great source of protein and provide a wide range of vitamins and minerals that are great for your child.
Legumes
Lentils are one of the highest-fiber legumes. In a single serving, they offer 58 kcal and 7.8 g of fiber. They are further fortified with folic acid, protein, and potassium. It may be prepared to go with chapati or rice.
It is best for improving digestion when I make it into a porridge or khichdi. My kids adore it because it’s slurpy and filling yet light, and they can finish it quickly.
Protip: I soak all lentils for 30-45 mins; it reduces cooking time and helps in releasing harmful chemicals, if any.
Whole Bran Cereals
One of the three edible portions of whole grains that are taken away during milling is wheat bran, which contains 7.4 g of fiber and 190 kcal per serving. They greatly aid digestion and strengthen the heart.
When I have to hurry for work or the grocery store, I can make a quick breakfast. It will help keep your child’s digestion under control and keep them energetic.
Beans
Kidney beans, one of its varieties famously sold and more often referred to by different names. They are among the greatest sources of fiber from the legume family.
In addition to protein, they offer 108 kcal, 5.5 g of fiber, and 108 kcal per serving. Kids like this classic Asian meal.
Apple
A big apple🍎, which is quite nutrient-dense, has 5.4 g of fiber and 116 calories. It is one of the most popular fruits, especially among children. It is the ideal healthy snack since it will help your child’s immunity and regulate their digestion.
Protip: Apple with almond butter is one of the yummilicious snacks for my kids; you can try it too.
Pear
A medium-sized pear has 101 calories and 5.5 g of fiber. Vitamins C and K are also added to it. It is very healthy for children’s digestive systems.
It is very simple as a snack; just chop and add a pinch of seasoning to it. And Wala!!!
Avocado
Technically speaking, this creamy green sphere 🥑 is a fruit. If you give your child a half cup, you have added roughly 6 g of fiber to their diet. Avocados are also a good source of heart-healthy lipids.
Although most kids enjoy the taste, if your child dislikes the texture or flavor of avocado, you may try mixing it into a smoothie for added fiber (it also gives the smoothie a silky texture).
Avocados in Guacamole (of course! ), as part of a creamy dip and as a toast topping, is also a good option.
ProTip: Try to choose a ripened avocado if you are planning to feed it to your kid as it is. I try to do the same as my baby is only 5.
Almonds
Almonds top the list as the nut that packs the most fiber, with 3 1/2 g in a 1-ounce serving. Peanuts🥜 aren’t that far behind at just over 2 1/2 g of fiber per ounce, but for a little extra, I consider swapping your peanut butter for almond butter. Nuts are also a great source of healthy fats for kids.
Protip: I mix almonds with some sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for a fiber and protein boost for my child.
Raspberry
According to the USDA, a cup of raspberries has a tremendous 8 g of fiber. The quantity required to produce raspberry fingers—you know, when my kids cap the tips of each of their fingers with a raspberry is around this.
When compared to other fruits, raspberries have a very high fiber content. If raspberries aren’t in season, you may purchase frozen ones to use in yogurt bowls, smoothies, and muffins. You can even defrost them for smoothies.
Dried Plums
These dried fruits, sometimes referred to as prunes, are nearly associated with maintaining regularity. A serving of 1/4 cup has a pretty substantial 3 g of fiber.
I try to pick individually packed dried plums that resemble “candy” and remain incredibly moist within the packaging for my kid’s appetite and fingers.
Popcorn
This light snack has few calories and is considered a whole grain🍿. A cup only contains 1 g of fiber, yet most people consume closer to 3 cups, or 3 g of fiber! Additionally, single-serve packs make delicious after-school snacks.
Protip: If your kids are below 5, wait till they are older before introducing popcorn since it is a choking hazard for infants and young children.
Mango
King of all fruits 🥭is one of the most readily eaten and loved munchies for kids of all ages. All thanks to its sweet flavor and juiciness. However, mango is not all about its taste but comes with three gms of fiber per cup.
Though kids love mangoes as it is, you can try different recipes using them. To make it more interesting and easy to consume for my toddler, I prepare mango yogurt, mango puree, etc.
If you have older kids, you can try different mango smoothies, mango kulfi, etc.
Pineapples
Pineapples🍍 sounds difficult !!!! Nah, it can be fed to our little monsters easily with little to no effort. Each cup of raw pineapple adds 2.3 grams of fiber to your kid’s diet.
Other than raw pineapples, you can also try different recipes with them, like pineapple puree, pineapple salad, and many other things.
Nuts Powder
Though almonds have the maximum percentage of fiber among all the nuts present there, what’s the harm in including 4-5 types of nuts in our kids’ diet?
My children just adore me if I prepare a quick powder of 4-5 types of nuts and add it to different kinds of drinks they enjoy.
Protip: Make sure you are making a fine powder of all the nuts without any small or large chunks present, or it may result in choking.
Carrots
Carrots🥕 are the first veggie for your baby👶. It is like an apple of vegetables for its high Vitamin A and C content, and it comes with 3 grams of fiber per cup. I generally steam the carrot sticks, which makes it easy for my baby to swallow.
You can also try different recipes like carrot puree, carrot oats meal, carrot muffin, or for older kids, egg carrot pancakes, spiced carrot walnut muffins, and whatnot.
Beetroots
Beetroots, with its attractive, vibrant color, can be easily fed to our kids with a little bit of presentation skills. And we mammas can do this much for a high fiber content of 3.8 grams to add to our kid’s diet.
Beetroots are packed with potassium, iron, and magnesium, which are very necessary for our kid’s part of nutrients. I try different recipes like carrot beetroot soup, chickpea beetroot puree, beetroot potato puree, and beetroot halwa.
Sweet Potato
Although potatoes are common, many of us are unaware that sweet potatoes are just as wonderful, if not better! Each medium sweet potato has 3.8 grams of fiber in addition to vitamins A and C.
Using a sweet potato puree is the simplest way to offer this to infants. These recipes are fun for older children. Sweet potato dishes include sweet potato dosa, fries, and bruschetta.
Green Pea
One of the most adaptable veggies out there, green peas are simple to include in stews, soups, purees, and other dishes. Green peas🫛 are a fantastic source of protein and include 4.4 grams of fiber per half cup of cooked green peas.
I always try to include green peas in different recipes, like buttery Green Pea Mash with Pureed Green Peas and Potatoes. Green peas for older children to enjoy Quinoa Veggies Upma and peas Tofu Bhaji, etc.
Protip: I recommend removing the peas from the pod; there might be sneaky little insects that might harm our babies if accidentally consumed.
Leafy Vegetables
Leafy greens are a nightmare for our kids! But we as mothers will find a way to sneak those into our kid’s plates. After all, a cup of cooked leafy vegetables comes with a royal 5 grams of fiber, especially spinach and turnip greens.
You can give your baby spinach with these recipes- Carrot Palak Puree and Spinach Oat Pancakes.
Older kids will love seeing the beautiful green color in recipes like Creamy Spinach Soup, Spinach Flatbread,🥗 Spinach Fritters(my personal favorite), and Palak Poha Fritters.
Protip: As per me, you can try to blanch the spinach leaves before adding them to any recipe to get rid of the harsh chemicals they may contain.
Broccoli
Although most kids don’t enjoy eating broccoli, there are techniques to make them appreciate it. Furthermore, given that one cup of cooked broccoli includes 5.1 grams of fiber, the effort is worthwhile.
Although broccoli may be fed to infants, do it gradually and in moderate doses, starting with the recipes for broccoli butter puree and broccoli spinach puree. Broccoli mushroom soup🥦 is suitable for older children.
Yogurt
Although yogurt isn’t precisely a high-fiber meal, it gets a spot on our list since probiotics, which are essential for a healthy gut and digestion in general, are found in it.
I make homemade curd, strawberry yogurt, mango yogurt, coriander curd khichdi, and my favorite, turmeric buttermilk, for my infants’ food.
You can choose from Gopalkala Chocolate Yoghurt Parfait, Frozen Yoghurt Bark, Yoghurt Fruit Parfait, Curd Fritters, and Tricolour Fruit Parfait if your child is five years old or older.
Flaxseed
These days, flax seeds can be found in most shops and are quite adaptable because they may be added to anything. Furthermore, 3 grams of fiber are included in one tablespoon of flax seeds.
I crush flax seeds at home for my children to sprinkle on their cooked food or to incorporate into the dough or batter before baking. It may also be included in soups and smoothies.
Protip: Flaxseeds are very good for hair growth, too.
Millets
Because millet was so prevalent in our ancient foods, our grandparents most likely knew a thing or two about fiber! There are a whopping 9 grams of fiber in 100 grams of millet!
Since millet may be fed to infants, I tried a lot of dishes, including Multi Millet Porridge, Beetroot Pearl Millet Porridge, Little Millet Porridge.
These millet-based dishes are great for older children, so you can try Multi-Millet cottage cheese pancake, Barnyard Millet Vegetable Salad, Pearl Millet and Green Gramme Pesarattu, and Millet Sathumavu Laddu.
Pomegranate Seeds
Pomegranate seeds are oh-so-beautiful little things that come in 3 grams of fiber only in half a cup of it. My kids love them because of their sweet and juicy flavor.
For toddlers, you can prepare pomegranate juices, or for children 8+, you can try different recipes as per your time constraint.
Protip: While making pomegranate juice, I always make sure to strain 🥤the liquid to avoid any mishaps.
Corn
Kids love corn, which is possible because it’s frequently connected with holidays and outdoor activities. It is one of those pleasures that truly benefit your health! 1.8 grams of fiber are present in half a cup of cooked corn🌽.
Here are some straightforward corn dishes I want to try: Sweet Corn Fried Rice, Baby Corn Fritters, Sweet Corn Vegetable Soup, Sweet Corn Salad, and Cheese Corn Balls are some of the popular sweet corn dishes.
Whole grain Bread
Bran-free grain, which contains no fiber, is used to make white bread. Whole grain bread, on the other hand, has the bran and roughly 2 grams of fiber per slice. Consequently, two slices of a sandwich🍞 have 4 grams.
Let’s start by creating homemade whole-wheat bread. You may then utilize the bread you created so skillfully for a variety of applications. Cottage cheese Sandwich, Tricolour Bread Sushi Rolls, Crispy Coconut Chutney Sandwich, Hung Curd Sandwich, Tricolour Sandwich, and Simple Bread Rolls.
Whole-grain Pasta
Whole wheat pasta is now more widely accessible, much as whole grain bread. And pasta in wonderful forms changes into a youngster’s favorite. And we mothers find it extremely simple to smuggle in some protein or veggies.
Whole wheat pasta is more satisfying than normal pasta and contains 2 grams of fiber in every half cup of cooked pasta. You may make supper by combining it with other high-fiber vegetables!
Try these pasta recipes for your children, including Minestrone Soup with Pasta, Creamy Vegetable Pasta, Vegetable Pasta Recipe, and more.
Quinoa
Quinoa grains are high in fiber and filled with minerals like folate and iron that are good for your baby’s brain development. I cook quinoa seeds in low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth or water for added flavor.
Quinoa contains just two tablespoons and one gram of fiber. Quinoa is adaptable, so we may prepare it in the morning rush with coconut milk and mango puree or serve it for an evening with cooked kale that has been cut finely and pasteurized feta cheese.
Protip: In my opinion, washing quinoa well is very important to rinse off the harmful chemicals, and as per me, it also retains its bitter taste if not washed well.
Brown Rice
White rice is less filling than brown rice since the outer layer has been removed. A cup of brown rice provides a respectable 3.5 grams of fiber and pairs well with everything else, including chicken and veggies.
When I don’t feel like making an additional effort or occasionally, I make sure to incorporate brown rice because it works with literally everything. Some recipes that worked out nicely include
Okra rice, cottage cheese vegetable fried rice, coriander vegetable fried rice, bell pepper vegetable fried rice, and chunks of soya Brown Rice Flakes for Rice Brown rice cutlets with kheer and poha.
Whole Grain Cereals
One of the simplest breakfast 🥣options for parents or children is cereal. The only thing left to do is to serve with milk, after all! Store-bought cereals, however, are infamous for having little fiber and a lot of sugar.
Homemade cereal, which has roughly 9 grams of fiber in a serving of 1/2 cup, is an easy remedy for this. You must try Granola with Fruit and Nuts, Chocolate, Corn Flakes and Milk, and honey.
Conclusion
We as parents always have to come up with new innovative ideas to fulfill the nutrient target of kids. I hope I have tried to include all the suggestions on high-fiber food.
I have tried some of the listed high-fiber foods as snacks or meals, and my children loved them, yet to feed them the rest.
Do let me know which one your kid enjoyed the most in the comment sections and if you have anything to add to the list.
I’m a former teacher (and mother of Two Childs) with a background in child development. Here to help you with play-based learning activities for kids. ( Check my Next startup Cledemy.Com)