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Home › Articles › Toddler Nutrition › Keen on Quinoa

Keen on Quinoa

A Healthy Grain for Toddlers That's Making a Comeback

By Donna Smith

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Quinoa Cautions
While most toddlers will enjoy the fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and nutty flavor of quinoa, it's not for every child – or adult. "This plant is a member of the amaranthaceae-chenopodiaceae plant family, [and] quinoa does contain oxalates," says Dr. Donadio. "Even the lower end of the oxalate range puts quinoa on the caution or avoidance list for an oxalate-restricted diet. If a child has short bowel syndrome, doesn't absorb fats well or [has] kidney issues they should not consume oxalate products – nor should adults with the same conditions."

And even though quinoa is not considered a common allergic food and is gluten-free, it's always a good idea to introduce new foods one at a time and with time between so that you can monitor for any allergic reactions, says O'Shea.

"Quinoa really is a great, versatile and nutritious food!" says O'Shea. "It's a great thing to have in your pantry. If you're hesitant to try it, try mixing it with another grain the first couple of times – half rice and half quinoa, or half oatmeal and half quinoa, for example. You'll be loving it in no time!"

Quinoa is a great way to set your children's feet on a path of healthy eating, says Pirello. "Easy to cook and yummy, it's a great way to give them the protein they need to grow without all the saturated fat and other unwanted compounds that come with so much animal protein," she says. "It's a nice option to consider for their long-term health."

3 Tips for Introducing Quinoa to Toddlers

Jackie Keller, founding director of NutriFit in Los Angeles, has appeared on The Biggest Loser and has worked with celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Reese Witherspoon, Uma Thurman, Charlize Theron, Will Ferrell, Owen Wilson and Jake Gyllenhaal. The mother of two offers these three tips on introducing quinoa into your child's diet:

1. Pair it with something your child really likes, like mozzarella cheese and carrots, cubed. Quinoa makes a delightful salad base.
2. Incorporate it into a lasagna, along with the other more traditional ingredients.
3. Make it into a pilaf with nuts and dried fruits. Season with cinnamon and sweeten with a bit of frozen apple juice concentrate.


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Re: by mom of four on 02/20/2009 02:43AM

My family has been eating quinoa for years now. I used to have to go to the health food store for it, but it's so nice to see now that you can find it at almost any grocery store. My kids loves it, even my 3-year-old. Would love to see some more recipes here for using it.

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