HealthInfo Waitaha Canterbury
Iron-rich meal ideas for children
There are many ideas for meals for children that contain plenty of iron.
Breakfast
- A bowl of iron-fortified cereal with low-fat milk and kiwifruit or berries.
- Scrambled eggs with wholegrain toast and sliced tomato.
- Wholegrain toast with peanut butter and a berry smoothie.
- Wholegrain toast and baked beans or sardines, and an orange or kiwifruit.
Lunch
- A filled wholemeal roll with lean beef, baby spinach leaves, tomato and grated carrot.
- Pita bread filled with lean lamb or hummus, lettuce, tomato and avocado.
- Spinach and broccoli frittata.
- Wholemeal wrap with tuna or red salmon, lettuce and grated carrot.
- Mini meatballs or falafel and pasta.
- Bean and rice salad.
- Baked beans or scrambled eggs on wholegrain toast and an orange.
Dinner
- Meatballs in a tomato-based sauce, with pasta and a green salad.
- Lasagne and salad.
- Fish pie with potato topping and vegetables.
- Spaghetti Bolognese and a salad.
- Steak and kidney pie with potatoes and vegetables.
- Chicken stir-fry with broccoli, red capsicum and noodles, topped with sesame seeds.
- Tofu and vegetable stir-fry with noodles, topped with roasted cashews.
- Lentil dhal, rice and broccoli.
- Mini burgers with falafel and salad.
Follow your meal with a piece of fruit or a fresh fruit salad. This will help your child's body to absorb the iron in their meal.
Snacks
- Cheese and Marmite sandwich and a mandarin.
- Three to four wholegrain crackers with hummus and sliced tomato.
- Chopped vegetables such as capsicum, carrot, celery with hummus, cottage cheese or a yoghurt-based dip.
- A small handful of nuts (for children aged 5 and over) and an orange.
- A peanut butter sandwich and a kiwifruit.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed September 2021.
SourcesImage courtesy of KEKO64 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Review key: HIHEC-62690
