Loving multigrains

CHILDREN are constantly exposed to new food and it can be hard to get them to eat foods that seem bland or unappetising.

Thus, it may be difficult to introduce them to healthier options such as multigrains.

Nestlé’s Ccorporate wellness manager Cher Siew Wei believes this creates an opportunity for parents to get creative in making meals interesting for their children and get them to love healthy, wholesome alternatives.

Here are some ways you can get your little ones to enjoy multigrains:

Bring your children grocery shopping.

Expose them to multigrain foods such as cereal, bread and biscuits, and offer them options. Getting children involved in the selection process lets them share the decision and feel involved.

Play food games to make nutrition more exciting.

For example, get children to categorise food items in the pantry and use the time to educate them on the nutritional value of various foods.

Make a wholesome multigrain porridge.

Instead of plain white rice porridge, use multigrain cereal to make warm porridge. Add milk, dried fruits and nuts to make the meal more deliciously nutritious.

Make a refreshing smoothie.

Blend chilled milk, yoghurt, fresh fruit and multigrain cereal together for a healthy, yummy treat. Use different fruits to make smoothies of various colours as children love exciting and colourful foods. Smoothies can work as a great, quick energy

boost outside meal times.

Spread peanut butter or jam on multigrain crackers.

Children who are used to sugary biscuits may find multigrain crackers bland at first. These crackers can be made tastier with a little peanut butter or jam. You can even make cracker sandwiches as a quick snack for your little ones.

Make multigrain French toast.

Soak multigrain bread in beaten eggs and milk, then grill both sides for a delicious treat. Most young children love eating eggs cooked in any way.

Substitute breadcrumbs with multigrains.

When making your own chicken or fish nuggets, use multigrain cereal to coat them instead of breadcrumbs. Not only is this more nutritious with its high protein content, but multigrain cereal such as Nestum will also provide a crunchy texture and an appetising aroma.

Make hot multigrain beverages.

Adding multigrain cereal to hot beverages boosts their nutritional and fibre content. This is a clever way to make your child’s hot chocolate drink healthier and more delicious.

Add multigrain cereal with mashed potatoes and minced meat to make cutlets.

Make crunchy cutlets.

Look up recipes together.

Make a game out of looking up interesting recipes online and let your children choose what they want to eat. Letting a children have a hand in planning meals assures them that their opinion matters and would likely get them more excited about a healthy multigrain meal.