The Soup, An Ideal Food For Children

There are many characteristics that transform soup into a very practical and safe food for children, in particular because it is versatile in terms of preparation and ingredients. This healthy food can be a vehicle for providing important nutrients for children. Furthermore, it can be consumed from an early age.

Consuming the soup has many benefits, but everything varies depending on the recipe that is used. A good broth must have the right balance for its nutritional intake to be the ideal one, especially when it comes to the food we give to our children.

As much poultry as fish and beef can be included in the soup, and of course any kind of vegetables, making it a perfect option in case the little ones don’t like vegetables. And since the combinations allowed in a soup are extremely variable, it is very likely that we will find the perfect recipe for our children.

What are the benefits of the soup?

The soup can be eaten in different versions, at different times and in different flavors. And its benefits are also very varied. You can make the soup with the products we have in the refrigerator or buy others that are generally quite cheap. In addition, it can be served as a main course or even as an appetizer.

It is a very useful food to warm up during cold periods and to introduce babies to the long-awaited complementary feeding. We can use a very nutritious broth in case of a cold or to restore the electrolytes lost from the body in case of fever or after physical activity.

Other benefits related to the consumption of soup can be:

• Since they are made in large quantities from water, they are a moisturizing food, which allows for better absorption of nutrients.

• It is a simple dish to prepare, because in general it is a combination of food and boiling water. There are also industrial versions for the microwave, soups or vegetable creams.

• Helps prevent childhood obesity or overweight when the recipe is low in calories.
• As a first course it serves to reduce the amount of food we ingest during the meal. Since they are very nutritious, they can make us reach a sense of satiety more quickly; it is estimated that  the amount of calories consumed is reduced by at least 20% when we add soup to the menu.
• It is ideal for  regulating energy density, because in each serving there is more volume and less calorie content.

• Promotes healthy eating. Once children acquire a dietary habit related to eating soup, they will prefer this type of food and will love each version of it.
• Promotes non-continuous food intake. Eating slowly is something children need to learn from a very young age because it is safer for them. In addition, it promotes the digestive process,  allows you to better appreciate the flavor of foods  and to control the quantities they take.
• The soup allows you to take advantage of the nutrients of the vegetables,  which usually go away in the broth with what is discarded. This implies that children get the nutritional values ​​of a product that is not always their favorite.

How to prepare an ideal soup for children?

As we have already said, making soup is not a very complicated process; however many parents have doubts about which ingredients are suitable for the little ones. Whether you are an expert in the kitchen or not, this recipe can help you to lean towards a particular version.

With a good broth it is not necessary that every product used in the preparation is present in the dish, it is sufficient that it is present in the taste. This is the recipe that we present to you today.

• To start, you have to choose the meat you will use for the broth; bone is highly recommended in the case of beef, but it can also be chicken. When it comes to fish we recommend that you also use the spines and the head.
• Boil the meat you have chosen with sufficient water  and, in the meantime, cut some vegetables, which can be: carrots, pumpkin, potatoes, onions, leeks, coriander and peppers.

• We recommend that you  put half of these ingredients together with the meat and the other half once the soup has already boiled for about forty minutes or if it is too thin.
• Spices and salt can be added to the flavor, and if you are looking for more flavor, try adding a sautéed onion and garlic a few minutes before turning off.
• As it is for children, one option is to whisk all the soup, including some pieces of meat. If you made it with fish, remember to pass the soup through a coffee filter or a cotton napkin to catch thorns and impurities.