Does your child only eat pasta? Here's how to make their lunch more varied!

There comes a time in almost every young child's life when they only willingly eat one or two types of food. In such stories, it's never some vegetable that receives the honorable affection, but very often pasta. Many parents despair at this point, although in many cases, there is no serious cause for concern. But let's see why many children prefer pasta and how we can make this period more varied.

What could be behind the love for pasta?

Children's enthusiasm for sweet and high-starch foods is indeed evolutionary: these ingredients are the most suitable for developing organs and the rapidly growing brain. Although many parents choose to limit carbohydrates in their child's diet - one way or another - this is generally not advisable unless for health reasons, at the request of a healthcare professional, and under strict supervision.

How can we make our child's meals more varied?

If our dear little one is almost only willing to eat pasta, then a varied diet may seem like a huge challenge at first. However, we can look at it this way: we have a trump card in our hands, as we know that we can hardly go wrong with pasta!

Instead of trying to ban our child from eating too much pasta (causing frustration in daily meals), it might be a much better idea to try other non-wheat-based alternatives!

Let's start with my big favorite, the red lentil pasta! It's worth knowing that 100 grams of red lentils contain 25g of protein, 11g of fiber, 41mg of calcium, 7.6mg of iron, and 72mg of magnesium. These are all extremely useful components for a developing body, so it's definitely worth replacing the beloved wheat pasta with this alternative at least once a week! Of course, to ensure that as much of the relatively high iron content is absorbed, it's important to offer your child a vegetable or fruit rich in vitamin C alongside it. (Preferably one that they enjoy eating!)

Another excellent option could be buckwheat pasta. Buckwheat is a valuable source of vitamins and antioxidants, as it contains almost every member of the B-vitamin group. Its dietary fiber content is high, and its usage is versatile. Strangely, it's not so much the taste but rather the dark color of the pasta that primarily differs from regular pasta, but it's definitely worth trying to incorporate it into the menu.

The above are just a few examples, and besides them, there are many - often gluten-free - alternatives available: millet pasta is a fiber-rich option, quinoa pasta is full of vitamins, and chickpea pasta is a great opportunity to sneak a bit more legumes into your child's diet.

Naturally, we can experiment not only with the ingredients of the pasta but also with the sauces that go on them, allowing us to create a truly varied menu week after week!

In many cases, vegetables and meats are more enjoyable when nestled among the beloved pasta, so never give up trying and never be afraid to try new things, as this can only make your child's diet more varied, richer, and more balanced.