Is Your Child Getting Essential Nutrients?

As parents and caregivers, we want to set our kids up for success. One way to help your child grow healthy and strong is by providing them with essential nutrients to do just that. Ensuring they get all their vitamins and minerals can be challenging, especially if you battle picky eating. Here’s a guide to a few essential nutrients and how Kate Farms Kids Nutrition Shake might be able to help fill the gaps.

What nutrients are essential for children?

Macronutrients and micronutrients support our health in many ways. Macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) give us the energy to support healthy growth. Micronutrients (like vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients) serve various functions in supporting overall health. Getting enough of both macronutrients and micronutrients is essential for the body to do its job.

For immune system support:¹

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps support a healthy immune system and is needed for the growth of tissues in your child’s body. It is an important building block in the formation of cartilage, bones, and teeth, and helps form collagen, an important protein structure.

• Foods with Vitamin C: Citrus, bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, strawberries

• Amount per serving in Kate Farms Kids Nutrition Shake: 15 mg, 15% of the recommended daily value

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and it helps protect the body from damaging free radicals that can harm cells and organs.²

• Foods with Vitamin E: Sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, spinach, turnips, butternut squash, avocado, kiwi

• Amount per serving in Kate Farms Kids Nutrition Shake: 1.9 mg, 15% of the recommended daily value

Selenium

Selenium helps support immune function and a healthy thyroid.³

• Foods with Selenium: Brazil nuts, beans, mushrooms, meats, eggs, seafood, and whole grains

• Amount per serving in Kate Farms Kids Nutrition Shake: 10 mcg, 20% of the recommended daily value

Zinc

Zinc helps support growth and development, immune function, and protein formation.⁴

• Foods with Zinc: Legumes, seeds, whole grains, nuts, dairy, eggs, meat

• Amount per serving in Kate Farms Kids Nutrition Shake: 1.5 mg, 15% of the recommended daily value

For muscle and bone growth:

Protein

Protein helps build and repair muscle and tissue, regulate hormones, and carry oxygen throughout the body.

• Foods with protein: Yellow peas, meat, eggs, fish, legumes, tofu, yogurt, nuts, seeds

• Amount per serving in Kate Farms Kids Nutrition Shake: 8 g of organic yellow pea protein, 13% of the recommended daily value

Calcium

Calcium is a mineral that helps build strong bones and teeth and is important for muscle contractions and nervous system function.⁵

• Foods with Calcium: Calcium-fortified plant milks, dairy milk, cheese, leafy greens

• Amount per serving in Kate Farms Kids Nutrition Shake: 280 mg, 20% of the recommended daily value

Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps our bodies absorb the essential nutrients, calcium and phosphorus.⁶

• Foods with Vitamin D: Mushrooms, seafood like salmon and tuna, fortified dairy

• Amount per serving in Kate Farms Kids Nutrition Shake: 7.5 mcg, 40% of the recommended daily value

Ways to incorporate more nutrients into your kid’s diet.

Whether it’s mealtime or snack time, try to create balanced meals and easy-to-eat snacks. Use your favorite household protein-based foods and quality carbohydrates, such as brown rice, potatoes, quinoa, and chickpea snacks. As a rule of thumb, the more colors from foods (as opposed to sauces) on your plate, the better!

You can easily sneak ingredients that contain key nutrients into their diet by adding greens and fruit to a smoothie, baking with ingredients like carrots, zucchini, and banana, or adding veggies to pasta and soup dishes. Try adding fruit to cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, or on top of toast for breakfast, and include a piece of fruit and some veggies in school lunches. Use colorful fruits and vegetables in fun shapes to encourage your child’s interest in eating. Sometimes it can help when the fruits and vegetables are peeled.

We’re here to help!

We designed Kate Farms Kids Nutrition Shake to help your child get the essential nutrients they may lack. Our shake was made for kids ages 1-13, is USDA Organic, has 8 g of plant-based protein, and is a convenient and tasty option to help kids consume more vitamins and minerals to meet their nutrient needs.

Kids Nutrition Shake comes in vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. It’s delicious to drink by itself or use as a base for a homemade smoothie!