Need ideas of high fiber foods for young kids

[jlschlangen]

Here is the story...My niece who is tiny, 4 1/2 was had a bad bout of the flu on Christmas Eve and hasn't really recovered since. She recently went to the doctor and the doctor said she needs to be on a high fiber diet w/ no dairy. So I am looking for some high fiber ideas to give to my sister. This needs to happen for 3 months, be on some sort of meds for 3 months.

Thanks.

[sharon]

Dr Sears' Family Nutrition Book is always my go to for this kind of thing. He says these are the best fiber foods:

All Bran cereal
Psyllium husks
Wheat Bran
Flax Meal
Apple with skin
Oat Bran
Prunes
Kidney beans
Lima beans
Navy beans
Lentils
Peas
Whole Wheat spaghetti
Dried apricots
Banana
Blueberries
Grapefruit with membrane (so peel it, don't cut it)
Pear
Whole wheat bread
Dried figs
Chickpeas
Potato with skin
Broccoli
Sweet Potato
Orange with membrane
Spinach
Corn
Barley

[lilmermaid]

Whole wheat pasta is easy to swap in any pasta dishes. Walmart even has their brand Great Value whole wheat pastas to save a little extra money.

Make sure she is also eating 100% whole wheat breads.

[ReneeW]

Edamame -- my kids love it and it tastes nutty, high in fiber since it's a bean
Hummus (made from chickpeas so high in fiber) -- cut up veggies (especially broccoli) to dip in that for a good double whammy of fiber
Kale if she'll eat it -- I saute onions and garlic, add kale (strip off the leaves from the thick stem and tear them into smaller bite-size pieces), let them saute until it's nice and wilted (sometimes I'll add broth or water and put a cover on the pan to help it wilt faster), then sprinkle it with some cumin, pepper, a little chili powder, and add Craisins and walnuts -- very tasty in my opinion! Whether or not a child will eat it is debatable but you never know if you don't try!
Quinoa -- high in fiber and a good source of protein -- I either use it in lieu of rice or pasta, or add it to the rice and pasta dishes I'm already making to increase fiber and protein.

Good luck to your sister!

[sharon]

A lot of these foods can be incorporated into a smoothie too, if they aren't things the child would eat.

[deannemdm]

I love to munch on Triscuits-- each cracker has half a gram of fiber (serving of 6 has 3 grams). Maybe combine that with hummus?

You can also get the fiber powder to add to things (the stuff that is colorless and mixes in anything without color-- Fiber Sure? or benefiber? I think)

[jlschlangen]

OMG thank you so much for these responses. I so appreciate it. I will totally tell her these ideas this week when I see my sis.

[maddox]

Fresh fruits, raw vegetables and meat are good sources to get fiber foods.
You should take apple, pear, orange, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, oat, sweet potato, fish, meat, wheat, and beans to get high fiber foods.