Eighty percent of our adult brain is formed by the age of three. So just at the time when our toddlers have learnt that saying “NO” causes the big people around them to act in all sorts of funny ways, we need to make sure they somehow get enough brain nutrients into them, particularly iron, zinc and omega-3 fats.

Iron carries oxygen around the body. If a muscle is deprived of oxygen, it dies. If a toddler doesn’t get enough iron the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen. It can’t develop so well – and the damage is irreversible. Zinc and omega-3’s are essential parts of the brain and myelin sheath which is forming around nerves to act as a type of electrical conductor to speed messages to the brain.

To give your child all three nutrients, give them a mix of the following foods each week: fish or seafood, lean red meat, poultry, dried beans, lentils, nuts (ground or chopped to avoid choking), wholegrains and green leafy vegetables.

The key issue with iron is how much is absorbed. Iron absorption from animal foods is about 25% but iron absorption from non-meat foods such as eggs, baked beans, dried fruit, cereals and spinach is less than 5%. Eating meat with these foods increases iron absorption by up to four times. Vitamin C also pulls more iron out of non-meat foods.

So…

Serve a few slices of vitamin C-rich orange or kiwifruit with breakfast cereal.

Add tomatoes to a meal of baked beans or eggs.

Include a small amount of meat, chicken or fish with vegetable meals.

Give toddlers fruit with their meals rather than as a snack in between.

Help my toddler won’t eat meat!