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Spinach recipes for kids. Spinach for a child: mashed potatoes and other children's dishes

The unique composition of this vegetable makes it especially beneficial for the health and development of the child. It has a beneficial effect on the formation of the child's central nervous system, his cardiovascular system, and the work of the gastrointestinal tract. This leafy vegetable also helps children with constipation as it is high in fiber.

Most Russian pediatricians agree that children need to introduce spinach from six months only after the child has tasted other leafy vegetables. But foreign manufacturers of baby food include spinach in dishes with potatoes intended for children from 4 months old.

You need to start the introduction only with a thermally processed vegetable, that is, in the form of mashed potatoes or soup. For the first time, the minimum dose (1 tsp) is sufficient. Although spinach is not an allergic product, individual intolerance is not excluded. In the absence of a response, the daily dose can be gradually increased to 50 g.

Fresh spinach leaves are added to the menu of a child over two years old. It is recommended to add greens to salads in the proportion of 50 g of leaves per 200 g of salad.

Only a freshly prepared dish can be offered to your baby.

Benefit

The usefulness of spinach is related to its composition. Nutrient content (per 100g of product):

  1. Vitamins (mg):
    • A - 0.75;
    • B1 - 0.1;
    • B2 - 0.25;
    • C - 55;
    • E - 2.5;
    • B3 - 1.2;
    • B4 - 18;
    • B5 - 0.3;
    • B6 - 0.1;
    • B9 - 80;
    • K - 483;
    • H - 0.1.
  2. Minerals (mg):
    • Potassium - 774.
    • Calcium - 106.
    • Magnesium - 82.
    • Phosphorus - 83.
    • Sodium - 24.
    • Iron - 3.5.
    • Zinc - 0.53.
    • Selenium - 0.001.
    • Copper - 0.013.
    • Manganese - 9.
    • Iodine - 0.02.
  3. Nutritional value (per 100 g of product):
    • Calories - 23 kcal.
    • Proteins - 2.9 g.
    • Fat - 0.3 g.
    • Carbohydrates - 2 g.
    • Dietary fiber - 1.3 g.
    • Water - 91.6 g.

Thus, spinach in baby food contributes to:

  • normalization of metabolism;
  • prevention of rickets and the formation of strong bones and teeth;
  • strengthening immunity;
  • treating anemia;
  • getting rid of constipation.

Also, spinach contains lutein, which improves immunity, dietary fiber. It is believed that the antioxidants contained in the vegetable prevent the occurrence of cancer. The pluses of spinach include it low calorie content, therefore, overweight does not threaten the child.

In addition, you need to add to this list a tonic effect, a mild diuretic effect, help with stress and mental stress, and support of the thyroid gland.

Can it be harmful and when?

The main disadvantage of spinach is the presence of oxalic acid in it. Because of this, it should not be offered to babies with kidney or urinary tract problems. Also, this leafy vegetable can harm the health of children with liver disease, gastrointestinal ulcers. However, an excess of oxalic acid is observed only in old spinach leaves, and in young ones it is very little.

Important! Oxalic acid can be neutralized by adding milk or cream to the dish. These are the must-have ingredients in all baby spinach dishes.

What is it combined with and how to use it?


Step-by-step recipes for children's meals

Smoothie

Ingredients:

  • young spinach - 1 bunch;
  • banana - 1 pc.;
  • milk - 1.5 tbsp.;
  • honey - 1 tsp;
  • lemon juice - 2 tablespoons

Preparation:

  1. Rinse the spinach well, separate from the old leaves and place in a blender.
  2. Add sliced ​​banana, honey and lemon juice to the spinach.
  3. Grind everything with a blender, then pour in the milk and beat the contents of the blender again.

Serve the smoothie right away. during storage, spinach loses color and beneficial features.

We offer you to watch a video about that. how to make a spinach smoothie for your baby:

Chicken soufflé

Ingredients:

  • spinach - 1 bunch or 1 tablespoon frozen;
  • egg - 1 pc.;
  • milk - 30 ml;
  • boiled chicken meat, chopped in a blenler - 0.5 tbsp.;
  • a pinch of salt;
  • butter to lubricate the mold.

Preparation:

  1. Steam the spinach briefly in a container under the lid.
  2. Finish the yolk, salt and milk to the chicken, beat thoroughly.
  3. Beat the protein separately until foamy and, stirring, add to the mixture.
  4. Then pour everything into a pre-greased form.
  5. Cook soufflé in a double boiler with a lid. Or place the mold in a container filled with water and put it in the oven for 30 minutes at a temperature of 180 ° C).

This delicate soufflé will be appreciated by little gourmets who still do not know how to chew food well.

Other leafy vegetables

In addition to spinach, there are many other leafy vegetables that are great for kids. Beijing and cauliflower, broccoli, leaf salad, watercress, beetroot are very rich in easily digestible iron, calcium and vitamins, especially necessary for the development of the child.

Thus, spinach is one of the richest leafy vegetables in the world. It contains vitamins and minerals in large quantities. But due to the lack of a pronounced taste, children often refuse to eat it. Nevertheless, even a small amount of this product in the daily children's menu will significantly improve the health of the child and have a beneficial effect on his development.

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there is a reason: it contains vitamins and minerals in cosmic quantities. But because of the bland taste, children often refuse to eat it. We have collected which are suitable for children's menu, and the taste of which kids will definitely appreciate.

Omelette with spinach

Ingredients: eggs - 3 pcs, milk - 0.5 stack, spinach - 100 g, butter - 1 tsp, water - 2 tbsp, salt to taste.

Preparation... Rinse the spinach, dry, chop and simmer in butter, adding water. Beat eggs with milk, add salt and pour into a frying pan with spinach. Cook over low heat under closed lid.

CHEESE CHEESE CHEESE WITH SPINACH

Ingredients: spinach - 200 g, grated cheese - 100 g, White cabbage- 3 whole leaves, salt, pepper and spices to taste.

Preparation... Boil spinach until soft, cool, chop and mix with grated cheese. Season with salt, add spices.
Pour boiling water over cabbage leaves and cut off the thick part. Wrap the spinach cheese filling in them, put in a thick-walled saucepan, pour a little milk on the bottom and simmer under a closed lid for 20 minutes.

POTATO BAKING WITH CHICKEN AND SPINACH

Ingredients: potatoes - 600 g, eggs - 3 pcs, spinach - 150 g, chicken fillet - 200 g, carrots - 100 g, butter - 50 g, salt, pepper, spices to taste.

Preparation... Boil potatoes and carrots and mash them in puree. Season with salt, add 2 eggs and mix until smooth.
Grind the chicken into minced meat and mix with finely chopped spinach. Season with salt and pepper, beat in an egg and mix well.
Grease the mold with butter, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and lay out half of the potato mass. Put the minced meat with spinach on top, and cover with the remaining mashed potatoes... Level the surface, put a few slices of butter on top and bake for 40 minutes at 190 degrees.
Photo: depositphotos

Spinach is very popular in many cuisines of the world, it is added to soups, salads, it is also included in industrial baby food, but it is not so widespread in our country.

When the baby's mother finds out that spinach is extremely useful, she immediately has questions: how many vitamins are in it, is it possible for a baby to eat spinach and at what age. This plant is full of everything - vitamins, microelements, and antioxidants - it contains just a lot of useful and necessary substances.

Spinach became known in our country not so long ago, and so far only some mothers include it in the diet of infants. There are many excellent qualities in the composition of the plant, which are preserved even when heat treatment, and when frozen. The composition of spinach makes it truly indispensable for the nutrition of babies.

  • There are a lot of vitamins in this green plant that are necessary for the development of a child - these are A, B2, D, C, B6, K, E, PP.
  • Microelements such as selenium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, zinc, manganese, copper, iodine, iron contribute to the growth and strengthening of the baby's body.
  • Spinach is high in protein, dietary fiber, lutein carotenoid, antioxidants, flavonoids.

A plant, thanks to its rich chemical composition, has a number of indications for the child's body.

  • Strengthens the defenses of the child's body.
  • Treats anemia.
  • Normalizes metabolism.
  • Relieves constipation.
  • Promotes the formation of strong bones and teeth.
  • Prevents the appearance of rickets.
  • Low in calories.
  • Easily absorbed by the child's body.

How old is spinach

Thanks to its unique composition, spinach is an excellent complementary food for babies.

Pediatricians believe that spinach can be given to infants in the form of mashed potatoes, starting from 7-8 months, gradually increasing the amount to 50 grams, but no more than 2 times a week.

During storage, spinach releases harmful nitric acid salts, so babies are given only a freshly prepared dish.

How to properly introduce spinach into baby food

In order not to harm the child, you must follow some rules:

  • You should buy only fresh or frozen spinach, be sure to remove old leaves, which may contain harmful substances.
  • Store spinach only in the refrigerator, and in no case, not when room temperature, since the amount of nutrients when stored improperly decreases sharply.

The shelf life of fresh herbs in the refrigerator is no more than 2 days. For storage up to 3 months, spinach must be frozen.

  • Start complementary foods by serving spinach juice for a week, gradually increasing the amount. At the same time, observe the well-being of the baby. At the first signs of trouble, cancel the juice. Only a week later, if everything is in order and there was no juice allergy, you can try to treat your baby to a spoonful of spinach puree.
  • Spinach for infants must be cooked with the addition of milk, which is a neutralizer of oxalic acid present in greens.
  • Spinach is contraindicated in children with kidney or urinary tract problems.

You can buy industrial-made spinach puree, but it is better to make it yourself at home, especially since this greens, both fresh and frozen, is quite available.

Spinach puree recipe for babies

The cooking time for spinach should be limited to a few minutes, since thermal exposure destroys some of the nutrients.

Ingredients

  • Spinach - 100 grams;
  • Milk - ½ cup;
  • Butter - 1 tsp;
  • Salt to taste.

Making baby spinach puree

  • We wash the spinach, remove the coarse stems, simmer in a saucepan, without adding water, no more than 15 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, grind with a blender.
  • Add milk and butter.
  • Heat slightly, add a little salt.
  • If the puree is too liquid, you can add a little flour to it and heat until thickened (do not boil).

Spinach puree goes well with other vegetables like potatoes or pumpkin.

For babies, meat and vegetable purees and soufflés with spinach are often prepared, added to soups. So to the question of whether it is possible for a baby to eat spinach, the answer is yes.

Spinach is a one- and two-year-old herb up to 50 cm high, reminiscent of sorrel, growing on all continents. It was first cultivated in Persia. "General among the greenery" - so he was called in the Arab world, where the plant was very popular, treatises were dedicated to him. A vegetable was brought to Europe in the 13th century, it was served at the royal court in France, and from the 18th century. Russian monarchs began to use it. Spinach with croutons was a dish of aristocrats, and only at the end of the XIX century. it became accessible to the middle class.

This attitude towards spinach is quite justified - it is one of the ten most useful vegetables. In terms of the amount of vegetable protein, for example, spinach is in second place after green peas.

Spinach is very popular in American and European cuisine, where it is included not only in salads, but also in soups, vegetable and meat dishes, and even smoothies (thick fruit drinks with milk). In Russia, not everyone knows about the beneficial properties of the plant, about the possibility of including it in the child's diet, about the dishes that can be prepared from spinach for children.

Contains 100 g fresh spinach found such nutrients:

  • 2.9 g protein;
  • 3.6 g of carbohydrates;
  • 0.4 g fat;
  • 1.3 g dietary fiber;
  • 0.4 g ash;
  • 91.4 g of water.

The nutritional value of 100 g of a vegetable is 23 kcal. The bulk of carbohydrates are simple sugars; dextrins and starch, only 0.1 g / 100 g of greens. Proteins contain 10 essential and 8 nonessential amino acids.

Spinach includes a generous vitamin reserve:, PP, K, niacin, biotin, most of the vitamins from (B2, B4, B1, B3, B6, B9, B5), beta-carotene.

The set of minerals in the green leaves of the plant is quite wide.

  • sodium;
  • phosphorus;
  • potassium.

The following microelements are found in the vegetable:

  • copper;
  • selenium;
  • manganese.

The vegetable is rich in calcium and iron, but oxalates and phytic acid, which are found in spinach, interfere with their absorption. And oxalates, by the way, are more in it than in other vegetables. Therefore, the body absorbs no more than 5% of the calcium contained in greens. The bioavailability of calcium in spinach is the lowest among all vegetables.

Benefit

Spinach has many health benefits. That is why it is used in many cuisines around the world.

This humble plant combines the maximum of useful properties, which is why spinach takes its rightful place in many cuisines of the world. Already at the beginning of the growing season, bright green leaves appear, ready for consumption.

The most important benefits of spinach:

  1. Phytonutrients with antioxidant properties (ascorbic acid, lutein, vitamin E) help to remove toxic substances and toxins from the body. It improves the condition of the skin and mucous membranes, helps in treatment, promotes wound healing, and prevents the development of malignant diseases. Spinach is included in the diet.
  2. An almost complete set of B vitamins plays an important role in ensuring the functions of the nervous system, activating metabolic processes, and the proper development of vital organs. The vegetable is useful for stressful situations and increased mental stress of schoolchildren.
  3. Spinach can be considered one of the main sources of vitamin B9 (folic acid), which, together with minerals, is important for the synthesis of blood cells, prevention in a child.
  4. In 100 g of vegetable leaves, the iron content (important for the prevention and treatment of anemia) is ¼ daily requirement in him.
  5. In terms of the amount of carotene contained, spinach is second only to. This vitamin is important for normal vision in children. The carotenoid zeaxanthin, which is rarely found in other products, also has a positive effect on vision.
  6. The unique composition of the vegetable helps to strengthen the skeleton, teeth, prevent rickets in children, osteoporosis (increased fragility of bones due to poor mineralization).
  7. Manganese and phosphorus are involved in metabolic processes in the brain, help to increase the intellectual abilities of the child.
  8. Vitamins and minerals in spinach increase the activity of the immune system in children and help them recover faster from infections.
  9. Having a positive effect on digestion and a mild laxative effect, spinach helps to get rid of, creates favorable conditions for development good bowel... By stimulating the secretion of the salivary glands, pancreas, spinach is easily digested.
  10. Due to its low calorie content healthy vegetable can be used by children with.
  11. Vitamin PP and ascorbic acid strengthen the vascular wall, prevent increased bleeding.

Possible harm and contraindications

For the safety of eating spinach, the quality and freshness of the product are important, since when it is stored for more than 2 days, toxic substances accumulate in the leaves.

A freshly prepared dish is most useful; it is not recommended to use it after reheating.

Spinach contains oxalic acid, which, when combined with calcium, creates oxalates, compounds that can form kidney stones that prevent urine from flowing out. Therefore, spinach is contraindicated in children with diseases of the urinary system.

The use of spinach is also contraindicated for the following diseases:

  • violation of the water-salt balance in the body;
  • rheumatism;
  • liver disease.

Due to its high protein content, spinach can cause an allergic reaction. Among its manifestations in the foreground are abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, loose stools; there may be skin rashes.

Therefore, without consulting an allergist, spinach should not be introduced into the diet of a child whose close relatives have this vegetable.

How to choose and store

It is very important to choose a quality plant. The spinach leaves should be bright green, fresh, not lethargic, free from damage or signs of rotting. You should not buy yellowed and faded leaves with spots.

The best choice would be young leaves up to 5 cm long, since they contain less oxalic acid.

If the spinach grows in its own garden, then the leaves should be picked in the afternoon. This is due to the fact that the content of vitamin C in the leaves changes during the day: if in the morning it is 85 mg, then at noon it is 110 mg / 100 g.

We recommend storing spinach in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator by placing it in a plastic bag or damp cloth. Spinach should not be placed next to apples or bananas, as this will accelerate the onset of rotting greens. The shelf life of spinach in the refrigerator should not exceed 2 days.

For long-term storage, the leaves can be frozen. To do this, you should:

  • rinse the herbs thoroughly with running water;
  • dry on a paper towel;
  • divided into portions (for one use);
  • place them in plastic bags in the freezer.

This way you can store spinach for up to 3 months, but without re-freezing.

When and how to introduce a baby into the diet


At 8 months, the baby can be offered puree from thermally processed spinach.

The opinions of foreign and Russian experts on the age for the introduction of spinach into the baby's diet differ:

  • Foreign manufacturers produce different options dishes for children containing spinach, recommending their use from 4-6 months. The German company Humana produces "Potatoes and Spinach", HiPP produces "Spinach with Potatoes in Cream", offering them for babies after 4 months.
  • Russian experts believe that giving these greens to children is better after 8 months, when the child has already consumed other leafy vegetables. Moreover, the introduction should begin with thermally processed spinach, that is, in the composition vegetable purees or soup.

You can use ready-made food for children of the American company Gerber "Rabbit stew with spinach" or the company from Slovenia Organicstar, which produces "Spinach, rice". These ready-made meals are recommended for babies after 8 months.

For the first sample, 1 tsp is enough. finished product. After that, the mother must follow the baby's reaction to the new vegetable. In the absence of adverse events, manifestations of allergies, the dose is gradually increased to 50 g. It is recommended to give a dish with spinach twice a week, not more often.

But mom can cook for baby healthy meals at home by yourself. For this, and fresh herbs, and frozen:

  • Fresh, without yellowed and faded leaves, greens should be washed (and not soaked) in running water, remove thick stems and dry on a paper towel.
  • Spinach is added at the very end of cooking to reduce the loss of nutrients due to temperature.
  • If frozen greens are used, then they are immediately (without defrosting) added to the prepared dish (soup or stew) at the very end of its preparation. In this case, the loss of vitamins will be only 5%. With preliminary defrosting, the loss of nutrients will be 35%.
  • When using fresh herbs, 2-3 leaf outlets (3-5 g) are enough for the 1st time.

Children can only be given a freshly prepared dish, since during storage, nitric acid salts are formed in the product, which can have a harmful effect on health.

Spinach without heat can be given to babies after 2 years. It is recommended to add greens to salad in the ratio of 50 g of leaves to 200 g of salad.

Children's recipes

Spinach can be combined with meat and vegetables. V ready meal it is added by extinguishing it separately in a little water for 5 minutes. Add to the finished dish rubbed through a strainer.

For babies, mom can cook puree of meat or vegetables with spinach, soufflé, puree soup. Children over 2-3 years old may like colored (green) omelet, cake. Mothers can offer children spinach leaves with different fillings- with pâté from, with cheese or vegetables.

Spinach omelet

Preparation:

  • rinse and dry 50 g of leaves on a paper towel;
  • heat a frying pan with 1 tsp. butter and add finely chopped spinach;
  • add water 2 tbsp. l. and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, no more;
  • beat well 2 eggs with 250 ml of milk and a pinch of salt;
  • Pour the resulting mixture into a skillet and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, covered.

Cottage cheese casserole with spinach

Preparation:

  • add flour 2 tbsp to 250 g. l., 2 eggs and mix everything well to get a homogeneous mass;
  • finely chop 200 g of washed and dried spinach leaves;
  • cut into cubes 50 g of hard cheese;
  • mix all the ingredients, salt;
  • grease vegetable oil a baking dish and put the mixture into it;
  • Bake over medium heat for 45 minutes.

Steamed soufflé

The dish may be suitable for toddlers who still do not know how to chew food well. Preparation:

  • steam in a lidded frying pan over minimum heat 1 outlet of fresh herbs, adding a little water (or 1 tablespoon of frozen leaves without adding water);
  • grind with a blender 100-120 g of boiled chicken fillet and add to it the yolk of 2 eggs, a pinch of salt and milk (30 ml);
  • beat the mixture well;
  • Beat the remaining egg white until foam is obtained, add to the meat, mix gently;
  • Grease a baking dish with butter;
  • put the resulting mixture in the form, filling it by 2/3 of the volume;
  • cover the form with oiled paper and place in a double boiler, close it with a lid and leave for half an hour;
  • in the absence of a steamer, you can take a container of water, place a form with a soufflé in it and send it to the oven for 30 minutes at 180 ° C;
  • after cooling, the soufflé is carefully removed from the mold.

Instead of chicken for such a dish, you can use fish, cottage cheese.

Spinach soup

Preparation:

  • rinse with running water 100 g of chicken fillet;
  • put the meat in a saucepan, pour 300 ml of water and boil the broth;
  • rinse and dry 100 g of spinach leaves, boil them for 5 minutes in a saucepan, drain;
  • rub spinach through a strainer;
  • add milk (200 ml), butter (2 tablespoons) to the finished broth;
  • in a small amount of water, dilute 2 tbsp. l. flour and pour the mixture into the broth;
  • re-bring the soup to a boil and thicken;
  • add mashed spinach, salt, after boiling, remove from heat;
  • when serving on a plate, you can add grated hard cheese, parsley and dill, croutons made from bread.

Resume for parents

The unique composition of spinach determines the versatile positive effect of the vegetable on the body. It was no accident that the presence of this vegetable on the table of monarchs and aristocrats was obligatory.

Spinach should be added to baby food already in the first year of life. The minerals and vitamins contained in this greenery will help the organs and systems of the child's body to form and function properly.

On the other hand, spinach should not be treated as a harmless plant. There are contraindications for its use, they must be reckoned with. Only with the correct introduction into the diet and adherence to the rules of cooking, spinach will benefit the health of the child.


Light, tasty and very healthy soup with spinach for children diversifies the child's menu. Take note of the recipe. The soup is prepared quite quickly and easily. The finished soup has a bright, attractive color that will grab the child's attention.

Spinach is great for kids. It contains iron, iodine, calcium, potassium and magnesium. And also a large amount of vitamins, especially A, C, folic acid and vitamin Dz. Eating spinach is good for the cardiovascular, nervous systems and gastrointestinal tract.

In order for a spinach dish to benefit a child, the following rules must be followed:

  • When preparing meals for children, choose young spinach leaves, which contain the minimum amount of oxalic acid.
  • Remember that spinach dishes can only be given to children fresh, as long-term storage in spinach forms salts that are harmful to the body.
  • You can store spinach dishes only for a day, in the refrigerator.

Ingredients for 2 servings:
spinach - 70 gr.
carrots - 0.5 pcs.
onions -0.5 pcs.
potatoes - 1 pc.
water or meat broth- 400 ml.
salt - 0.25 tsp
chicken egg - 1 pc.
sour cream - 2 tablespoons

Spinach soup for children, recipe:

Rinse spinach leaves thoroughly with running water and dry. Chop spinach finely.

Wash the carrots, peel and grate.

Remove the husk from onions and chop finely.

Wash the potatoes, peel them with a peeler and cut them coarsely, for example into quarters.

Bring water or broth to a boil and season with salt.

Put potato quarters, grated carrots and finely chopped onions in salted broth. Cook the soup until the potatoes are cooked, covered over medium heat for 12-15 minutes.

06

While the soup is cooking, prepare the egg for dressing the dish. Wash the egg, put in a saucepan with cold salted water. After boiling, cook the egg over low heat for 8-10 minutes. Pour the boiled egg immediately cold water so that it can be easily peeled off the shell. After the egg has cooled, remove the shell from it. Grate the peeled egg on a fine grater.

When the potatoes are boiled in the soup, remove them into a bowl and mash with a fork. Send the mashed potatoes back to the soup.

Then put chopped spinach into the soup. Stir and cook, covered for 5 minutes.