The special diet 2

In my first special diet post, I briefly talked about food our special kids should be eating. Diet is one challenging issues with parents with a special needs child and I keep getting questions on what I should or should not give a child especially kids on the spectrum, ADHD and other learning disabilities or generally picky eaters.

I was also asked about foods that don’t fall under the Casein (protein found in diary products that many people find difficult to tolerate) and gluten free (protein found in wheat, rye, barley and other grains).

I decided to ask some parents who have really researched on these and we came up with lots of Nigerian meals that are healthy rich and delicious in these series. You don’t need to import your food or drinks, besides you don’t know if they have preservatives added to them and are quite expensive.
Please send other recipes too if you have....

The next food post will contain cooked recipes, cereals (very important meal which parents find really challenging), local healthy drinks,snacks,smoothies,local healthy sweeteners and locally made seasonings.
Let us begin…..

Now lets get back to our balanced diet. I shall proceed to list out basic foods under these especially protein and healthy carbohydrate. I would advise watching the carbohydrates especially high caloric ones.

List of healthy Nigerian food that we shall be drawing out recipes from that fall under the 3 classes of food  include
Yam
Sweet potatoes
Irish potatoes
Beans
Soups and stew
Acha/fonio (this helps a lot because it’s a very healthy alternative to eba and since we love to eat lots of eba…)
Millet 
Meat
Fish
Cocoyam
Eggs
Brown rice (local ofada rice or Abakiliki rice) that has not been fully processed. Please limit intake as much as possible and be careful when buying!!!
Plantain

WHAT NOT TO EAT
Sugar and sugar based products
Processed food- white rice, pasta, macaroni, sausages, lots of sealed imported food especially cereals and canned food fall under these.
Milk and cheese 
Junk food- doughnuts, meat pies, puff-puff, chin-chin
Processed seasonings
Fried foods.
Soda and other processed drinks.
The secret of this diet is to, as often as possible, use plant based natural food, not overly cooked. Don't stuff your child with carbs.
 

I shall be having some foodie guests from time to time.

I would also appreciate any recipes you know are generally healthy for children. 

Thanks...

Image courtesy: thefitnessdish.com, nationofchange.org, kumbuja.com, naijatowncrier.com, mayihavethatrecipe.com, wikipedia.com, thepaleodiet.com, woman.thenest.com, coreperformance.com, farafena.com, nigerianfoodtv.com, simplyrecipes.com, africanbites.com, 247frolic.net