What Your Child Should Eat To Avoid Hidden Hunger

Hunger may be one of the easiest cues for parents to understand from their child. But there is a form of hunger that is difficult to detect. World over, 2 billion people suffer from a form of hunger that is hidden. Hidden hunger, slowly becoming an epidemic is a type of undernutrition that stems from a lack of essential micronutrients in one's diet. So you might be feeding your child until they are full, but the meal may lack essential micronutrients that over time can lead to serious illnesses. 

​​​​​​How to keep Hidden Hunger away? 

• The best way to prevent hidden hunger is to have a balanced meal that has both macro and micronutrients.
• Ensure your child eats nutrient-rich food
• Understand the different essential nutrients
• Your child must get macronutrients – fats, carbohydrates, proteins along with micronutrients – vitamins, minerals, iron, iodine. 

You may also like: Essential List Of Foods Kids Must Eat To Get Their Vitamins

What are signs of Hidden Hunger? 

• Unexplained tiredness
• Sluggishness
• Lack of interest in physical activity
• Not able to concentrate on a single activity for too long
• Loss of appetite 

Foods rich in micronutrients (or what your child should eat to avoid hidden hunger)

When you make your child's meal ensure you choose from the list above. Make nutrient dense food by including a lot of greens and whole grains in your recipes.  Make sure your child eats at least one fruit a day. Include a lot of colourful fruits and vegetables in your daily cooking. 

You may also like: Myths vs Facts About What You Should be Feeding Your Baby

This post is written in association with Nestle Start Healthy Stay Healthy.