We’ve got a couple of kids with colds at the moment and I’m determined to help the others avoid it, so I made a big batch of veggie broth last night. It’s sitting on the stove and the big kids are just refilling their cups whenever they walk past, sipping it as they go about their day. They know it’s good for them and it tastes amazing, so that helps too.
Probably the first thing most of us think of when we start sniffling or have a sore throat is vitamin C, lemon and honey. And they’re great and important, but what about minerals? They’re vital for health and healing and sometimes our bodies need an extra big dose of them.
Veggie broth is loaded with essential minerals. Things like calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium and iron.
These minerals support so many different functions in our body and if we’re struggling to stay above the wellness line, chances are we’re depleted in some of these.
Our soil and in turn, our food, is so heavily depleted that we really do need to ensure that what we eat is nutrient dense.
Sometimes, this will mean we need to invest in quality supplements but when it comes to our kids, this can be hard. Quality supplements for children are really hard to come by and can be cost prohibitive. This means we need to get creative about our meals.
Some ways that we can help boost our kid’s nutrient intake:
- Cook with homegrown produce as much as possible
- Cook from scratch – particularly when it comes to recipe bases, such as stock/broth
- Add extra veggies whenever possible – ‘hide’ them if you need to
- Switch from high sugar drinks to healthier options
- Buy the berries – I know they’re expensive at the moment, but it’s far better to snack on a punnet of berries than a rice bubble bar
- Have a platter of healthy snacking options available in the fridge or on the table so the kids can reach for them – add things like nuts, dried fruit, cut-up veggies and yoghurt
- Make a batch of broth at the start of the week, bottle and keep it in the fridge to add to gravies, soups and stews over the coming days
