Child's Diet

Serve more fruits and vegetables. Foods that come from plants, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, are the only sources of dietary fiber. Experts recommend aiming for at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. All produce isn't equally rich in fiber, though. Some of the standouts are artichokes, avocados, dried fruits, okra (not exactly a favorite of most kids), baked potatoes with the skin, pears, and carrots. Concentrate on the ones your child likes.
Serve vegetables raw. If you want to boost his enthusiasm about vegetables in general, make it a family project to cultivate a veggie garden. He'll be excited to see the snow peas he grew arrayed on his dinner plate.
Choose whole grain cereals and breads.
Whole grains contain significantly more fiber than do processed grains. They're also good sources of vitamin E, B vitamins including folic acid, and other important nutrients. One of the most quick and healthful breakfasts you can fix for your child is whole grain cereal with reduced-fat milk; read labels to find a brand that delivers at least 5 grams of fiber per serving and isn't loaded with sugar. For even more fiber, vitamins, and minerals, top it off with raisins or sliced strawberries. When shopping for bread, don't rely on appearance: You may think that the more brown the bread looks, the more whole grain it contains. But some brown loaves simply have added food coloring. Furthermore, a stamp reading "wheat bread" doesn't mean whole wheat and even a loaf labeled "whole wheat" may mix in more refined flour than you want.
Pull a pasta switcheroo. Whole grain pastas, available at most natural foods stores, have a lot more fiber than the standard supermarket versions, so it's worth seeing if your child will eat them. When the spaghetti is swimming in his favorite tomato sauce, he may not even notice that you've substituted whole wheat for white. Whole wheat or spelt lasagna noodles are even harder to detect amidst the cheese, veggies, meat, and sauce.
Add beans to the menu. Beans and lentils are terrific sources of fiber (not to mention protein, B vitamins, iron, and other crucial nutrients). Even a quarter cup of kidney beans, for instance, provides a hefty dose of fiber. Dried lentils cook up quickly, but dried beans usually require soaking followed by an hour or so of simmering. If you're too busy for that, just buy canned beans, opting for low-sodium versions when available or else emptying the can into a strainer and rinsing the beans off. Try black bean chili or three-bean salad.
Choose high-fiber snacks. Keep carrot sticks, celery sticks, fresh fruit, dried fruit, and popcorn handy for when your child gets hungry between meals. When he has to have a cookie, offer a fig bar, a raisin biscuit, or an oatmeal cookie.