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T8: persona

Kids
INDEX

Clinical Definition

Kid-friendly meal prep balances nutrition with the reality that children eat with their eyes first and reject unfamiliar textures. Successful strategies include fun shapes, dippable formats, hidden nutrition, and batch-freezing school lunch options that survive a lunchbox until noon.

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This content is for informational purposes only. Consult a healthcare professional before making dietary changes.

Condition Profile

Type persona
Protocols 6+
Rules 5

Nutrition Rules

Calcium

700-1300mg daily depending on age

Critical for bone development during growth spurts

Protein

15-35g daily depending on age and activity

Supports growth, immune function, and sustained classroom energy

Iron

7-15mg daily

Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in children and impacts learning

Added Sugar

Keep under 25g per day

Excess sugar displaces nutrient-dense foods and drives energy crashes at school

Vitamin D

600 IU daily

Supports calcium absorption and immune health, especially for indoor kids

Recommended Protocols

FAQ

Mini muffin-tin frittatas, homemade chicken nuggets, turkey meatballs, quesadilla triangles, and pasta bake portions all freeze beautifully. Flash-freeze on a baking sheet first, then transfer to bags. Most reheat in under 3 minutes.
Use bento boxes with small compartments—kids eat more when food is separated and bite-sized. Include one "sure thing" (crackers, cheese), one protein (rolled deli meat, hard-boiled egg), one fruit, and one "try it" item. Dips (ranch, hummus) dramatically increase vegetable consumption.
Cauliflower in mac and cheese, white beans blended into alfredo sauce, spinach in fruit smoothies, grated carrots in spaghetti sauce, and sweet potato in pancake batter. The key is maintaining the expected color and texture of the original dish.
Kids 3+ can wash produce and tear lettuce. Ages 5+ can measure ingredients and stir. Ages 8+ can use kid-safe knives and assemble wraps. Involving kids in prep dramatically increases their willingness to eat the result—they're invested in "their" creation.
Prep 5 school lunches and 10 snack portions on Sunday. For dinners, batch-cook 2 proteins and 2 starches that can be mixed and matched. Having a freezer stash of 3-4 emergency dinner options (meatballs, nuggets, pasta bake) covers chaotic weeknights.