You can make your little one's highchair their happy place with these tips to encourage them to be comfortable and love all kinds of food you offer them. Every kid approaches food differently, and as a parent, you may need to try a few different techniques before they start to develop healthy eating habits. When your little one refuses to eat, they may be trying to tell you that they are ready to move on to new flavours and textures of baby food. So, now is the time to start expanding their horizons and promoting their eating independence. Here are a few tips to encourage your kids to develop healthy, positive relationships with food-
Offer them everything with colours & variety: Give your kids food with different flavours, textures, and health benefits like food items high in iron include iron-fortified cereals, millet mixes, dried beans, peas, and lentils. Eating iron-rich foods helps prevent iron deficiency and supports growth and brain development in them. Serve a fruit or vegetable at every meal and snack, it may not happen every time, but setting this goal means your kids will be guaranteed regular exposure to fruits and vegetables. Your kids will also grow up knowing that we eat veggies at all times of the day, not just at dinner (when many little kids are too fussy and tired to be receptive to new or challenging foods).
To make your kids love food, add variety and colour to the plate by:
This way they will build interest in trying a variety of food items and will get nutrients that are important for growth, development, and learning.
Prioritize a calm table for your little ones: Bring on your family for the mealtime as family meals are about being together and connecting, not counting the number of bites the child takes.
Prioritizing a calm table for your kids is very important because:
Offer your child the same healthy foods that you and the rest of your family enjoy.
Bring on Self-feeding: Self-feeding is a big milestone in the development of your little one, as it encourages them to explore food through their senses of touch, taste, sight, and smell.
Kids go through developmental stages as they learn to feed themselves:
Just when you thought mealtime couldn’t get any messier!
Communicate positive messages early to your little ones: Your little ones are building their language skills now, so take advantage of that by talking about food, you can create a positive environment around food when you lead by example. During mealtime, listen to your hunger cues and talk about them with your kid.
How do you know when you’re hungry or when you’re full? If you’re always going for seconds before you’ve finished your vegetables, your kid will want to as well. Talk about what you’re eating and why: We eat vegetables because they provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals that make our bodies feel strong. Lean proteins help muscle development.
You can talk to them like:
They may not understand the meaning of everything you say, but you’re making the conversation about food, eating, and appetite a normal part of everyday life.
Whatever you do, don't let mealtime become battle time or you'll risk setting them up for future dinner-table duels. No matter how much they eat or refuse to eat and when they do feed themselves food, reinforce their decision by giving them plenty of praise and encouragement.
]]>With the aim to combat the challenge of creating nutritional meals for children, Hapup was incepted.
Whether your child is a picky-eater, a snacker or a try-anything type, Hapup is a beautiful amalgamation of healthy, nutritious and balanced ingredients in a delicious package.
]]>Mealtime battles are a serious issue with kids because they literally turn up their nose at the sight of something healthy. Are you a frazzled parent with a fussy kiddo?
With the aim to combat the challenge of creating nutritional meals for children, Hapup was incepted.
Whether your child is a picky-eater, a snacker or a try-anything type, Hapup is a beautiful amalgamation of healthy, nutritious and balanced ingredients in a delicious package.
And, the best part – You can find a recipe booklet inside every pack that can be referred, to prepare meals as per your taste and preference - #MakeItYourOwn
All our products are designed to give your little ones the right amount and mix of nutrients that will lay the foundation of healthy growth. When a child is growing up, healthy eating should be a norm and thus, Hapup fuels this habit.
In our previous blog, we covered a few power ingredients that make Hapup a popular choice among parents. And so in continuation to that, today, we’re here to explore the benefits of a few other grains and pulses hidden inside every nurti-mix:
A grain that has been grown in India since antiquity, Foxtail Millet is a nutritional powerhouse that is rich in dietary fibre, protein and healthy micros such as vitamins and minerals. It is also low in fat thus aiding in weight loss. It helps the human body in multiple ways and is known to fight diabetes, lower and regulate blood sugar, enhance brain growth and fight cancer.
2. Cashews
From heart health to gorgeous hair, cashew is an incredible nut that is high in minerals and has numerous benefits. Consuming a handful of cashews on a daily-basis can reduce the risk of many lifestyle-related health conditions. Since it is packed with powerful antioxidants, it protects the eyes, maintains heart health and is a good source of dietary fibre. It also promotes lustrous locks and supple skin.
3. Jowar
Rated among the top five healthy grains in the world, Jowar has lately become the ‘new quinoa’. It contains a good amount of fibre, around 48 per cent that is required by the body on a daily basis. Incorporating jowar in your daily diet can improve digestion, fight free radicals, boost immunity and control blood sugar level.
4. Cowpeas
Cowpea is every nutritionist’s favourite legume as it contains vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, C, iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, zinc, copper, phosphorus and many more vital nutrients. Being an excellent source of dietary fibre and protein, it maintains the standard cholesterol levels in the body. It also reduces the risk of developing heart diseases and keeps the skin and hair healthy thus delaying the signs of ageing.
If you thought this is all, you’re mistaken. Our mixes have a lot more wonder ingredients which we will explore in our upcoming blogs. Stay tuned!
To enrich your child’s life with a super-food like none other, click here. The myriad of benefits in every package will change the way you prepare healthy meals for your little ones.
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All our mixes are a delightful symphony of multiple natural ingredients of varied typein various categories, like pulses,grains, dry fruits, all blended to give your body the goodness it needs. Each ingredient that’s added and each mix that is made is done so after a lot of thought and research. And we figured, you should know about it too.
Here are some of the ingredients in Hapup and why it’s amazing for you:
1. RAGI: Ragi has been consumed by our ancestors since ages. Especially in Southern India, Ragi formed a vital part of the diet. Of late, the government has also been promoting millets under the terminology ‘’NutriCereals’’ and 2018-2019 was termed as ‘’Year of Millets’’. This comes as no surprise since Ragi is rich in iron, protein, healthy fats and is gluten free. It is one of the best non-dairy sources of calcium with every 100gms of Ragi having 344 mgs of Calcium. Apart from preventing anemia, strengthening bones and promoting easy digestion, it also regulates diabetes and has anti-oxidant properties that can prevent cancer.
2. BARLEY: Barley is popularly also known as ‘’King of Cereals’’. But to be honest, it’s also the king of all things health related. . This multi-talented grain is rich in fiber, vitamin B1, vitamin B3, magnesium, phosphorus and copper. It helps our bodies in multiple ways, like reducing the risk of cholesterol, gallstones and heart disease. Also, it boosts your overall immunity and health plus is good for skin and hair!
3. KIDNEY BEANS: Kidney Beans a.k.a Rajma is a beloved dish in Northern India. So quite obviously, we added it to our mix too. It is rich in magnesium, calcium, protein, vitamin B3 and fiber. By consuming kidney beans on a regular basis, you’ll be helping your body to fight cholesterol, hypertension and constipation, improve your memory and energy levels. Pssttt.. It also has anti-ageing properties!
4.ALMONDS: Dry fruits are a superhouse of all things amazing and almonds are no different. It is rich in vitamin E, protein, biotin, copper, good fat and antioxidants. According to research, they help prevent breast cancer as well as heart disease, along with other issues like cholesterol, weight gain, low energy. Plus the Vitamin E content just boosts overall skin and hair quality.
5.GREEN GRAM: Green grams are native to Asia, Europe and the USA and are widely used in food as well as for skin care regimes. They also happen to be one of the healthiest forms of plant protein. Rich in Vitamins B9 and B1, protein, fibre, calcium and iron, they have major health benefits. Apart from providing beauty benefits like good skin and shiny hair they also control cholesterol, strengthens bones, regulate blood pressure and is also good for pregnant women.
Our mixes have a lot more ingredients (around 15), but these are few that we wanted to share with you all in this blog post. Stay tuned to our upcoming posts to find out the benefits of the other ingredients.
P.S- If you’re looking for good food that you can prepare in a jiffy or you want to add more nutrients to your regular food, you can always depend on us.
Check out our Sprouted Ragi Mix here that comes with all the amazing benefits we spoke about. It’s supremely healthy and easy to use in various recipes.
Don’t worry, Hapup’s got your back!
]]>Apart from being wonderfully nutritious, they’re also delicious and can be made with different recipes, in different ways to please your body and soul. Without further ado, here’s presenting different ways you can use and enjoy Hapup:
DRINK IT:
Whether you want a quick pick-me-up, a milkshake for your children or something hot for the cold weather, Hapup drinks are the answer. You can add Hapup to smoothies like berry smoothie, chocolate banana smoothie etc or even make a spicy buttermilk (chaas) with the same or enjoy a hot cup of soup on those cold winter evenings.
How to make, you ask? It’s simple. Just prepare the buttermilk or smoothie separately and add our Super Nutri Miix (boiled in water separately) and voila! It’s done. You can adjust the quantity of Hapup as per the desired consistency and taste.
COOK IT:
Here comes the part which you’ll love- Hapup can be added to your everyday food too. Like your chapati, dosa, porridge etc. Because of the presence of 15+ super nutrients, you’ll be adding a lot of value to your daily food. Just like the recipe above, add Hapup nutri-mix to the regular recipes and cook normally. Your dish will be ready. Experiment with your everyday recipes and see for yourself. #MakeItYourOwn
BAKE IT:
Some times, you or your kids plead for yummy (but not always healthy) things like cupcakes, muffins, cookies etc. Well, don’t fear anymore. Because you can add Hapup to these as well and make it healthier. Just use our Sprouted Ragi Mix with coconut/palm sugar to make it gluten-free and sugar-free. You can also make home-made bread with Hapup’s nutri-mixes. This way, you’ll still be indulging but not in an over-the-top way. That’s the balance we need!
It doesn’t end here. At Hapup, we’re always looking for fun and innovative ways in which our nutri mixes can be made a part of your daily life and palate. In the same spirit, our #HapupFamily contributes with their own regional or special recipes creating a closed knit community of healthy food lovers. So why don’t you try what we’ve shared? Then you too can get experimental and share your own versions with us!
Happy Eating to you!
]]>Taking your little ones on these trips is equally amazing. They get to learn about different cultures, places of the world, social exposure, new sights which they take in with a sense of amazement. However, not everything is rosy. One of the things parents are most concerned about while travelling is feeding their kids. Disrupted schedules, new food and tiring journeys make it very hard to maintain nutrition for kids.
But as always, we’re here to lend a helping hand. Here are 5 tips to ensure your kids eat well and travel goes smooth:
We cannot stress this enough. You cannot always depend on the availability of preferred food plus the quality of food in some places, so it’s always best to carry your own, especially for an infant. That way, even if your journey gets prolonged or the kids are suddenly hungry, you have something to fall back on. Just try to ensure your kid drinks plenty of water between meals and has 3 proper meals and 3 snack times each day.
For example, millet/ soya based snacks or homemade healthy cookies for quick eats or 5 minute easy-to-cook recipes using Hapup for filling food will definitely help.
2) TRY SOMETHING NEW
Every new place has some unique and delicious food to offer, even in the healthy variety. So let your kids try that. Take them to a local farmer's market or a grocery store and let them pick their favourite foods. This way they will not only eat well and eat local, they’ll also love to try something new and boast about it to their little buddies later.
For example, Bali has great vegan food for everybody. Or if you’re travelling to Ladakh, the Thukpa is full of veggies! If you're not sure, you always have fruits to fall back on. Fresh fruits are available almost everywhere and they’re a wonderful source of vitamins and minerals. Visit the local fruit stores and stock up.
3) CHEAT A LITTLE
While maintaining your child’s nutrition is very important, it is also important to let loose a little and have fun. After all, you are on vacation. Having an ice cream or cake once in a while does no harm.
For example, if you’re in Switzerland, you can’t say no to chocolates, can you?!
4) SAFETY IS PRIORITY
It’s very easy for your little ones to fall sick during a trip, because their bodies aren’t used to the new surroundings. Do a little research before you go, like which food is good, what is unhygienic etc. Always opt for hot food that’s freshly cooked. Avoid street food, anything that’s been cooked days before or a bizarre ingredient that doesn’t sound good to you.
Remember- it’s better to feed your kid something good after a little delay rather than feeding your kid something harmful.
5) LOOKOUT FOR THE KIDS MENU
Many hotels and restaurants actually have a well thought out kids menu because they understand that the needs are different. So keep an eye out for the kids menu whenever you are travelling.
For example- wheat pancakes in fun shapes or a strawberry milkshake in a cute jar will be a hit with your kids!
Most importantly, don’t stress too much. In fact, your child tell you when they’re hungry. That way, they’ll be more open to eating good food or trying something new. Remember that vacations are all about spending time together as a family, making memories and just having fun!
]]>Nutrition is very important for the overall development and nourishment of any child. They need to eat good, natural food from a tender age to give them a boost. However, they can get pretty fussy, especially if it’s food they don't like. In such situations, how do you ensure that they’re eating right? Don’t fret. We know you’re already doing a great job but here are some tricks to help you further:
1. Family meal time:
A daily meal time ritual has been proven to help kids with their eating habits. When they see their parents and siblings happily eating, they wouldn’t want to be left out. You can also set a great example for them by eating healthy yourself.
Also, family meals aid children in their overall development as well. Isn't that what all parents want? Because a healthy child is definitely a happy child!
2. It’s time for a break up:
No, we aren’t talking about a typical break up! We’re talking about a food break up here. It can be a herculean task to make your child eat vegetables, fruits, proteins etc etc in one go. They may just push you away. Hence, break it up. Distribute the nutrients and food throughout the day instead of cramming it all together in one meal.
For example- Include fruit as a school snack, add veggies in the side of a meal everyday, if you want to feed them superfoods like chia seeds, add it to a yummy milkshake, make healthy paneer curries as a side for multi-grain chapati instead of chutney and.. You get the drift. This way, they’ll eat all the healthy stuff without really realising (or complaining).
3. Get creative
It’s time to put on your chef hat and get creative in the kitchen. Children love anything new and if you try some new recipes with traditional food, they may just eat it happily.
For example, try a heart shaped sandwich or a smiley faced millet dosa instead of the regular options.
4. Junior Masterchef
Studies have shown that involving kids in their own food helps them to identify and accept the food they eat. Talk to them about why healthy food is amazing, take them to the supermarket with you and ask them to pick ingredients. You can also give them small (and obviously safe) tasks to them while cooking too.
Who knows your child may fall in love with food and actually become a masterchef!
5. Follow the rules
Make some rules around the house for the kids to follow. One of them is not allowing your child to watch TV/youtube/videos while eating. Studies have shown this affects kids negatively. Here’s how:
Hence, TV and food don’t go hand in hand!
So these were some simple yet effective tips from our end to create healthy feeding habits for your kids. The trick is to nourish them with natural, good food that are rich in nutrients, vitamins, fibres and proteins. That way, they stay healthy, physically, cognitively and emotionally.
In short ‘’Eat together, do things together and be healthy together’’. You are a super parent, you can totally do this!
Share these with a parent who’ll find it useful and stay tuned to our blog because we have many more of these coming up!
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