Everyone wants to do their best to raise healthy and happy children. It’s important to pay frequent visits to your family physician to make sure you’re providing your little ones with the nutrition that they need to thrive. These are some of the top nutrients kids should be consuming regularly!

Good Nutrition Starts With Vitamin D

Vitamin D supports bone health, reduces inflammation, and improves immunity. Our bodies can produce vitamin D during exposure to the sun, but it’s also found in vitamin D-fortified milk, fortified cereals, salmon, and trout.

Mother’s milk doesn’t provide vitamin D, so kids from 0-6 months old and during infancy might require a supplement. Discuss this with the family pediatrician. Introducing vitamin D-rich foods into the nutrition of toddlers, young children, and teenagers becomes much easier.

Don’t Forget Omega 3

This is an essential fatty acid and one of the main nutrients required for fast brain development in the first two years of life. Past that point, Omega 3 remains very valuable for healthy eye function, the cardiovascular system, and the central nervous system. It’s found in chia seeds, flaxseeds, canola oil, sardines, salmon, walnuts, mackerel, and herring.

As mother’s milk and formula contain Omega 3 DHA, babies 0-6 months and infants usually receive a sufficient amount. Toddlers and young children need 0.7 to 0.9 grams of Omega 3 per day, and past the age of nine, the proper intake goes up to 1 or 1.6 grams a day.

Calcium for Growing Bones

Calcium is most famously known for building strong teeth and bones. It’s found in cow’s milk, cheese, yogurt, broccoli, almonds, spinach, kale, and fortified plant-based milk.

Mother’s milk and formula contain good amounts of calcium. After six months, think of introducing broccoli, tofu, or yogurt. Toddlers and young kids need 700-1000 milligrams of calcium per day. At the age of nine and older, the requirements increase to 1000-1300 milligrams.

Serve Zinc and Iron-Rich Foods

Zinc is important for proper wound healing and a good immune system. Iron helps the body produce energy and carries oxygen in red blood cells. It’s also needed for brain development and growth. Both these minerals are found in meat, fortified cereal, certain legumes, and other sources.

After six months, start introducing some iron and zinc-rich foods. Make sure that these minerals stay regular in your child’s nutrition up to and past the age of nine.

Provide Enough Potassium

Potassium is an electrolyte mineral that regulates the level of fluids in cells, helps muscles contract, aids nerve function, and helps maintain a regular heartbeat. It’s bountiful in bananas, potatoes, oranges, grapefruit, spinach, and other sources.

A well-balanced diet should provide all the nutrition a growing child needs, but an occasional checkup and conversation with the family pediatrician is a good idea!

According to different studies, the average American family is expected to spend about $848.90 on back-to-school supplies for the upcoming scholar year. This is a significant increase in comparison with previous years, which can seriously affect some people’s budget or savings.

However, there are ways to reduce the expenses for school supplies, and here are five shopping hacks that have passed the test of time.

1. Get Back-to-School Clothes Online

With a little hunting and ingenuity, parents can save a ton of money by shopping online. There are numerous websites that offer special discounts and coupon codes on different types of clothing. In addition, there are several online stores that specialize in back-to-school garments, which means that children can get fashionable items without ruining their parents.

2. Reuse and Recycle

There are plenty of supplies that can be reused from previous years. For example, lunchboxes and backpacks can be put back into the rotation after a good wash. There are also probably lots of notebooks, pens, pencils, and binders that can be used by children of all ages.

3. Don’t Purchase Disposables

Plastic baggies, paper notebooks, and other disposable items may seem like a bargain, but in reality, they often cost more than long-lasting gear. This is due to the fact that they must be replenished periodically. Buying a reusable lunchbox or a digital notebook is a more reasonable investment despite their higher price, and the best part is that they are eco-friendly!

4. Save Money on Big-Ticket Items

Some back-to-school supplies are more expensive than others. Running from store to store to save a dollar on a pack of crayons isn’t a good use of your energy or time. Instead, focus on saving money on larger items such as laptops, tablets, clothes, calculators, lunch containers, etc. Look for sales or go online to find school supplies at a significant discount. It’s such deals that will truly allow you to save money.

5. Look For Second-Hand Extracurricular Gear

Extracurricular activities can require the use of specialized equipment such as hockey or lacrosse sticks, protective gear, musical instruments, etc. Those items can be quite expensive, especially if they are fabricated by a reputable brand. To save money, parents should check places such as eBay, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace to find well-preserved second-hand equipment at fair and reasonable prices.

These five shopping tricks can help parents get the necessary back-to-school supplies for their children without breaking the bank.