Easy Ways to Increase Fiber for Kids

We all know it’s important for our kids to eat more fruits and vegetables. Ever wonder why they are important in your child’s diet? One key reason is because of fiber. Did you know that around 94% of American children and adults do not consume enough fiber?† Let’s learn more about fiber and how to easily get more fiber in your child’s day.

What is fiber?

Part of the plant-based foods we eat, fiber is not absorbed by our bodies. It passes through our GI tract and helps to move digested waste through too.

Types of fiber

There are two main types of fiber. Fiber can be either soluble or insoluble—and children need both types.

Soluble fiber: Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel, which helps digestion. Soluble fiber is found in foods like oats, beans, barley, lentils, and fruits and vegetables such as oranges, prunes, carrots, and broccoli.

Insoluble fiber: Insoluble fiber helps to pass foods through your digestive tract. It is often described as a broom, sweeping out waste from your body. Insoluble fiber is found in whole grains, wheat bran, and fruits and vegetables such as avocado, pears, corn, and green beans.

Why is fiber important for kids?

Fiber is important for everybody, including kids. Fiber provides digestive support. Some fibers can even help to feed good bacteria in the gut.*

Because children’s stomachs are smaller, they can fill up easily on food. Make sure to offer fiber-rich foods at every meal, so they can get the fiber they need.

How much fiber do kids need?

The Daily Value for dietary fiber is 14 grams per day (based on a 1,000-calorie daily diet) for children ages 1-3 years of age, and 28 grams per day (based on a 2,000-calorie daily diet) for children ages 4 years and older.

What is the Daily Value? The Daily Value (DV) is the amount of a nutrient that is recommended by the Food and Drug Administration to meet the needs of most people in that age group. You’ll see this on the nutrition facts or the supplement facts panel.

Wondering how to get more fiber?

There are several ways to get more fiber in your children’s diet. When looking for food sources - keep in mind that fiber is found in plant-based foods. You can also find fiber supplements. If you’re wondering where to get fiber for your children, here are some easy tips:

High fiber foods for kids

There are lots of delicious fiber-full foods that are great for kids (and adults!) to enjoy and get more fiber in their day.

Fruit: Most fruits contain fiber, but berries like raspberries and blackberries get top marks for fiber content.

Veggies: Avocados are a good source of fiber, as well as green leafy vegetables, carrots, sweet potatoes, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli.

Beans: Beans and lentils are a wonderful source of fiber.

Nuts: Nuts and nut butter bring fiber along with their loads of nutrients.

Whole grains: Whole grains have more fiber than their white flour counterparts. This means using brown rice instead of white rice, whole wheat pita instead of white flour pita, or whole grain pasta over regular pasta.

• Pro tip! If your children are hesitant to try the whole-grain versions, start small by introducing little bits at a time. Use their favorite pasta sauce over whole grain pasta or try mixing brown rice with white rice.

One of the best ways to help your kids eat fiber-rich foods is by letting them see you eat fiber-rich foods. You don’t need to call it out, but kids pay attention to what the grown-ups in their lives are doing, so by simply eating and enjoying fiber-rich foods your kids will learn over time to eat fiber-rich foods too.

High fiber snacks for kids

Here are some easy ways to add high-fiber, fun snacks for kids:

• Veggie Dippers: Have a few options of salad dressings or sauces and give your child several different vegetable sticks to dip in, such as celery, carrots, red peppers, or jicama.
• Cereal: Higher-fiber cereals can be a great snack. Look for cereals with greater than 20% of the Daily Value for fiber. You can mix in raisins and nuts for a kid-friendly trail mix.
• Beans: Refried beans and bean burritos are tasty snacks that include beans.
• Edamame: These green soybeans are a fun snack. Either teach your child how to pull the beans from the pod or use shelled edamame.
• Hummus: Made from chickpeas, hummus is a delicious spread and source of fiber. Use whole wheat pita, tortilla chips, or baby carrots as great fiber dippers.
• Taste Test Time: Do a taste test and try out different varieties and colors of apples, grapes, or other fruit to see which ones are the family favorites.

Add fiber to family meals

Looking for creative ways to increase fiber-rich foods for your kids in meals? There are lots of things you can try that your kids will be sure to enjoy:

Up the veggies: You can increase the vegetables in meals by choosing more vegetable-based meals or by adding vegetables to a main dish.

• Enhance it - Chop up and sauté some vegetables like onion, mushrooms, and peppers, and add them to your kids’ favorite pasta sauce.
• Double up – if you are dicing vegetables for a recipe you are making, chop up twice as much and use more in the recipe.
• Mac and cheese – you can add some steamed or sauteed veggies to prepared mac and cheese dishes. Offer your kid a choice - would they prefer peas, broccoli, or cauliflower? If one didn’t work this time, let them try a different vegetable for another meal.

Fruitify it! Fruit-based desserts like fruit crumbles and crisps, or fruit compotes are delicious.

Beans, Beans, Beans: Beans and lentils are a great way to increase fiber in a meal. Here are some ideas to use as a start for adding beans and lentils to your meal rotation.

• Bean and cheese quesadillas
• Lentil or split pea soups
• Bean-based chili

Fiber gummies for kids

As well as finding fun new ways to add fiber to your kid’s diet, there are also tasty fiber gummies too! Talk to your children’s health care professional to find out if fiber supplements are a good choice for them.

• L’il Critters Fiber: With great-tasting raspberry, lemon, and strawberry flavors, each two-gummy serving provides as much fiber as four prunes!
• L’il Critters Probiotic: With 2 grams of fiber in a 2-gummy serving, these gummies provide prebiotic fiber along with probiotics.

Don’t forget about yourself as well, fiber is important to support adult’s digestive health.* Read more about tips for increasing fiber for adults and how vitafusion can help.

Make sure your children drink enough water while increasing their fiber intake. If minor gas or bloating occurs, reduce daily serving.

Fiber is Your Friend

Fiber is critical for children’s (and adults!) health and well-being and provides digestive support.* There are plenty of delicious ways to add fiber to your child’s meals and snacks to help them get the fiber that they need. And if you need additional fiber support for your kiddos – L’il Critters gummies are here to help!

Brought to you by the L’il Critters™ nutrition experts.
† What We Eat in America Survey, 2020

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.