Important Supplements for Kids

Leidich is the author of Two Moms in the Raw: Simple, Clean, Irresistible Recipes for Your Family’s Health, a cookbook filled with raw, cooked, and gluten-free meals. Recipes include Butternut Squash Chickpea Tagine, Creamy Olive and Artichoke Dip, and Single-Skillet Chicken Puttanesca.

Win a copy of this book!

To enter, simply email your name and address to betternutrionfreebie@gmail.com. One winner will be selected at random. Please put “Two Moms in the Raw” in the subject line.

1. Find a Multi Your Child Likes

Every parent knows that as kids head back to school, they’re more likely to catch things, from colds to conjunctivitis. A daily multivitamin is one of the easiest ways to support immunity. Multis also help enhance focus and energy, among other benefits. It goes without saying that a multi is only good if your child is willing to take it every day. Experiment to find one that he or she loves. Three products we like:

American Health Ester-C Kid Stiks Multivitamin & Mineral in Groovy Grape or Tropical Punch. This fizzy (and tasty!) drink mix is great for kids who don’t like pills or chewable vitamins.

Bluebonnet Nutrition Super Earth Animalz Rainforest Whole Food Based Multiple. Fun animal shapes make this a winner with kids of all ages.

Nordic Naturals Nordic Berries. These sweet-and-sour gummies are so good that you may find yourself using them along with your kids.

2. Add an Omega-3 to the Mix

Omega-3 fats, particularly DHA from fish oil, offer important benefits for kids (and adults). These include increasing mental focus in kids, supporting optimal brain development, reducing hyperactivity, promoting a healthy immune system,
and easing eczema and other skin issues. We like:

Hero Nutritionals Yummi Bears Omega 3 + DHA. These come in yummy fruit flavors and have zero fishy aftertaste. Plus the little bear shapes are fun for kids to eat.

3. Give Your Kids an Immune Boost

There are numerous supplements designed to support and balance kids’ immune systems. Here are three of our favorites to keep on hand throughout the year:

Nature’s Way Immunables Kids Immunity. These single-serve packets can be mixed with water or poured directly into the mouth. They contain a proprietary blend of probiotics designed to support kids’ immune function.

Nature’s Answer Sambucus Kids Kid’s Formula. Make this tasty syrup your go-to cold-and-flu remedy. Elderberry, astragalus, and echinacea provide potent antiviral properties.

Hyland’s 4Kids Allergy Relief. This homeopathic-based formula helps ease allergy symptoms by gently rebalancing the body’s immune system-without side effects.

The Perfect Lunchbox (or Anytime) Snack

When diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, mom Shari Koolik Leidich, founder of Two Moms in the Raw, started following a raw food diet. “I found that a natural approach to healing, including a raw food diet, worked best for me,” she says. And when she couldn’t find raw snacks that she liked, she started making her own. Friends and family loved her raw granola. “Even more important, my kids loved it, finishing every last bite and demanding more,” says Leidich, who started Two Moms in the Raw with her husband and her mom (the other raw mom). In addition to Leidich’s beloved granola, the family-run company also makes nut bars, crackers, cereals, and dessert truffles. Everything is vegan and made with simple, non-GMO ingredients such as sprouted nuts and seeds, cacao, and gluten-free oats. Stash one of the nut bars into your kid’s lunch or serve raw crackers with cheese as an after-school snack.

Leidich is the author of Two Moms in the Raw: Simple, Clean, Irresistible Recipes for Your Family’s Health, a cookbook filled with raw, cooked, and gluten-free meals. Recipes include Butternut Squash Chickpea Tagine, Creamy Olive and Artichoke Dip, and Single-Skillet Chicken Puttanesca.

Win a copy of this book!

To enter, simply email your name and address to betternutrionfreebie@gmail.com. One winner will be selected at random. Please put “Two Moms in the Raw” in the subject line.