Is your toddler's diet missing these vital nutrients? What half of parents don’t realise
Nearly half of toddlers under 5 aren’t getting the nutrients they need. Here’s how to spot the gaps in your child’s diet – and the quick fixes you can make right now.
If you’ve ever worried that your toddler’s beige diet of plain pasta, toast and butter and the occasional banana isn’t exactly ticking the good nutrition boxes, you’re not alone. Globally, more than half of children under 5 are deficient in at least one essential micronutrient — most often iron, zinc or vitamin A.
This is particularly alarming for this age group because toddlers’ bodies are growing and developing at lightning speed and their nutritional needs per kilo of body weight are higher than at any other time in life. When under 5s don’t get enough of certain nutrients, it can affect everything from energy levels and immunity in the short-term, to growth and brain development in the long-term.
To help you ensure your toddler doesn't fall into this nutrient-lacking group, dietitian Karine Patel, founder of Dietician Fit, has broken down the most common nutrient deficiencies in under-5s and shares her expert tips for closing the gaps.
1. Iron deficiency (anaemia)
“Iron is vital for healthy blood cells and oxygen transport, as well as brain development,” says Karine. According to the World Health Organisation, around 42% of under-5s worldwide are anaemic due to low iron.
Why it happens: Toddlers often drink a lot of cow’s milk, which is low in iron and can actually block absorption. At the same time, they may not eat enough iron-rich foods.
Signs of iron deficiency: Pale skin, constant tiredness, frequent infections, or slower development milestones.
How to increase iron in your child's diet:
Offer lean red meat, chicken or turkey regularly.
Pair lentils, beans or fortified cereals with vitamin C-rich foods (like strawberries, peppers or oranges) to boost absorption.
Keep cow’s milk to the recommended 350–500ml a day for toddlers.
2. Vitamin A deficiency
Vitamin A supports vision, immunity and cell growth — but picky eaters often miss it.
Why it happens: Many toddlers don't have enough vegetables, dairy or eggs in their diets.
Signs of Vitamin A deficiency: Dry, itchy skin, frequent chest infections, or trouble seeing in low light.
How to increase Vitamin A in your child's diet:
Regularly serve orange or yellow veg such as carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato and butternut squash.
Blitz dark leafy greens like spinach or kale into pasta sauces, omelettes or smoothies.
Include small amounts of eggs, full-fat dairy, or even a little liver pâté (if you can!) once a week.
3. Iodine deficiency
Iodine is essential for metabolism and brain development, yet many children fall short.
Why it happens: Low fish intake, reliance on plant milks without iodine fortification, and families avoiding table salt (a traditional iodine source).
Signs of iodine deficiency: Sluggishness, dry skin and, in severe cases, growth delays.
How to increase iodine in your child's diet:
Use iodised salt sparingly in home cooking.
Offer white fish such as cod, haddock or pollock once a week.
Choose dairy milk or fortified plant alternatives that list iodine on the label.
4. Vitamin D and calcium deficiency
One in five UK children are thought to have low vitamin D, especially in winter. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, which is crucial for strong bones and teeth.
Why it happens: Lack of sunlight (especially in northern climates like the UK), sunscreen blocking vitamin D production, and diets low in fortified foods or oily fish.
Signs of Vitamin D and calcium deficiency: Achy joints, weak muscles, or slow tooth eruption.
How to increase Vitamin D and calcium in your child's diet:
Give toddlers a daily vitamin D supplement of 400 IU (unless they’re having more than 500ml of vitamin D-fortified formula per day).
Serve calcium-rich foods daily — such as yoghurt, cheese, fortified milks, green veg and cereals.
Add oily fish like salmon or sardines into the weekly menu.
5. Zinc deficiency
Zinc helps with immunity, healing and growth — and low levels can even make fussy eating worse creating a vicious cycle for parents!
Why it happens: Diets low in meat or seafood, or high in unsoaked grains and legumes, which reduce zinc absorption.
Signs of zinc deficiency: Reduced appetite, frequent colds, slow wound healing and thinning hair.
How to increase zinc in your child's diet:
Offer poultry, eggs, meat and seafood regularly.
For vegetarian families, try soaked or sprouted legumes, pumpkin seeds, cashews and fortified cereals.
Combine zinc-rich plant foods with vitamin C sources to improve absorption.
A simple weekly plan for busy families
If your weekly schedule is already manic and finding time to negotiate vegetable eating with your toddler isn't an option Karine has created a practical weekly guide to help bridge common nutrient gaps without needing complicated recipes and using ingredients that most kids will accept!
- Monday: Fortified cereal + berries; carrot sticks & hummus; fortified milk; pumpkin seeds on yoghurt.
Tuesday: Lentil soup; sweet potato mash; cod fish fingers; scrambled eggs.
Wednesday: Turkey mince pasta; spinach omelette; fortified orange juice; cheese on wholegrain toast.
Thursday: Beef meatballs; dark green salad; salmon meal; chickpea snack.
Friday: Fortified porridge; pumpkin soup; yoghurt; egg muffins.
Weekend: Bean chilli; mango smoothie; outdoor play for vitamin D; nuts in porridge.
If your toddler seems stuck on a beige-food diet, it doesn’t mean they’re destined for nutrient deficiencies. Small, simple tweaks — like boosting iron absorption with vitamin C rich foods, serving white fish once a week, or adding a daily vitamin D supplement — can make a big difference.
“It’s about balance and consistency rather than perfection," says Karine. "Even adding one extra portion of veg a day or swapping to fortified milk can help support your child’s long-term growth and development.”