Health experts often recommend against serving children fried foods too often. But what about grilled foods? Is grilled food safe for toddlers to eat? Perhaps you might know, but grilling can increase cancer risk due to the presence of carcinogenic substances. As an answer to this, let us explain a little more and share some tips for you, Moms.
Grilled or Roasted?
Both methods are considered to be less healthy because of potential and harmful charring. But toddlers can safely consume grilled or roasted foods as long as they don’t eat any of the charred portions.
So, is grilled food better than roasted food? The answer is roasted food, which usually means baking in an oven at a certain temperature. Roasted items are usually cooked more evenly with less chance of them getting charred compared to grilled ones over an open flame.
And now, a few tips for grilling food for toddlers
When serving food to a toddler, it’s important to make sure it is cooked through. And a few tips for how to prepare grilled or roasted food for your little one:
Marinate
This means soaking food in a flavored liquid, which will help shield meat from charring that can cause cancer. Keeping Mariners in — which the University of Alabama Professor Keecha Harris says can mitigate the risk of harmful substances.
Trim the Fat
As fat drips onto the grill, it can lead to flare-ups that result in char. Outer meat lacks fat, which means the food is rendered less susceptible to burning. This goes for chicken skin — and fish, too.
Use a Spatula
To turn food use a spatula or tongs rather than a fork. Puncturing the meat with a fork, for example, will cause some of its juices to surf to the surface, possibly causing flare-ups, increasing burn risk.
Cut Smaller Pieces
Smaller pieces of meat also cook more quickly and are less likely to be charred.
Try Grilled Fruits and Vegetables
The good news is grilled fruits and vegetables don’t create the same carcinogens meat does when cooked on a grill. The scent of grilled produce may even get your child to eat more. Just be sure to wipe away any burnt bits.
So, this is the answer to whether grilled food is safe for toddlers. Pay attention to how your child reacts after eating these foods.
