Children by age

Kids 4–8 — building bone

Bone banks most of its calcium before puberty. What goes in now is saved for life.

Smooth, no salt Coarser, still no salt Iron & zinc Calcium-rich Protein, iron, calcium

Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy. A few ingredients — green papaya, pineapple, mugwort, Vietnamese coriander, bitter melon — are traditionally avoided in Vietnamese pregnancies. Only green papaya has a reasonably clear pharmacological basis (the papain in its latex); the rest is custom rather than trial evidence. They are labelled here so you can see them, not removed.

Dishes for this stage

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Photograph of Katsudon Katsudon Japan · 40 min Photograph of Pad Thai with prawns Pad Thai with prawns Thailand · 30 min Photograph of Spaghetti carbonara Spaghetti carbonara Italy · 25 min Photograph of Salmon and Courgette Porridge Salmon and Courgette Porridge Vietnam · 45 min Photograph of Egg Yolk Porridge Egg Yolk Porridge Vietnam · 40 min Photograph of Oat Purée with Milk Oat Purée with Milk Vietnam · 15 min Photograph of Thick Beef and Amaranth Porridge Thick Beef and Amaranth Porridge Vietnam · 45 min Photograph of Cod and Potato Porridge Cod and Potato Porridge Vietnam · 40 min Photograph of Soft Steamed Egg Custard Soft Steamed Egg Custard Vietnam · 20 min Photograph of Soft Pan-Fried Tofu Soft Pan-Fried Tofu Vietnam · 15 min Photograph of Banana Oat Porridge Banana Oat Porridge Vietnam · 15 min Photograph of Baked Banana Oat Fingers Baked Banana Oat Fingers Vietnam · 35 min Photograph of Pumpkin and Milk Soup Pumpkin and Milk Soup Vietnam · 25 min Photograph of Prawn and Malabar Spinach Porridge Prawn and Malabar Spinach Porridge Vietnam · 40 min Photograph of Milky Mashed Potato Milky Mashed Potato Vietnam · 25 min Photograph of Thick Salmon and Carrot Porridge Thick Salmon and Carrot Porridge Vietnam · 45 min Photograph of Steamed Vegetable Balls Steamed Vegetable Balls Vietnam · 30 min Photograph of Miso ramen Miso ramen Japan · 1 hr Photograph of French omelette French omelette France · 12 min Photograph of Japchae Japchae Korea · 40 min Photograph of Pizza Margherita Pizza Margherita Italy · 20 min Photograph of Minestrone Minestrone Italy · 45 min Photograph of Tarte aux pommes Tarte aux pommes France · 1 hr 10 min Photograph of Kofta kebab Kofta kebab Middle East · 45 min Photograph of Okonomiyaki Okonomiyaki Japan · 35 min Photograph of Broken Rice with Grilled Pork Chop Broken Rice with Grilled Pork Chop Vietnam · 1 hr Photograph of Quiche Lorraine Quiche Lorraine France · 1 hr 20 min Photograph of Mansaf Mansaf Middle East · 2 hr 30 min Photograph of Nem ran cha gio Nem ran cha gio Vietnam · 1 hr Photograph of Cotoletta alla milanese Cotoletta alla milanese Italy · 40 min Photograph of Takoyaki Takoyaki Japan · 45 min Photograph of Croque-monsieur Croque-monsieur France · 25 min Photograph of Joojeh kabab Joojeh kabab Middle East · 30 min Photograph of Tonkatsu Tonkatsu Japan · 40 min Photograph of Galbijjim Galbijjim Korea · 2 hr Photograph of Blanquette de veau Blanquette de veau France · 2 hr Photograph of Tteok-galbi Tteok-galbi Korea · 50 min Photograph of Pad see ew moo Pad see ew moo Thailand · 30 min Photograph of Chicken korma Chicken korma India · 1 hr Photograph of Hunkar begendi Hunkar begendi Middle East · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Pasta alla gricia Pasta alla gricia Italy · 30 min Photograph of Khao kha moo Khao kha moo Thailand · 2 hr 30 min Photograph of Maqluba Maqluba Middle East · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Polpette al sugo Polpette al sugo Italy · 1 hr 15 min Photograph of Chicken nanban Chicken nanban Japan · 45 min Photograph of Arrosto di maiale al latte Arrosto di maiale al latte Italy · 2 hr Photograph of Kibbeh bil sanieh Kibbeh bil sanieh Middle East · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Hachis Parmentier Hachis Parmentier France · 1 hr 15 min Photograph of Omurice Omurice Japan · 30 min Photograph of Neobiani Neobiani Korea · 30 min Photograph of Milanesa de res Milanesa de res Mexico · 40 min Photograph of Songshu guiyu (squirrel fish) Songshu guiyu (squirrel fish) China · 1 hr Photograph of Sarde in saor Sarde in saor Italy · 1 hr Photograph of Pasta con le sarde Pasta con le sarde Italy · 50 min Photograph of Haemul pajeon Haemul pajeon Korea · 35 min Photograph of Baccalà alla vicentina Baccalà alla vicentina Italy · 3 hr Photograph of Karides guvec Karides guvec Middle East · 45 min Photograph of Brandade de morue Brandade de morue France · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Fritto misto di mare Fritto misto di mare Italy · 35 min Photograph of Ebi furai Ebi furai Japan · 30 min Photograph of Truite aux amandes Truite aux amandes France · 35 min Photograph of Kaki furai Kaki furai Japan · 35 min Photograph of Melanzane alla parmigiana Melanzane alla parmigiana Italy · 1 hr 20 min Photograph of Shahi paneer Shahi paneer India · 45 min Photograph of Gratin dauphinois Gratin dauphinois France · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Matar paneer Matar paneer India · 40 min Photograph of Soufflé au fromage Soufflé au fromage France · 1 hr Photograph of Pasta alla Norma Pasta alla Norma Italy · 45 min Photograph of Malai kofta Malai kofta India · 1 hr Photograph of Tarte à l'oignon alsacienne Tarte à l'oignon alsacienne France · 1 hr 15 min Photograph of Tofu in tomato sauce Tofu in tomato sauce Vietnam · 30 min Photograph of Gamja jorim Gamja jorim Korea · 30 min Photograph of Cacio e pepe Cacio e pepe Italy · 25 min Photograph of Pissaladière Pissaladière France · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Trofie al pesto genovese Trofie al pesto genovese Italy · 35 min Photograph of Flamiche aux poireaux Flamiche aux poireaux France · 1 hr 15 min Photograph of Xi hong shi chao ji dan (tomato and egg stir-fry) Xi hong shi chao ji dan (tomato and egg stir-fry) China · 15 min Photograph of Gyeranmari Gyeranmari Korea · 20 min Photograph of Braised tofu with mushrooms Braised tofu with mushrooms Vietnam · 40 min Photograph of Gnocchi alla sorrentina Gnocchi alla sorrentina Italy · 1 hr 10 min Photograph of Luo han zhai (Buddha's delight) Luo han zhai (Buddha's delight) China · 45 min Photograph of Pad pak ruam mit Pad pak ruam mit Thailand · 25 min Photograph of Poireaux vinaigrette Poireaux vinaigrette France · 30 min Photograph of Vietnamese vegetarian spring rolls Vietnamese vegetarian spring rolls Vietnam · 50 min Photograph of Pad fak thong sai khai Pad fak thong sai khai Thailand · 25 min Photograph of Tteokguk Tteokguk Korea · 1 hr Photograph of Œufs mimosa Œufs mimosa France · 25 min Photograph of Wonton noodle soup (yun tun mian) Wonton noodle soup (yun tun mian) China · 50 min Photograph of Kuku sabzi Kuku sabzi Middle East · 45 min Photograph of Goya champuru Goya champuru Japan · 30 min Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy Photograph of Crossing the bridge rice noodles (guo qiao mi xian) Crossing the bridge rice noodles (guo qiao mi xian) China · 2 hr Photograph of Kaeng jued taohu moo sap Kaeng jued taohu moo sap Thailand · 30 min Photograph of Miso shiru Miso shiru Japan · 15 min Photograph of Kenchinjiru Kenchinjiru Japan · 45 min Photograph of Winter melon and pork rib soup (dong gua pai gu tang) Winter melon and pork rib soup (dong gua pai gu tang) China · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Bun moc pork meatball noodle soup Bun moc pork meatball noodle soup Vietnam · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Yudofu Yudofu Japan · 25 min Photograph of Yen ta fo Yen ta fo Thailand · 45 min Photograph of Mul naengmyeon Mul naengmyeon Korea · 2 hr 30 min Photograph of Vichyssoise Vichyssoise France · 1 hr Photograph of Chicken glass noodle soup Chicken glass noodle soup Vietnam · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Shabu-shabu Shabu-shabu Japan · 40 min Photograph of Kalguksu Kalguksu Korea · 1 hr Photograph of Velouté de champignons Velouté de champignons France · 45 min Photograph of Shuan yang rou (Beijing instant-boiled mutton hotpot) Shuan yang rou (Beijing instant-boiled mutton hotpot) China · 30 min Photograph of Molokhia Molokhia Middle East · 50 min Photograph of Kongguksu Kongguksu Korea · 50 min Photograph of Sopa de albóndigas Sopa de albóndigas Mexico · 1 hr Photograph of Soupe au pistou Soupe au pistou France · 1 hr 15 min Photograph of Jok moo Jok moo Thailand · 1 hr Photograph of Mizutaki Mizutaki Japan · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Arancini di riso Arancini di riso Italy · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Supplì al telefono Supplì al telefono Italy · 1 hr Photograph of Char siu bao (steamed barbecue pork buns) Char siu bao (steamed barbecue pork buns) China · 1 hr Photograph of Crème Dubarry Crème Dubarry France · 45 min Photograph of Vietnamese crab and egg soup Vietnamese crab and egg soup Vietnam · 45 min Photograph of Tonkotsu ramen Tonkotsu ramen Japan · 3 hr Photograph of Garlic naan Garlic naan India · 30 min Photograph of Hotteok Hotteok Korea · 1 hr Photograph of Panzerotti pugliesi Panzerotti pugliesi Italy · 40 min

These suggestions follow published nutrition guidance from the WHO, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, the NHS, the FDA/EPA and ACOG. They are not medical advice and do not replace a doctor or a dietitian. With an existing condition, a food allergy or a high-risk pregnancy, ask a doctor before changing how you eat.

Only the first 120 are shown. The list is generated from each dish's ingredients; nobody has read every one of them by eye.