Here are my top food as medicine recommendations and recipes to help with children’s constipation:

Adequate Water

• Kids need: 1 eight-ounce cup of water per year of age (e.g., a 3-year-old needs 3 eight-ounce cups or 24 ounces per day).
• Older children (8+ years): Should be drinking 64 ounces per day.

More Fiber

• Daily Fiber Requirement: Children should eat 5-10 grams of fiber per day plus the child’s age.
  • Example: A 2-year-old needs 7-12 grams of fiber per day.
• “1/2 the Plate” Rule:
  • Half of your child’s plate should be fruits and vegetables.
  • Fruit: 3-4 servings of fruit per day (1 serving is ½ cup or a medium piece).
  • Vegetables: Include a variety. cucumbers, peppers, carrots, celery, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, jicama sticks, sweet potatoes, and winter squashes.
• Other Fiber Sources:
  • Oat bran, Beans and legumes, nuts or nut butter, sunflower butter, avocados
  • Ground seeds – add ground seeds like flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds to baked goods, breakfast porridges, oatmeal and yogurt.
  • Chia Seeds: ½ to 1 tbsp per day – make chia pudding

Best Fruits for Constipation

• Kiwi, Berries, Mango, Pears, Papaya, and Prunes.
• In a Pinch: ¼-½ cup pear or prune juice diluted with water or fruit/veggie puree pouches (e.g., pear, broccoli).

Snacks

• Example: Celery with sunflower butter and honey.

Favorite Recipes

“Poop” Cookies (from Nourishing Meals)

• Fiber Content: 7 grams of fiber per cookie.
• Ingredients:
  • ¼ cup ground chia
  • ½ cup hot water
  • ½ cup melted coconut oil
  • 1 cup almond butter
  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • 5 cups rolled oats
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup raisins
  • Dark chocolate chips (optional)
• Instructions:
  • Preheat oven to 325°F.
  • Place chia seeds in a large bowl and pour hot water over them, whisk together and let rest for a few minutes.
  • Add oil, almond butter, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk well.
  • Add oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir well.
  • Add raisins and chocolate. Drop by the spoonful onto a greased cookie sheet and press down with the palm of your hand.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes. Makes about 18 cookies.

Easy Smoothie

• Fiber Content: 4 grams.
• Ingredients:
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1 cup frozen cherries
  • 1 ripe banana (can substitute ¼ avocado)
  • 1 cup almond milk (or any non-dairy/soy milk)
  • ½ cup spinach or kale
• Instructions:
  • Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
  • Makes 3-4 servings.
  • Can add additional fiber (chia, psyllium, glucomannan).

Autumn Muffins (4 grams/muffin)

• Source: realeverything.com
• Ingredients:
  • 2 cups blanched almond flour or gluten-free flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
  • ¼ cup coconut oil or butter (room temperature)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup peeled, cored, and shredded apple (about 1 medium apple)
  • ¾ cup shredded carrot (about 1 medium carrot)
  • ½ cup shredded zucchini
  • ½ cup pistachios
  • ½ cup raisins
• Instructions:
  • Preheat oven to 350°F and grease your pan.
  • Sift together flour, spices, and baking soda.
  • In a separate bowl, beat wet ingredients until well combined.
  • Stir flour mixture into wet ingredients until fully incorporated.
  • Fold in remaining ingredients.
  • Pour batter into a greased bundt pan, smoothing the top.
  • Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until a knife comes out clean.
  • Cool for 20-30 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Makes 12 muffins.

Chocolate Chia Pudding

• Ingredients:
  • 1 cup chia seeds
  • 3 cups nut milk, coconut milk, or hemp milk
  • Sweetened to taste with stevia if desired
  • 1 tsp vanilla (optional)
  • 1-2 tbsp raw cocoa powder
  • Pinch of sea salt
• Instructions:
  • Place the chia seeds, milk, honey, cocoa, and salt in a bowl (add vanilla if using) and stir well to avoid clumps and ensure the chia seeds are coated in milk.
  • Let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes or cover and refrigerate.