Nutritious and yummy: 5 toddler-friendly foods

It's not junk food. Many kids find it more appealing than white milk, so stock up! Chocolate milk contains just as much calcium, protein and vitamin D as the regular stuff. And if your child is drinking more chocolate milk, he or she is probably drinking less juice or soda. And that's a good thing.

This well-balanced favorite covers just about every food group. In addition to carbohydrates and protein, pizza provides vitamin C from sauce, calcium from cheese and healthy fat from olive oil. Some finely chopped veggie toppings may go by unnoticed and are a good way to make pizza even better for the kids.

Lean ground beef is nutritious for young children, providing them with iron, zinc and protein. Grill or broil the beef to eliminate some of the fat, or brown some to add to spaghetti sauce or a casserole.

Many toddlers would be content to feast on nothing but juice boxes all day. Orange juice is a super food, packed with vitamin C, folic acid, potassium and phytochemicals. It comes in the convenient boxes and pouches, too, so there's no reason you can't substitute it for the less healthful flavors.