High-fiber foods for toddlers and kids are a crucial part of a healthy diet, and not just because you’re worried about how long your toddler can go without pooping. When they finally drop the stinker, it’s a relief! If a child goes without pooping for 2-3 days, call your pediatrician and ensure they drink plenty of fluids and apple juice. Often, constipation is due to lack of water, limited exercise, or – most commonly – not enough fiber. Neither situation is healthy.

To help you avoid these dreadful situations, here are three simple rules: Drink enough fluids, Exercise, and Consume high-fiber foods.

Today, we’re tackling the third rule by sharing the Best 22 High-Fiber Foods to Prevent Constipation in Toddlers & Kids. Learn exactly what fiber is, why it’s important for their gut health, and which foods are absolute must-haves for your little one – toddler and child.

Additionally, I’ve prepared a free printable chart and High-Fiber Foods List that you can download below.

What exactly is fiber?

Fiber plays an essential role in maintaining a healthy body. Fiber is a carbohydrate in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and pulses. There are two types – soluble and insoluble. The first dissolves in water to create a substance that coats the intestines and slows the digestive process. The latter is what helps in having regular trips to the bathroom. 

Why is fiber important? 

When kids eat fiber-rich foods, their blood sugar doesn’t spike rapidly, and they feel full for longer. Fiber also prevents constipation and helps maintain gut health by nourishing good bacteria. 

The daily recommended fiber amount increases with age. For 1 to 3-year-olds, you should aim at 19g of fiber per day. For 4 to 8-year-olds, it’s 25 g. So by age 18, they should get 26g of fiber for girls and 38g for boys.

Tips to relieve constipation 

If your child is constipated, you can temporarily eliminate white bread and meat from their diet. A soup with a boiled potato, onion, and carrot also does wonders, as well as yogurt and drinking plenty of water! 

Along with that, it’s beneficial to try to improve your kids’ fiber intake. Easier said than done? Here’s a list of 22 foods with high-fiber content which are great for kids. 

High-Fiber Foods For Toddlers and Kids to Stop Constipation

Legumes & Pulses

1. Lentils, 16g fiber 

Lentils are abundant in iron, folate, and phytochemicals which help protect against diseases.

Make a comforting lentil soup or a stew for your kiddo, or you can try lentil cakes if they enjoy finger foods.

1 cup cooked lentils provide 230kcal, 16g fiber

2. Beans, 15g fiber

Beans are an amazing yet often overlooked food. Besides a ton of fiber, beans contain eight essential amino acids your body can’t produce. They are suitable for soups, stews, salads, or dips.

If you pair them with rice (a classic combo), wheat, or other grains, you’ll get a complete protein with all nine amino acids. 

Make sure, you try our world-famous white bean soup and also our ground beef and red beans skillet.

1 cup of cooked black beans provides 227kcal and 15g of fiber

3. Chickpeas, 12.5g fiber 

While hummus is the most obvious choice to prepare with chickpeas, adding it to stews or a pasta sauce with tomatoes is also a delicious way to enjoy it. 

Alternatively, you can buy chickpeas flour and make pancakes with it. 

1 cup cooked chickpeas provide 269kcal, 12.5g fiber

Vegetables

4. Avocado, 13.5g fiber 

Besides fiber, avocados have another significant benefit – their high-fat content. A 200-gram avocado has 30 grams of healthy fats essential to fuel your child’s growing brain and body. 

Avocados also contain essential nutrients like vitamins C, E, K, B2, B3, B5, B6, folate, potassium, copper, and others. 

They are great on toast with eggs, in guacamole, or mashed with a banana as a dessert for toddlers. 

1 avocado provides 322kcal, 13.5g fiber

5. Potatoes, 4.5g fiber 

High in vitamin C and potassium, the best thing about potatoes besides their fiber content is that most kids love them. 

They are also versatile. Whether baked, boiled, or fried (maybe just occasionally), make sure you don’t peel the skin to take advantage of the fiber content.

1 medium potato with skin provides 164kcal, 4.5g fiber

6. Sweet potato, 3.8g fiber 

Sweet potatoes can be great finger food for kids when baked into strips. Or you can serve them mashed to a puree. They are also an excellent addition to both savory and sweet muffins. 

When cooking sweet potatoes, don’t skip the fat, as it helps the body absorb beta-carotene. The same goes for the other orange foods on this list.

1 medium, boiled sweet potato without skin provides 115 kcal, 3.8g fiber

7. Green peas, 8.8g fiber 

Peas are a great source of vitamin A, iron, and protein. They are versatile and can be cooked in stews, soups, purees, dips, or fritters. Peas are a great finger food too!

1 cup cooked green peas provides 134kcal, 8.8g fiber

8. Cauliflower, 2.8g fiber 

Cauliflower cheese, anyone? This comforting meal will provide a good amount of fiber and protein for your child. 

You can also try cauliflower roasted or mashed together with potatoes and carrots.

9. Pumpkin, 2.7g fiber 

Pumpkin is great for pancakes, pies, and muffins but works equally well in a pasta sauce. Try this one, for example, and you’ll kid will love it.

1 cup cooked pumpkin provides 49 kcal, 2.7g of fiber

10. Broccoli, 2.4g fiber

This green vegetable is full of goodness. It’s high in vitamins C and K, iron, and potassium. 

Broccoli works great in a pasta sauce, in omelets and savory muffins, roasted with olive oil, lemon, and garlic, and served as a side. 

1 cup chopped broccoli provides 31kcal, 2.4g fiber

11. Zucchini, 2g fiber

Zucchini is one of the few vegetables besides carrots that could be added to cakes. Try making a zucchini bread that the whole family can enjoy. 

Zucchini is also lovely in soups, stews, purees, or omelets.

Did you know that some nutrients increase during the cooking process? For example, cooked zucchini contains much more vitamin A than raw, essential for healthy vision and the immune system.

1 medium zucchini provides 33kcal and 2g of fiber

12. Carrots, 2.0g fiber

Carrots are easy to include in your child’s meals; most little ones like them for their crunchiness and sweet flavor. They are also high in potassium, vitamin K, and beta-carotene. 

You can give your toddler carrot sticks to dip into their hummus or add carrots to pancakes, muffins, and savory dishes.

Just make sure not to give raw carrots to very young children, or if you do, slice them very thin. 1-year-olds and even 2-year-olds could find it hard to chew them properly because of their tough texture, so be careful.

1 raw carrot provides 30kcal, 2.0g fiber

13. Onion, 1.9g fiber

While you probably won’t give your little one an onion to chew on, most dishes can’t go without it. 

Onion contains a lot of soluble fibers called fructans. These act as prebiotics and feed the good bacteria in the gut. 

1 medium onion provides 44kcal and 1.9g of fiber

Adding these high-fiber foods to your kid’s diet will provide many benefits. Well worth it to check out our 15 Minutes Dinner ideas, that you can prepare with most of them.

14. Parsnips, 6.5g fiber 

This root vegetable looks similar to carrots, but its flavor and aroma are entirely different. 

It’s rich in vitamins C and K, folate, and antioxidants that protect from oxidative stress. 

Parsnips are great in a puree with potatoes and carrots or as an addition to soups and stews. They could also be roasted with other vegetables and served as a side dish.

1 cup raw slices provide 100kcal, 6.5g fiber

FRUITS

15. Cherries, 8.8g fiber 

You and your kid could enjoy cherries fresh as a standalone snack. They can also be added to a fruit salad, cakes, muffins, or smoothies.

The only downside of cherries is that you must remove the pits when serving them to toddlers.

1 cup cherries without pits has 97kcal, 3.2g fiber

16. Plums, 9.7g fiber 

Plums are a well know food for constipation relief, and this is no surprise since they contain almost 10 g of fiber per cup. 

They contain a good amount of vitamins and minerals and are easy to add to cakes, muffins, or your little one’s oatmeal for breakfast. 

1 cup plums provides 147kcal, 9.7g fiber

17. Pear, 5.5g fiber 

Pears are great to eat on their own or with yogurt, in cakes, and with porridge. However, if you pair them with other high-fiber foods like oats, you’ll quickly get to your child’s daily recommended amount.

1 medium pear provides 101kcal, 5.5g fiber

18. Apple, 5.4g fiber 

Apples contain a type of soluble fiber called pectin. Friendly bacteria in your little sunshine’s gut love and thrive on it. ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away,’ as they say, and it’s true.

Apples are a great snack. You could drizzle them with nut butter or pair them with whole nuts for older kids. They also work well in pancakes, cakes, porridge, and even salads.

1 large apple provides 116kcal and 5.4g of fiber

19. Banana, 3.1g fiber 

When we say ‘banana,’ you say ‘pancakes.’ Banana pancakes are a favorite of kids and parents alike because of their naturally sweet flavor. And they’re also really easy to make! 

Bananas contain a high amount of potassium and antioxidants. You can also make banana bread with them or add them to cookies and muffins. 

1 medium banana provides 105kcal, 3.1g fiber

20. Peaches, 2.6g fiber

Peaches are high in vitamin A and could be refreshing to eat in the summer heat. You can make a smoothie for your kid with peaches and yogurt, which will help with digestion and bowel movements.

1 peach provides 68kcal and 2.6g of fiber

Grains & Seeds

21. Quinoa, 5.2g fiber 

Besides a decent amount of fiber, quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids not produced in the human body. It’s cooked as a grain, but it’s a seed, so it’s gluten-free. 

Quinoa is an excellent substitute for rice, but it’s also delicious in patties or as a breakfast with fruit instead of oatmeal. 

1 cup of cooked quinoa provides 222kcal and 5.2g fiber

22. Oats, 8.2g fiber 

Oats are incredibly healthy and easy to serve to kids. Besides oatmeal and porridge, oats can be an excellent substitute for flour in kid-friendly pancake and cookie recipes. 

Oats are high in beta-glucan – a type of water-soluble fiber that provides excellent benefits for your immune system. 

1 cup regular oats provide 307kcal and 8.2g fiber

Free Printable High-Fiber Foods List and Chart

Download our free printable high-fiber foods list and chart below with a right click.

Make sure that you add these 22 high-fiber foods to your kid’s diet. This will make sure not only to resolve constipation issues, but also to strengthen their gut immunity. To make meal planning easier, be sure to check out our related post, 15-Minute Dinner Ideas.

And if you want more natural solutions: As a hobby herbalist, I’ve found that gut health and immune health are completely linked! If your child is sick often, don’t miss my guide: 12 Natural Ways to Help Your Child Stop Getting Sick: A Mom & Herbalist’s Guide.

Let me know, how these foods work for you!