Glossary · Nutrients
Vitamin D (children)
A vitamin that helps the body use calcium. Skin makes it in sunlight and only a few foods carry it, so ask your pediatrician whether your child needs a vitamin D supplement.
Foods that bring vitamin D
Only a short list of foods carry vitamin D, so it helps to know them by heart:
- Oily fish like salmon and sardines, flaked with every bone removed.
- Eggs, cooked all the way through. The yolk is where the vitamin D sits.
- Mushrooms such as shiitake, cooked soft and chopped small.
- Foods with vitamin D added, such as many milks, yogurts and breakfast cereals.
Easy ways to fit it into the week
Pick one fish night a week and eat the same meal yourself. Don't worry if the first few tries come back untouched.
- Salmon mashed into sweet potato, or soft salmon cakes cut into strips.
- Scrambled egg or thin omelet strips at breakfast.
- Canned sardines mashed onto toast fingers.
- Mushrooms chopped into pasta sauce or an omelet.
Reading labels
When vitamin D is added to a food, the label says so in the nutrition panel or ingredient list. It varies by brand and by country, so two yogurts on the same shelf can differ. If your family uses a plant drink from around 12 months, look for an unsweetened one with added calcium and vitamin D.
Sunlight and supplements
Skin also makes vitamin D in sunlight, but little ones spend a lot of time in the shade, under sun hats and indoors, so the plate is the part you can plan. Because so few foods have it, many families also use a supplement. Ask your pediatrician whether your child needs a vitamin D supplement.
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References
Related terms
Miriel uses this concept across food scans, meal plans, and AI Coach responses where it is relevant to a child's profile. For the underlying clinical and scientific basis, see the research page.