Top 16 Nutrient-Packed Porridge Recipes for Treating Rickets in Children

Snakehead Fish Porridge is highly nutritious, so parents should serve it to their children twice a day and continue for a month to see the best results. It’s important to serve it hot and avoid acidic drinks that could upset the child's stomach. This porridge is highly recommended by nutrition experts for children suffering from stunted growth to consume daily.

Ingredients:

• 2 snakehead fish (around 1 kg each)
• 200g lean shoulder meat
• 30g dried shrimp
• 30g dried vermicelli
• 100g wood ear mushrooms
• 2 duck eggs
• 350g rice
• 2 teaspoons chopped shallots
• 200g green onions
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 100g cilantro
• 1 teaspoon monosodium glutamate
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

Instructions:

• Clean the fish, cut along the backbone to remove the bones. Chop the lean meat, rinse the dried shrimp. Soak the vermicelli and wood ear mushrooms in water, then cut them into small pieces. Rinse the rice. Slice the ginger, chop the green onions and cilantro.
• Toast the rice until fragrant, then cook it with 2 liters of water and the sliced ginger. While the porridge is cooking, prepare the fish stuffing.
• In a bowl, mix the minced meat, vermicelli, mushrooms, and duck eggs. Add monosodium glutamate, sugar, fish sauce, pepper, and chopped shallots, then set aside to marinate for 15 minutes. Afterward, stuff the fish with the seasoned mixture. Use string to secure the fish and prevent the stuffing from spilling out.
• Once the porridge is boiling, add the dried shrimp and stuffed fish. Simmer on low heat. When the porridge is done, remove the fish, then add the green onions and cilantro. Season with salt and monosodium glutamate to taste. Serve in a bowl, garnished with fried shallots and ground pepper. For extra flavor, you can add a little more fish sauce.

Making shrimp porridge is quite simple. This dish has a pleasant aroma that stimulates children's appetite. For children with stunted growth, shrimp porridge provides essential nutrients for muscle development. Regular consumption of shrimp porridge can help your child grow taller and gain weight faster.

Ingredients:

• 150g white rice (1 cup)
• 150g glutinous rice (1 cup)
• 100g fresh shrimp
• 100g pumpkin
• 1/2 carrot
• 50g fresh lotus seeds
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

• Clean the shrimp by peeling, removing the black vein, rinse, and set aside to drain.
• Wash the pumpkin and carrot, peel, and cut into bite-sized pieces. Discard any damaged lotus seeds, remove the cores, rinse, and drain.
• Use the measuring cup that comes with the rice cooker, add 1 cup of white rice and 1 cup of glutinous rice to a bowl. Gently rinse the rice to remove any dust, husks, or impurities, then drain the water.
• Place the rice, pumpkin, carrot, lotus seeds, shrimp, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and 1 liter of water into the rice cooker. Set the porridge function for 22 minutes. The rice cooker will blend and cook everything for approximately 25 minutes until it's ready.

Pork Heart is a highly nutritious ingredient often used to prepare porridge for pregnant women, those recovering from illness, children with stunted growth, malnutrition, and the elderly. The calcium in pork heart may help reduce the risk of rickets in children. However, healthcare professionals recommend not consuming it more than twice a week as it can increase body fat, leading to obesity and respiratory issues.

Ingredients:

• 500g pork heart
• 200g white rice
• 30g shallots
• 30g green onions
• 50ml cooking oil
• 10g seasoning powder
• 10g salt
• 10g monosodium glutamate
• 10g black pepper
• 10ml fish sauce

Instructions:

• Wash the rice and soak it in water for 30 minutes to soften. If using whole pork hearts, cut them in half. Place them in a clean bowl, sprinkle with a little salt, then use your hands to thoroughly scrub every crease and corner of the pork heart. Rinse it 2-3 times to remove all salt. Clean the green onions and chop them finely. Cut the pork heart into thin, bite-sized pieces and marinate with 1 minced shallot, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, and mix well. Let it sit for 10 minutes to absorb the flavors.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat, then stir-fry the marinated pork heart until fully cooked.
• Prepare a pot with 1-1.5 liters of water, and add the soaked rice. Cook until the rice is soft and expanded. Add 50ml of water and cook until the porridge is tender. Season to taste, then turn off the heat. Stir occasionally while cooking to prevent the porridge from burning.

Frog leg porridge is a nutritious dish that many mothers prepare for their children to provide essential nutrients, help them grow taller and healthier, and effectively treat rickets. However, frog meat contains highly toxic substances in certain parts, which can be dangerous if not properly prepared. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase pre-processed frog meat to ensure safety for your child.

Ingredients:

• 20g frog legs
• 50g white rice
• 20g glutinous rice
• Some seasoning and cilantro

Instructions:

• Prepare the frog legs by cleaning and marinating them with shallots, pepper, and fish sauce.
• Lightly toast the white rice and glutinous rice in a hot pan, making sure not to let the rice turn color. Then, cook the rice to make porridge.
• Once the porridge is cooked, add the marinated frog legs and cook them together.
• Season the porridge to suit your child's taste, then let it come to a boil again before turning off the heat.

Frog porridge is a top choice for parents looking to help children with stunted growth. The tender frog meat has a delightful taste, often said to be even better than chicken, and is packed with vital nutrients.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of frog
• 300g rice
• 200g chicken mushroom
• 10 stalks of green onions
• Some cilantro
• 10 cloves of garlic
• 6 tablespoons of cooking oil
• Common seasonings: salt, MSG, seasoning powder, and pepper

Instructions:

• Clean the frog by washing it in salted water. Then, cut the frog in half. Mince the upper body, while keeping the legs intact for the porridge.
• Heat a pan and dry roast 300g of rice. Stir constantly as it turns slightly golden. Afterward, place the roasted rice in a pot with 2 liters of water. Cook for 20 minutes until the rice becomes soft and fully bloomed.
• Wash the chicken mushrooms and tear them into small pieces. Chop the cilantro and green onion stalks, while cutting the green onion heads into smaller sections. Mince the garlic cloves.
• In a bowl, combine the frog legs and minced frog meat with 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon of MSG, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix well and marinate for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Next, heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan. When hot, add half the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, then add the minced frog meat. Stir-fry for 3-5 minutes until the meat firms up. Repeat with the frog legs.
• Once the porridge has been cooking for 20 minutes and the rice is soft, add the sautéed frog meat and stir. In a separate pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté the chicken mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Add the sautéed mushrooms to the porridge. Continue cooking the porridge for another 5-7 minutes until all the flavors are blended. Finally, add the green onion sections and taste for seasoning before turning off the heat.

Field eel is a highly nutritious food that is even more beneficial than shrimp and fish. Using this rich source of nutrition, mothers can cook porridge for children with stunted growth to quickly improve their condition.

Ingredients:

• 500g field eel (2 eels)
• 1 bowl of rice (mix with a handful of glutinous rice for a softer and more fragrant porridge)

Instructions:

• Place the live eel in a pot with the lid slightly open and pour boiling water over it. Be cautious as the eel will wriggle and this could cause burns. Once the eel is dead, remove it, clean off the slime, cut off the head and remove the innards. Rub the eel's skin with lemon juice or vinegar to fully clean it, then rinse with water. Boil the eel in hot water until the meat is just cooked. To remove any fishy odor, you can add a slice of ginger or turmeric to the water. Once cooked, remove the eel, let it cool slightly, then shred the meat.
• Take the bones and head of the eel, add a pinch of salt, and simmer for 15-20 minutes to create a broth. Discard the bones and head once done.
• Rinse the rice, drain the water, then add it to the eel broth along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Simmer on low heat to cook the porridge. Stir continuously to prevent the porridge from burning at the bottom of the pot. In a separate pan, heat some oil and sauté chopped garlic until fragrant. Add the shredded eel meat and stir-fry with 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder, a little pepper, seasoning powder, and fish sauce to infuse the eel with flavor, then turn off the heat.
• Once the porridge is almost fully cooked, add the eel mixture to the pot, stir well, and season to taste for the child.

Job's Tears Porridge is a dish made from a variety of nutritious and refreshing ingredients, including Job's Tears (also known as coix seed), lotus seeds, red dates, and rock sugar. This porridge is known for its health benefits such as promoting good sleep, treating kidney issues, calming the mind, and strengthening the body, making it especially beneficial for children with stunted growth.

Ingredients:

• 50g Job's Tears
• 100g glutinous rice, 100g regular rice
• 50g lotus seeds
• 30g rock sugar

Instructions:

• Soak the lotus seeds in lemon water overnight, then rinse them, let them dry, and grind them into powder.
• Soak the glutinous rice and regular rice in warm water for about 3 hours, then cook them until soft.
• Grind the Job's Tears into a fine powder.
• Add all ingredients into the pot with the cooked rice and add water, then continue to simmer on low heat for another 30 minutes until all ingredients are fully cooked. After that, add the rock sugar, stir until dissolved, taste and adjust sweetness, then remove from heat and serve hot.

Oatmeal is made from whole grain oats, making it rich in fiber, which is beneficial for digestion. Oats are also high in calcium, iron, and sugars, which help strengthen bones, support muscle growth, and improve circulation for the child's body.

Ingredients:

• 50g rolled oats
• 100g pumpkin
• 50g minced meat
• 1 shallot
• 1 garlic clove

Instructions:

• Peel and finely chop the shallot and garlic. Peel and slice the pumpkin into thin pieces.
• Heat a little oil in a pan, then sauté the shallot and garlic until fragrant. Add the minced meat and stir-fry until it is cooked. Once the meat is browned, add some water, season with 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and add the pumpkin. Stir the pumpkin with the minced meat for 2 minutes.
• Add 100 ml of water and cook until the pumpkin is soft. Use a spoon to mash the pumpkin. Cover and let it boil, then add the oats and mix well, cooking for another 10 minutes. During this time, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Chicken meat is packed with Phosphorus and Calcium, which are great for enhancing the strength of teeth and bones. For a richer flavor, you can simmer chicken bones in the porridge to make the broth sweeter.

Ingredients:

• 100g rice
• 50g chicken breast
• 1 egg
• 5g dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 carrot
• 3 lettuce leaves
• 4 shallots

Instructions:

• Wash the rice thoroughly and soak it for around 30 minutes in water.
• Clean the chicken and cook it in 1 liter of water for 20 minutes. Add 2 crushed shallots, 2 teaspoons of seasoning powder, a pinch of pepper, and a splash of fish sauce to make the broth flavorful. Once the chicken is done, take it out, let it cool slightly, shred it, and set aside. Keep the broth for cooking the porridge.
• Soak the dried mushrooms in water to soften, remove the stems, and slice them thinly. Wash the lettuce leaves, soak them in saltwater for 5 minutes, and slice them into small strips. Clean and dice the carrot. Peel and slice the ginger thinly. Wash and chop the green onions, keeping the tops aside for garnishing, and finely chop the rest. Pick the perilla leaves, discard the stems, rinse, and cut them into strips.
• Pour the chicken broth into a rice cooker, add the soaked rice and a bit of oil, and cook until boiling. After about 20 minutes, once the porridge is cooked, add the carrots and shiitake mushrooms, and cook for another 15 minutes. Add the green onion tops for fragrance and season to taste.
• In a separate bowl, crack the egg, remove the yolk, and beat the egg whites and yolk together. Add ginger slices, perilla, chopped green onions, and pepper, and mix well.
• Scoop the hot porridge into a bowl. The heat will help cook the egg. Stir it well, then add the shredded chicken on top, sprinkle with a little pepper, and enjoy!

In addition to chicken porridge, mothers can also prepare pigeon porridge to provide more nutrition to children and prevent rickets. This dish is simple to make and is loved by many kids due to the sweet and fragrant taste of pigeon meat combined with mung beans.

Ingredients:

• 1 pigeon
• 50g mung beans
• 50g glutinous rice

Instructions:

• Clean the pigeon, separate the meat, and set the bones aside to prepare the broth.
• Marinate the pigeon meat with a bit of seasoning powder for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to absorb.
• Toast the rice in a pan on low heat, being careful not to let it change color.
• Wash the mung beans, soak them in water until they soften, then remove the skins, rinse again, and drain.
• Add the rice, mung beans, and pigeon meat to the broth, simmer on low heat until the porridge is fully cooked, then turn off the heat.

Chicken hearts have long been recognized as a highly nutritious food and are always included in the list of healthy dishes for children. Chicken heart porridge for babies is not only delicious and easy to eat, but it also provides valuable nutrients such as iron, zinc, B vitamins, calcium, and more, helping the child grow in both height and weight.

Ingredients:

• 35g of rice
• 30g of chicken hearts
• Half a carrot
• Herbs, seasonings

Instructions:

• Clean the chicken hearts, remove the membrane, rub with salt, rinse thoroughly, then chop finely.
• Wash the carrot and cut it into small pieces.
• Soak the rice for 30 minutes and then cook it into porridge. Once the porridge is cooked, add the chicken hearts and carrots, and continue simmering until soft.
• After the porridge is fully cooked, add some finely chopped herbs and season to taste. Serve while warm for your baby.

In ancient times, our ancestors used jujubes in cooking and as a medicinal ingredient due to their high nutritional value, which is excellent for health. The jujube porridge is not only simple and easy to make but also delicious and nutritious. A perfect alternative for your baby's breakfast, ensuring they receive all the necessary nutrients.

Ingredients:

• 80g rice flour
• 5 pitted jujubes
• 20g white sugar
• 10g Polygonum multiflorum
• 10g Achyranthes bidentata

Instructions:

• Soak the Polygonum multiflorum and Achyranthes bidentata in wine for 7 days, then dry and grind them into powder.
• Grind the rice into flour, remove the pits from the jujubes, crush them, and strain to extract 250ml of juice.
• Put the Polygonum multiflorum powder, Achyranthes bidentata powder, and rice flour into a pot. Cook on low heat, then add the sugar and stir until the porridge boils again. Let it cool and serve. Give your child a serving once a day on an empty stomach for 20-30 days.

Beef is a highly nutritious food, rich in protein and various essential nutrients for children's growth and development, such as iron, zinc, vitamins A, B6, B12, choline, selenium, and lipids. Therefore, beef porridge is often included in the diet for children suffering from rickets.

Ingredients:

• 200g beef fillet
• 100g potatoes
• 100g carrots
• 1/2 onion
• Tomato sauce
• Seasoning, pepper, cooking oil

Instructions:

• Cut the beef fillet into square pieces and marinate it with tomato sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper for 30 minutes.
• Dice the potatoes, carrots, and onion into bite-sized pieces.
• Heat some oil in a pan and sauté minced garlic, then add the marinated beef and stir-fry until it firms up.
• Add the diced vegetables and simmer until everything is tender.

Crabs are rich in calcium, which is essential for bone development, particularly in infants who are beginning solid foods. Choose healthy, large crabs, wash them thoroughly, then grind them in a blender. Strain to obtain the crab juice. Be sure to season the porridge to taste and serve while still warm to avoid a fishy taste. Regularly feeding crab porridge will provide your child with the necessary calcium to support bone and joint growth.

Ingredients:

• 1 carrot
• 1 sea crab
• 30g sweet corn
• 50g rice
• 1/2 ginger root
• Seasoning: Sugar, salt, cooking oil

Instructions:

• Thoroughly clean the crab, then boil it with a little salt and half a crushed ginger root to remove the fishy smell. Once the crab is cooked, remove the meat and set it aside. Peel the carrot, and separate the corn kernels. Chop or blend both ingredients.
• Next, wash the rice and cook it into porridge. When the porridge starts to boil, add the prepared carrot and cook on low heat until the porridge and carrot are soft. Add the crab meat, stir well, season to taste, and then turn off the heat.

Eggs are excellent for the health of children suffering from rickets, especially the egg yolk, which is rich in protein and calcium, aiding in muscle growth and height development. Parents can use the egg yolk to make porridge for their children. However, for egg porridge, it is advised to limit consumption to no more than three times a week to prevent bloating and indigestion.

Ingredients:

• 35g rice
• 30g carrot
• 1 egg
• 3ml cooking oil

Instructions:

• Peel and wash the carrot, then cut it into small pieces. Separate the egg whites and keep the yolk, whisking the yolk until smooth.
• Bring water to a boil, then add the carrot and cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Once the carrot is cooked, remove it, let it drain, and then blend it into a smooth puree.
• Add 35g of rice into 450ml of water and cook over medium heat for 15–20 minutes until the porridge is soft. Stir occasionally to prevent the porridge from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Once the porridge is soft, add the egg and stir well. Then, mix in the carrot puree and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
• Serve the porridge in a bowl, add 3ml of cooking oil, stir, and enjoy the fragrant, rich taste with a hint of sweetness from the carrot. The porridge tastes even better when served hot.

Pork cartilage offers a crispy texture and is packed with calcium. Mothers can use this ingredient to prepare a nourishing porridge that helps children gain weight effectively. With the right preparation, your little one will surely love this pork cartilage porridge and see noticeable weight gain.

Ingredients:

• 600g pork cartilage
• 400g pork bones (tail bones or your preferred type)
• 200g white rice (about 1 cup)
• 50g sticky rice (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/2 lemon
• 4 shallots
• 10 spring onions
• Common seasonings (salt, sugar, seasoning powder, pepper)

Instructions:

• Grill the shallots for about 5 minutes until they become fragrant and slightly charred. Then rinse them with clean water and peel off the outer layer. Trim the roots of the spring onions, wash them thoroughly, and blanch the green parts for about 1 minute, then set aside. Wash both white rice and sticky rice, saving the water used to rinse the rice. Drain the rice, add clean water, and soak for 1.5 hours. To remove any smell and clean the pork bones and cartilage, wash them in rice water, squeeze the juice of half a lemon over them, soak for 5 minutes, rinse them thoroughly 2-3 times, and let them drain.
• Place a pot on high heat, add 2 liters of water, pork cartilage, pork bones, and 4 grilled shallots. Bring to a boil for 15 minutes, removing any foam that rises to the surface.
• Once the broth is boiling, it should be clear with no foam. Cover the pot, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1.5 hours. After simmering, remove the pork cartilage, pork bones, and shallots from the pot. Add the soaked rice and simmer for another 2 hours.
• Season the porridge with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and 1/2 tablespoon of sugar. Stir gently for 15 minutes to create a smooth consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, then turn off the heat.