According to Pediatric Clinics of North America, the most common nutritional deficiencies among school children include: calcium, fiber, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin D, and vitamin E.
The problem with nutritional deficiencies is that many can go unnoticed and overlooked since a child growing normally may not present with any symptoms from some of these deficiencies.
Some signs or symptoms of a poor diet to look out for, though, include: being underweight or overweight or obese, tooth decay, poor growth, paleness, lethargy, constipation or other changes in bowel movements, sleep problems, and poor concentration.
Here are some rich sources of each of these nutrients. Try to find some creative ways to incorporate them into your family's meals and snacks:s
Calcium - Dark leafy greens (kale, bok choy, mustard greens, turnip greens), broccoli, nuts, seeds, yogurt, tofu prepared with calcium sulfate, cottage cheese, milk, white beans, dried figs, orangess
Fiber - Legumes (Beans, split peas, lentils), cereal and whole grains ( all-bran cereal, oats, bulgur, quinoa, oat bran, long-grain brown rice), vegetables (squash, spinach, brussels sprouts, etc), fruits (plums, guava, pears, berries, etc) nuts and seeds (almonds, pistachios, pecans, etc)
Folate - lentils, chickpeas, asparagus, spinach, beans, whole grains, orange juices
Iron - beans, meat, greens, whole grainss
Magnesium - Brazil nuts, cashews, and other nuts, oat bran cereal, brown rice, spinach, avocado, beanss
Potassium - fruits and vegetables are the richest source. Nuts, seeds, and dairy are good sources. Potatoes, apricots, beet greens, plums, yogurt, beans, banana, spinachs
Vitamin E - olive oil, nuts and nut butters, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, avocado,
References
1. Suskind D. L. (2009). Nutritional deficiencies during normal growth. Pediatric clinics of North America, 56(5), 1035–1053. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcl.2009.07.004