Nutrition for 1 to 2 year olds

Eating habits

From the age of one, your child should be eating and enjoying healthy meals and meal times with the rest of the family. Offer ‘family meals’ as often as possible. Most children do not need special foods. If you need to, just modify the texture of the food you are eating, e.g. cut up meats and serve small pasta pieces that are easy for your child to pick up. Parents often become concerned that their child is not eating enough and frustrated when everything they prepare is refused. Remember that children do not grow as quickly in their second year as they do in their first. This means their appetite will not be as big.

A toddler is also more capable of expressing likes and dislikes. You are responsible for what your child is offered to eat, when the food is offered and for making meal times pleasant. Your child is responsible for how much, or even whether, they eat. But remember, toddlers’ little stomachs need small amounts 5-6 times a day.

Planning meals from 12 months

How much food is eaten at this age varies from child to child and from day to day and is influenced by growth and activity levels. These serving sizes and amounts can be used as a guide to feeding your 1-2 year-old each day. Some serving sizes are different from those commonly used for adults.

Breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles

3 to 5 servings daily (one serving = 1 slice of bread, or 1/2 cup cereal, or 1/2 cup cooked

rice, pasta, noodles).

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Vegetables and legumes

3 to 5 servings daily (one serving = 1/4 cup).

Encourage your baby to taste and try a wide variety of both raw and cooked vegetables. This is important in helping your baby develop healthy eating habits. Fresh vegetables are best but frozen and canned are also good alternatives. Avoid hard vegetables such as raw carrot sticks, which could cause choking.

Fruit

1-2 servings daily (one serving = one piece – e.g. Small apple, banana, pear, stone fruit, etc. ).

Fresh fruit is best, but frozen, canned and dried are also good alternatives.

Milk, yogurt, cheese

3 servings daily (one serving = 1 cup of milk, 6 oz yogurt

or 1 oz cheese or cheese slice).

Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, legumes

2 servings daily (one serving = 1/2 cup meat, 1/2 cup kidney beans or other legume, 4 to 6 oz fish,1 egg, or 1 tablespoon peanut butter).

Red meat is an excellent source of iron. Try to include it often in lean cuts.

Nuts are not recommended for young children as they may cause choking. Use only smooth nut pastes.

Some points to remember

·         Choose foods low in salt.

·         Eat only moderate amounts of sugar and foods containing added sugar.

·         Care for your child’s food: Prepare and store it correctly.

·         Your child should also have plenty of opportunity to be active.

What to drink

·         Choose water as a drink. Fruit juice, cordials and soft drinks are not necessary.

·         Continue to breastfeed on demand for as long as you and your child would like. Breast milk still provides benefits into the second year of life.

How to help your child eat a nutritious, healthy diet

·         Plan regular meal and snack times – toddlers need structure, routines and limits.

·          Make meals and snacks look appealing e.g. include a range of colors and shapes. Food should also be easy to chew and handle.

·          Encourage your child to eat with you and your family. Children learn by imitating the people around them.

·         Do not force your child to eat. Respect that they may have certain likes and dislikes and give them some choice in selecting food, e.g. let them choose between two types of fruit or sandwich fillings.

·         Be consistent with how you handle food refusal.

·         Avoid substituting uneaten meals for other foods. ‘Treating’ your child with unhealthy food because you are worried they are not eating only makes them less likely to eat healthier foods.

·         Only buy and offer healthy foods.

·         Do not use food as a bribe for behavior.

·         Set aside 20-30 minutes for meal times and 10-12 minutes for snacks.

Your child’s healthy height and weight should be a guide to their diet. If you are concerned about your child’s diet, talk to your child health nurse or your doctor.