Toddler Nutrition
How can I make sure my picky eater still eats nourishing food?
by the Babble Staff
December 11, 2006
Toddler Nutrition
THE BABBLE TAKE
As babies grow up, become toddlers and graduate to "real" food, feeding becomes an infinitely more complex and tricky business. Children at this age have a tendency to become picky eaters. Suddenly they learn to verbalize likes and dislikes, which adds yet another dimension to feeding them right. In general, experts say, toddlers need the same kinds of foods as adults do, with nutrients from all the major food groups. Several of the links below have sample menus describing what a nutritionally well balanced day in the life of a toddler might look like. Regular meals interspersed with healthy snacks is the general recommendation. However Dr. Sears's advice is to not sweat it if your child won't eat a particular food; there are likely other options that will provide similar nutrients and most fussiness passes with time. Just focus on presenting nutritious foods in a toddler-friendly way. Other expert tips for establishing good eating habits include setting a good example through healthy eating, sitting down to eat as a family, encouraging, but not forcing, your child to try a variety of foods, and trying to limit distractions such as toys or TV at the table.
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Urban Baby
"I have a 13-month-old who is not a very picky eater (except she does not seem to like tomato-based things right now). I'd like a sample of a nutritionally balanced diet for her. Could you suggest a meal plan — breakfast/lunch/dinner/ and snacks? Thanks." ...read the full article
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American Baby
"Feeding a tiny child is not as easy as you might think. But take heart! There are definitely ways to ensure your tot is getting the nutrition he needs. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), toddlers need at least 1,000 calories a day to meet their nutritional needs for growth and energy. The best way to provide your child with these much needed calories is to give her three meals and two snacks a day." ...read the full article
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Baby Zone
"Children are introduced to solid foods at about six months old, and in the following 18 months will learn plenty about what they eat. First it is just swallowing solid foods, then lumps, picking up pieces, chewing (or gumming), and much more. It takes a great amount of coordination, muscle development, and motor skills for your little one to master these tasks." ...read the full article
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Dr. Sears
"Being a picky eater is part of what it means to be a toddler. We have since learned that there are developmental reasons why kids between one and three years of age peck and poke at their food. After a year of rapid growth (the average one-year-old has tripled her birth weight), toddlers gain weight more slowly. So, of course, they need less food." ...read the full article
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Keep Kids Healthy
"Your baby's diet will begin to resemble that of the rest of the families, with 3 meals and 2 snacks each day. [...] Your child should want to feed himself with his fingers and a spoon or fork and should be able to drink out of a cup. He should have given up the bottle by now. Remember that your baby's appetite may decrease and become pickier over the next few years as his growth rate slows. Your baby should also have given up middle of the night feedings by this age." ...read the full article
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