How to Nourish Your One to Two-Year-Old

Children at this age are transitioning to a diet that is more like yours. Continue adding different tastes and textures. Food preferences are formed early in life, so start introducing healthy foods to your kid.

Serve foods that are rich in the nutrients toddlers need to develop healthy and strong because they have small stomachs. Cut back on sugar and useless calories. Give your kid no drinks with added sugar, including soda, juice, sports drinks, and flavored milk. Serve 100% fruit juice in cups, not bottles, and keep daily intake to no more than 4 ounces.

Around 15 to 18 months old, your child will start experimenting with self-feeding, first with their fingers and then with utensils. Give your child many opportunities to exercise these abilities, but offer assistance when they become frustrated. As your child's abilities advance, take a backseat and let them lead.

The table is one place to offer your toddler a sense of control because toddlers like to assert their independence. Serve a wide range of nutritious foods from all the food groups and let your kid choose which ones and how much to consume.

What Concerns Milk?

Milk is a crucial component of a toddler's nutrition because it contains calcium and vitamin D, both of which aid in the development of strong bones. Most young children under two should consume whole milk. Your doctor might advise switching to reduced fat (2%) milk if your toddler is overweight or if obesity, elevated cholesterol, or heart issues run in the family.

Choose unsweetened soy beverages fortified with calcium and vitamin D if your kid is unable to consume cow's milk. Almond, oat, rice, and coconut milk substitutes have less protein and might not be fortified.

Children at this age don't require formulas with extra sugars or special toddler milk. Toddlers can obtain all the nutrition they require by consuming a range of solid foods, as well as cow's milk or a fortified soy beverage.

You can transition to low-fat or nonfat milk once your child turns two.

The ideal period to switch to a cup is between 12 and 18 months of age. Instead of discontinuing bottles all at once, start by eliminating them from the mealtime feeding routine. After your kid has started the meal, provide whole milk in a cup.

Why is iron so crucial?

Red blood cells, which transport oxygen throughout the body, are made of iron. Low iron levels may cause anemia, learning and behavior issues, and growth difficulties (a low number of red blood cells).

Toddlers who are older than 12 months old may not consume enough iron-rich foods in their diets and may no longer sip iron-fortified formula.

Limit your child's daily milk consumption to 16–24 ounces (480–720 milliliters) to help avoid iron deficiency.
Make sure your kid consumes foods high in iron, such as meat, poultry, fish, beans, and iron-fortified foods.
Until your kid is consuming a variety of iron-rich foods, keep giving them iron-fortified cereal.

If your child consumes a lot of cow's milk, isn't receiving enough iron-rich foods, or if you're considering giving your child a multivitamin, talk to your doctor.

Which foods are to be avoided?

Give your kid a range of nutritious foods. When trying novel foods, be cautious of allergic reactions.

Between 12- and 24-month-old toddlers should abstain from:

foodstuffs with no-calorie sweeteners and additional sugars, such as sugar-sweetened and diet beverages
Sodium-rich meals
unpasteurized milk, yogurt, cheese, or liquid
foods like hot dogs, raw veggies, grapes, hard cheese, popcorn, and nuts that can induce choking

Always watch over your kid while they are eating. Ensure that your kid is upright in the high chair or another secure location.

What Should I Feed My Toddler?

Plan on eating three meals and two to three wholesome treats each day. But anticipate that your toddler may occasionally consume less or skip meals. Although many parents may find it difficult to accept this, children should be permitted to express their own feelings of hunger and fullness. When a toddler is full, they may push food away, shut their mouths or turn their heads away from food, make gestures with their hands or noises, or all of the above. A kid who is not hungry should not be forced to eat.

Consult your doctor if you have any concerns about the food and calorie intake of your kid.