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 verbalise 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.
Children, Youth And Women’s Health
“Feeding Toddlers”
“Feeding toddlers and preschoolers can sometimes be a problem for parents. Food and eating is often something toddlers want to be in control of. Toddlers’ appetites naturally decrease during the second year of life. They are not growing as much and they don’t need as much to eat. At the same time they are learning to try different foods, some of which they might not like.” …read the full article
Raising Children Network
“Family Meals: A Time For Toddlers”
“Family meals also help teach toddlers about food. They may prefer to stick with a rather narrow array of favourite dishes for a while, but they will observe that there are many other types of interesting-looking foods in the world and might even venture to try a bite of something that obviously is pleasing their parents and older siblings. Helping to prepare meals also makes toddlers more willing to try different foods, so when possible, give your toddler simple tasks like tossing the salad or adding raisins or water to muffin batter.” …read the full article
Children’s Hospital Westmead
“Healthy Eating For Toddlers”
“As a parent or carer, you are responsible for WHAT they eat. Your toddler however has an inborn ability to determine whether they are hungry and hence they should decide HOW MUCH or WHETHER they should eat at all.” …read the full article
Dr. Sears
“Feeding Toddlers: 17 Tips for Pleasing the Picky Eater”
“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
BabyCentre Australia
“How To Cope With Toddler Feeding Patterns”
“Develop a daily routine of three meals and two to three snacks around your toddler’s daytime sleep pattern and try to stick to it. Toddlers thrive on routine and knowing what to expect.” …read the full article
