Iron is important to make the red blood cells which carry oxygen round the body. If your toddler doesn’t get enough iron they can develop anaemia which can make them tired and sluggish and not able to concentrate.

There are 2 types of iron that you can get from the food your child eats

• iron from meat and oily fish which is well absorbed
• iron found in leafy green vegetables, grains, pulses and beans which is less well absorbed by the body

Vitamin C helps with the absorption of iron and if your toddler is vegetarian eating their meal with a glass of orange juice or followed by a vitamin C rich fruit like strawberries is a great way to help them increase iron intake. Fibre, calcium and the tannins in tea actually prevents iron absorption.

Try and give your toddler 1-2 servings of meat or fish a day, or 2-3 servings of egg, pulses and beans with a high vitamin C food if your child is vegetarian. Fortified breakfast cereals also contain iron but watch the amounts of added salt and sugar.