Toddlers

Toddlers are at a stage where their bodies are in a rapid growth phase they are using plenty of energy to move about. This means that each mouthful of food that a toddler eats needs to have more calories and nutrients than that of an older child or adult. This coupled with the fact that toddler’s can’t eat large amounts in one go because of their small tummies means that the food you feed them is very important.

In order to get the energy they need you should make sure that your toddler eats more fat and less fibre than the rest of the family. Some tips on how to do this are

• use butter, margarine, and oils in cooking
• make sure you give them a mix of white and wholemeal/wholegrain breads and cereals. Wholegrain and high fibre breads can be too filling
• you can give your toddler small servings of cake and biscuits with fruit for pudding

Combining foods to get your toddler the right balance of nutrients

There are 5 main food groups which are

1. bread, cereals and potatoes

You should aim to serve at each meal and as some snacks. Give a mix of white and wholegrain varieties of breads and cereals.

2. fruit and vegetables

Give at each meal and aim for 5 toddler servings a day.

3. milk, cheese and yogurt

Give 3 times a day and remember that toddlers need less milk than babies under one year.

4. meat, fish and vegetarian alternatives e.g. eggs, pulses, lentils

Aim for 1-2 servings a day for non-vegetarians and 2-3 servings a day with a high vitamin C food for vegetarians.

5. foods high in fat and sugar

You can include these every day but not as a replacement to the other healthier food groups.

If you combine foods from the 5 food groups then your little one will get enough of the nutrients and energy they need. Don’t worry if your toddler eats better some days rather than others. Combining foods will mean that the nutrients are averaged out over the week and a healthy balance is achieved.

Foods to avoid for toddlers

• keep salty foods like crisps and other salty snacks to a minimum
• don’t give raw eggs and make sure that eggs are well cooked through
• don’t give toddlers whole or chopped nuts because of the risk of choking. You can crush or flake them
• do not give shark, swordfish and marlin because these fish contain relatively high levels of mercury
• avoid sugary, acidic drinks such as squashes and “fruit juice” drinks as these can cause tooth decay if they are guzzled between meals

Go to Weaning Babies