Feeding your baby and toddler
Feeding, 18-24 weeks
Babies grow at an incredible rate; sometimes up to three inches in a single month. But this growth rate slows down significantly by the time a baby reaches two, when it drops to between three and five inches in an entire year. Even though your child’s rate of growth has slowed, it doesn’t mean that good nutrition shouldn’t remain a top priority. Equally, try not to worry if your toddler doesn’t seem at all keen on eating on some days – a healthy toddler will never knowingly starve himself.
Feeding routine
From 24-36 months, your toddler will increasingly enjoy eating food that the rest of the family eats, and will be trying out a big range of new tastes and textures.
Depending on factors including age, size, and activity level, toddlers need around 1,000-1,400 calories a day. Provide as wide a variety of nutrients as possible in your child’s diet, and trust your own judgment and your toddler's cues to tell if he or she is satisfied and getting adequate nutrition.
Remember to give a mix of these sorts of food to your toddler every day:
• Milk and dairy products, which provide calories, protein, vitamins and minerals.
• Meat, fish, eggs, beans, peas and lentils, which are rich in nutrients such as protein, vitamins and minerals. You can give boys up to four portions of oily fish a week (such as mackerel, salmon and sardines), but it's best to give girls no more than two portions a week. This is because some fish can contain pollutants called dioxins and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). These can build up in the human body over a long period of time and could potentially interfere with the development of the baby if a girl gets pregnant in the future
• Bread, and other cereals such as rice, pasta and breakfast cereals, and potatoes, yams and sweet potatoes - these starchy foods provide calories, vitamins, minerals and fibre.
• Fresh fruit and vegetables - these contain Vitamin C, and other protective vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre.
Unless you are concerned that your toddler is putting on too much weight (in which case you should consult your GP), there is no need to limit a toddler’s food intake. Instead, manage her appetite effectively by keeping to structured meal and snack times: three meals a day and two-three healthy snacks. Children need to eat more regularly than adults, so there should be no more than three-four hours between each meal or snack.
Salt
There is no need to add salt to your toddler’s diet. Between the ages of one and three, children should have no more than 2g of salt a day. If you buy processed foods, even those aimed at children, remember to check the information given on the labels and choose those with lower salt levels.
Drinks
Do not give sweet drinks, such as cordial and fizzy drinks, as these can cause tooth decay. It is far better for your toddler to drink only milk and water.
Full-fat or semi-skimmed milk?
From two years old, you can start giving your toddler semi-skimmed milk. Fully skimmed milk isn't suitable as a main drink until they're five years old, because it doesn't contain enough calories for a growing child.
Picky eaters
Toddlers can be very picky eaters and may go on and off foods seemingly at whim. Try not to get exasperated if your toddler only wants to eat bananas or cereal all day. This is normal behaviour for toddlers. Keep presenting them with a wide range of healthy food choices and resist the urge to succumb to their entreaties for whatever foodstuff has become their favourite (although they can, of course, have it as an occasional treat).
The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.
Published July 2008
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Last Modified: 16/07/2008
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