0-5 Know How

At this age, your child is moving from his eating habits as an infant, towards a diet more like your own. He will continue to explore self-feeding, first with fingers and then with utensils at around 15 to 18 months of age. Give your child many opportunities to practice these skills, but lend a hand when frustrations arise. As skills develop, step back and let your little one learn to feed himself.

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Milk is an important part of a toddler's diet because it provides calcium and vitamin D, which help build strong bones. Most kids under the age of two should drink whole milk for the dietary fats needed for normal growth and brain development. If a toddler is at risk for becoming overweight or there is a family history of obesity, high cholesterol, or heart problems, doctors recommend switching to reduced fat milk. Talk with your doctor before doing so.

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When your child is two, you can make the switch to low fat milk.

 

A balanced diet for a one to two-year-old would consist of:

 

• Starchy foods x 5-a-day

½-1 slice of bread

1-2 rice cakes or oat cakes

3-5 tbsp breakfast cereal

1-3 tbsp mashed potato

2-4  tbsp cooked pasta/rice

2-4 potato wedges

½-1 scone

½-1 chapati

 

• Fruit & vegetables x 5-a-day

½-2 tbsp raisins

¼-1 banana

3-8 grapes

½-2 tbsp peas

½-2 tbsp broccoli

¼-½ medium apple

1-3 cherry tomatoes

2-6 vegetable sticks

1. tbsp canned fruit

 

• Dairy foods x 3-a-day

1 beaker of milk (100ml)

1 pot of yogurt (125ml)

1 cheese triangle

2-4  tbsp rice pudding

1-3 tbsp cheese sauce

2 small yogurt tubes

 

• Protein foods x 2-a-day

2-3 tbsp chickpeas, kidney beans, dhal, lentils or beans

2-4 tbsp cooked minced meat

1-2 fish fingers

2-3 tbsp baked beans

½-1 poached, boiled or fried egg

Peanut butter on bread or toast.