Tea Time: Toddler Nutrition
- Learning how to eat!
- mechanics of swallowing solid foods
- exposure to new tastes/textures all the time
- learning to self-feed with finger foods and then utensils
- experiencing food – using all the senses, not just taste
- appetite varies greatly day to day
- depends on growth spurts
- depends on whether they are focused on learning something else (how to walk)
- What to serve
- Don’t be afraid of flavor!
- Keep salt minimal
- kids will learn to like it, but it will not improve their acceptance of new foods
- Offer a variety of foods from all the food groups
- Limit liquids to water throughout the day, 1/2c or less of juice, and 2 cups of milk (whole milk for children 1-2 yo)
- transition to a cup or sippy cup around 1 year of age
- Potential allergens like peanuts (peanut flour?) should be introduced early (in infancy)
- Avoid choking hazards for toddlers
- whole grapes, popcorn, nuts, hot dogs, chunks of meat, hard cheese, raw vegetables, sticky candy
- Role of parents in feeding
- Decide what is being served and when (offering meals or snacks every 2-3 hours throughout the day)
- Also where – ideally meals and snacks are eaten at the table
- Encourage a healthy relationship with food
- Allow children to decide if or how much to eat
- serving sizes for toddlers are generally 1 tbsp per year for most foods
- Do not use food/drink to soothe
- Do not make certain foods (like dessert) contingent on how much dinner (or vegetables) have been eaten
- decide in advance if dessert will be served
- Keep mealtimes relaxed and low pressure
- Avoid offering substitutions when your toddler refuses to eat (this is normal)
- Keep offering foods many times, even if your toddler refuses to eat it
- 10-20 exposures may be needed before they even try a food
- It could take as many tries to decide if they like it
- Model healthy eating by eating together as a family and choosing a balance of whole foods most of the time
- Do not allow children to get up and down from the table during the meal
- Let them decide when they are done, but encourage staying at the table until everyone is finished
- Allow children to decide if or how much to eat
- Rely on child’s doctor to monitor growth for potential concerns