nutrition - coles baby club

Toddlers are very active. Every day is a new adventure and their demand for energy needs to be fuelled by a healthy diet, rich in a wide variety of foods.

Toddlers are striving for independence and control. They have other things to do besides eat. Consequently their growth rate slows down and with this comes a decrease in appetite. In their second year of life they put on only 2kg as opposed to 7-8kg in their first year.

Introducing good eating habits at an early age is a vital step towards future good health. The wider the food choice, the better chance you have of providing the full range of protein, vitamins and minerals needed for healthy development.

The food your toddler needs

Toddlers need food from five food groups per day:

• bread and cereals, which includes pasta, rice, noodles and savoury biscuits
• fruits and vegetables, including juice
• milk and milk products, including yoghurt, custard and cheese
• meat and meat substitutes
• butter and margarine

Children need fats

Toddlers need a diet similar to the rest of the family, but with a few minor differences. Low-fat products are not suitable for children under five years (unless on doctor’s advice). Children need fats to give them energy and because they are often accompanied by other nutrients.

Whole milk, yoghurt and cheese, for example, in reasonable amounts, are excellent for their health.

Good sources of protein for growing children are:

• chicken
• fish
• lamb, beef and pork
• eggs
• cheese, milk, yoghurt
• legumes

Build your toddler’s meals around protein, and add vegetables and fruit. Save desserts for special occasions.

Fussy eaters

Toddlers need three meals a day, but they also need to snack between meals. As they are also busy exploring, food can be less important. They have also learnt to use the word ‘no’ and may refuse to eat for no apparent reason.

• Don’t worry about missed meals or fussy eating.
• Offer your toddler a range of nutritious foods and he will not starve.
• Check with your maternal or early childhood nurse or your doctor if you are concerned.

Helpful hints for fussy eaters.

• Make sure they get plenty of exercise and fresh air so they build up an appetite.
• Don’t expect them to eat if they are tired and cranky.
• Check that they are not filling up on ‘empty’ calories, such as cakes, lollies, sweet biscuits and soft or fruit juice drinks, so they genuinely don’t have room for healthy food.
• Don’t put too much focus on your child at mealtimes (kids quickly realise how much power they have over you).
• Try serving some different foods.
• Be flexible with food acceptance as toddlers are often afraid of new things.
• Avoid battles over food and meals.
• Don’t insist your child finishes everything on the plate.
• Don’t bribe your child to eat with sweets and lollies.
• Dessert should not be used as a reward.Try serving it with the rest of the food.
• Serve meals at a regular time.
• Let your toddler eat at his own pace.
• Serve small portions and bite-sized pieces. Portion size should be about a quarter the size of an adult portion.

Make the food easy for your toddler to eat

• Cut food into bite-sized pieces.
• Make some foods soft and moist.
• Serve foods near room temperature.
• Use ground meat instead of steak or chops.
• Use a child-sized spoon and fork with dull prongs.
• Seat your child at a comfortable height in a secure chair.

Food safety

Prevent choking by:

• slowly adding more difficult-to-chew foods
• avoiding foods that are hard to chew and/or swallow such as nuts, raw carrots, gum drops, jelly beans, and peanut butter (by itself)
• modifying high-risk foods: cut hotdogs in quarters, cut grapes in quarters, and cook carrots until soft
• always supervising your child when he is eating
• keeping your child seated while eating

What to drink

As well as milk, make sure that your toddler has water. Keep diluted juice to one cup a day; children quickly learn to ask for juice and may miss out on foods and water when thirsty.

Sharing with the family

As often as possible, let your toddler eat meals at the same time as the rest of the family. This lets him see that eating is a social part of life as well.

It can get pretty messy around that highchair, but it does help introduce ‘mealtime manners’ and make your child feel part of the family.