Toddler Nutrition

Your baby is now a toddler. Toddlers are little big kids. Children are much more active as toddlers than they were as infants. Toddlers burn more calories than infants do. They need more nutrition to keep growing strong and healthy. Here are five things you need to know about adequate nutrition for your toddler:

1. The types of foods that your infant ate were limited. A toddler can be introduced to a whole new array of types and textures of foods. Eggs and peanut containing foods are now okay. Harder to chew foods such as meats and fresh veggies can now be carefully introduced. Expanding your child’s diet expands your child’s nutrition intake.

2. Serving sizes, and feeding frequency need to increase for a toddler. Offer a little bit more of the foods that you serve. Make sure to include a healthy variety of foods with each meal. A toddler will also be hungry for solid foods more often. Offering snack a few times daily, between meals, will keep your toddlers tummy satisfied. Choose healthy snacks, as junk food offers substance, but no nutrition. Remember, a hungry toddler is cranky. Your toddler may let you know that they are hungry by putting their hands to their mouths, or going to the place where they eat repeatedly. If you think your child is hungry it is always a good idea to offer them something to eat. Doing so in moderation, with common sense and good food choices does not lead to obesity. Leaving your child hungry because it’s not mealtime is cruel.

3. All calories are not created equal. Neither are all foods. Every bite of food your toddler takes counts. Junk food will fill your child’s belly without providing nutrition. A handful of potato chips cannot offer the same nutrition that a baked potato can. Fruit flavored drinks do not give the same nutrition as natural fruit juice. When feeding your toddler it is very important to look at the labels. Compare labels. Cereal number one may be a name brand, but cereal number two may contain three times more calcium, iron, etc.

4. Don’t forget about the fluids! Part of the nutrition your child’s body needs comes from fluid intake. Kids need milk for calcium. They need water for nutrition absorption and hydration. Toddlers can receive a serving of fruit with a glass of natural fruit juice. Allow your child six to eight six ounce servings varied between milk, juice and water each day for optimum toddler nutrition.

5. Be creative when feeding your toddler. Combine a serving of fruit and a protein serving by serving your child apple slices with peanut butter. Make oatmeal with fresh berries or bananas. Serve cheesy vegetables, they’re sure to be eaten right up. Cut food into bit sized shapes, such as squares, rectangles or triangles. Make mealtime a safe, fun and nutritious learning experience!