What Should Your Toddler Eat?
Toddlers are in the awkward phase where they are weaning off mother's milk (hopefully) and becoming accustomed to solid food. It is important to introduce new foods at a rate and frequency that they can accept and handle. They are also learning how to eat and feed themselves on a somewhat independent level.
Toddlers typically require about 1400 calories at most per day, depending of course on their size, weight, and overall activity level. Milk is certainly a requirement, providing much needed vitamin D to help build strong bones. Whole milk is recommended in order to provide the necessary dietary fats required for normal growth and development of the brain.
Don't be surprised if your child initially rejects cow's milk; it may take some getting used to because it tastes quite different from breast milk. Consider mixing cow's milk with breast milk if your child is having trouble making the transition.
Resist the urge to panic if you feel like your child is not eating enough. Toddlers are notorious for finding other things to do than eat, but rest assured, no child is going to die of hunger of their own accord. They will eat when they get hungry, and often do a much better job than adults when it comes to stopping when they have had enough or begin to feel full.
If you cannot chain them down for regular meals, consider a series of smaller snacks throughout the day to balance out the dietary requirements. Toddlers typically do very well on a schedule of three meals and two or three snacks during the day, strategically placed mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and early evening.
Of course the best idea is to start out with the right kinds of foods. We've all seen toddlers running around Wal-Mart with baby bottles full of Pepsi or Mello Yello and the parents actually have the nerve to look surprised at their kids' behavior. You have this moment in your children's lives to make a positive initial impact before they develop their own mindsets on what food they will accept. Toddlers will usually accept what you give them, so make it right.
You'll want to make good use of breakfast cereals that are low in sugar, small slices or chunks of fresh fruit, whole grain crackers or muffins, and if they will take it, even cheese cut into bite sized pieces.
About that routine with snacks we mentioned earlier, develop one and stick to it. Kids are made comfortable with routine, and knowing what to expect will help them to be much more agreeable with you in many situations. It also allows children to recognize the feeling of being hungry every few hours, how to respond to hunger cues, and also when to stop eating in order to maintain an appropriate weight. Letting kids snack continuously throughout the day may blunt those hunger cues. As a result, the child never really stops eating and the end result may be overweight or obesity.
You can also allow your toddler to exercise some measure of independence by allowing them to make choices between foods at snack time. Offer them a number of options, and let them choose which ones they like or want to try, as well as how much they want to eat. Make it interesting, and of course give them some things that you know they like, but also try introducing something new every so often. The sooner your child becomes accustomed to trying new things, the better off you will be.
And despite what our parents told us, resist the urge to push your children to clean their plate. If the food is 70% gone and your child is full, pushing them to finish off the last 30% isn't necessarily a healthy option.
Work with your toddler early on to help create good, solid nutritional habits. By making good impressions early on, it will make life much easier for all involved later in their life.