Toddler Nutrition
As babies grow up, become toddlers and graduate to "real" food, feeding becomes an infinitely more complex and tricky business. Children at this age have a tendency to become picky eaters. Suddenly they learn to verbalize likes and dislikes, which adds yet another dimension to feeding them right. In general, experts say, toddlers need the same kinds of foods as adults do, with nutrients from all the major food groups. Several of the links below have sample menus describing what a nutritionally well balanced day in the life of a toddler might look like.
Regular meals interspersed with healthy snacks is the general recommendation. However Dr. Sears's advice is to not sweat it if your child won't eat a particular food; there are likely other options that will provide similar nutrients and most fussiness passes with time. Just focus on presenting nutritious foods in a toddler-friendly way. Other expert tips for establishing good eating habits include setting a good example through healthy eating, sitting down to eat as a family, encouraging, but not forcing, your child to try a variety of foods, and trying to limit distractions such as toys or TV at the table.
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