Your 1 year old will typically be eating close to the same foods as the rest of the family. However, she probably won't want to eat the same amount of food as she did before she turned 1 since she won't be growing as fast. Many 1 year olds are also quite picky when it comes to what they eat, so it can be hard to figure out just what and how much to feed them.
Types
By the time your baby turns 1 year old, he can eat all of the foods that the rest of the family eats, except for small, round foods that are choking hazards. You can now offer him cow's milk, honey, citrus fruits and whole eggs. He should eat servings from the dairy, meat, fruit and vegetable, and grains food groups, though he doesn't need to eat foods from all of these groups at every single meal, according to KidsGrowth.com.
Amounts
Your 1 year old should eat six servings from the dairy group, four servings from the grains group, four servings of fruits and vegetables, and two servings of protein each day, according to Colorado's Tri-County Health Department. This should be divided into approximately three meals and two to three snacks each day since kids this age have small stomachs.
Considerations
Make sure your child gets enough iron by feeding her plenty of iron-rich foods and limiting milk to about 24 oz. per day. Milk is low in iron and drinking too much will fill up a child so she won't get enough of the iron-rich food that she needs. Cheese, yogurt and other calcium sources can make up some of the recommended dairy servings.
One-year-old children should be given whole milk unless their body mass index is 95 percent or over since this provides necessary fat for brain development and a concentration of vitamins and minerals that is easier to digest, according to What to Expect.com.
Potential
Don't be surprised if she skips some meals or only eats certain parts of meals. Toddlers shouldn't be forced to eat if they are not hungry, according to KidsHealth.com. Offer her snacks and meals on a regular schedule and let her choose the amount she eats based on her hunger.
Expert Insight
Snacks are important because young children don't have the stomach capacity to get all the necessary nutrients in just three meals. The Tri-County Health Department recommends offering small servings of foods to 1 year olds and letting them refuse what they do not want and request more of the foods that they want. However, limit foods high in sugar, salt and fat.
