Healthy diets for kids ages 1 to 4 are important for growth and development and involve much of the same types of foods that adults consume but in smaller kid-sized portions. They should be seasoned lightly, as toddlers have strong taste buds. Toddlers ages 1 to 4 are growing rapidly, at a pace of 2½ inches a year. What and how they eat now sets them up for a lifetime of success.
Features
The U.S. Department of Agriculture created a food pyramid for children ages 2 to 6. The daily recommendation is: 5 oz. of protein; six servings of grains, which is 3 cups of a cooked grain or six slices of bread; two servings of dairy, which equals 1 oz. of cheese and an 8-oz. glass of milk; five servings of fruit and vegetables, which is 1½ cups of cooked vegetables, a 6-oz. glass of juice and a piece of fruit.
One-year-old children should also follow the guidance of the food pyramid. The recommendation for them is four to six small meals a day. New foods should be introduced one at a time to rule out any allergies. Children over the age of 1 can switch from formula or breast milk to regular milk.
Professional Insight
Pediatricians recommend feeding your kids three meals and two snacks a day to keep blood sugar balanced. Milk should be limited to 16 to 24 oz., and juice should be limited to 4 to 6 oz.
Children ages 3 and 4 can begin drinking low-fat milk if calories and fat consumption are a concern. Pediatricians also recommend that children ages 1 to 4 have a variety of foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.
Calories and Activity
According to the Baylor College of Medicine, if you have a moderately active young boy who weighs 25 lbs. and is 30 inches tall, he should consume about 1,140 calories a day. This boy is active for about an hour every day. If he is active for more than an hour a day, he should have up to 1,300 calories. If his activity level is under an hour every day, his calories should be closer to 1,000.
Considerations
Teaching children nutrition at the young ages of 1 to 4 forms a foundation of healthy habits that will foster a healthy diet throughout life. Children, like adults, need to watch their intake of saturated fat, sodium and sugar found in processed foods and have regular exercise as part of their daily lives
Toddlers are picky eaters more often than not. But power struggles at the table do more harm then good. Remain patient and reintroduce the items until she grows to appreciate them, the KidsHealth website advises. Always offer new foods as opposed to continuing to serve the same chicken nuggets you know she will eat.
Warnings
Children ages 1 to 4 are growing rapidly and should be fed whole milk, as opposed to low-fat or fat-free milk. If your child is on a nondairy diet, make sure you are giving him milk with a higher fat content such as coconut or soy milk, as opposed to rice or low-fat alternatives. Children under 3 should not be given foods that are potential choking hazards, such as nuts, grapes, uncooked carrots, tough meats and hard candies. Seventy percent of the diet should be healthy fruits, vegetables, proteins and grains, with the balance being fats, oils or sweets.
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