Your toddler's diet plays an important role in healthy growth and development. In the transition from infancy to the toddler stage, children are learning to feed themselves and often become more finicky eaters. Knowing how much and which foods your toddler needs can help you offer balanced meals and promote healthy eating habits.
Factors
The time between infancy and preschool age is considered a child's toddler stage. The toddler stage refers to children from 12 to 36 months of age, or roughly from the time children learn to walk until age 3. Proper nutrition during the toddler stage promotes healthy physical and cognitive growth and development.
Features
A healthy diet for toddlers includes meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, fruit, vegetables and grains such as cereal, rice, potatoes, bread and pasta, according to Healthy Children, a website driven by the American Academy of Pediatrics. At 12 months, a healthy diet should provide about 1,000 calories daily to support growth and energy needs, as well as provide balanced nutrition. By age 3, your toddler's calorie needs may be as high as 1,400 per day. Plan your toddler's menu to include three balanced meals and one to two healthy snacks. From 12 to 24 months, your toddler needs whole milk, which helps supply dietary fat important for healthy growth and brain development, according to the KidsHealth website.
Identification
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that breakfast for children 12 to 24 months old includes a 1/2-cup of milk, 1/4-cup of fruit or full-strength juice and a grain, such as half a slice of bread or 1/4-cup of cereal. Lunch and dinner serving suggestions include a 1/2-cup of milk, 1/4-cup of fruit and/or vegetables, one grain, half a slice of bread or a 1/4-cup of pasta or rice and 1 ounce of meat or meat alternative such as chicken, fish or cheese. One half-egg or a 1/4-cup of cooked dry beans or peas also qualifies as a meat alternative. A healthy snack includes any two of the following components: a 1/2-cup of milk, a 1/2-cup of fruit, juice or vegetable, one grain and/or 1/2 oz. of meat or meat alternative. After age 2, recommendations for serving sizes in meals increase to 3/4 cup of milk, a 1/2-cup of fruit or vegetables and up to 1.5 oz. of meat or meat alternative.
Considerations
Even if your toddler refuses to eat certain food groups or settles on one or two favorites, continue to offer balanced meals. Healthy Children recommends that you let your toddler make choices from the foods available to him, noting that eventually he will eat more variety on his own. Offer finger foods to encourage independent eating and cut up food into bite-size pieces.
Warning
Not all foods are appropriate for toddlers. Foods to exclude include raw carrots, nuts, whole grapes, marshmallows, raw celery, cherries with pits and peanut butter, Healthy Children advises. Hot dogs also pose a choking hazard and should not be served to toddlers, unless sliced lengthwise and across. Limit processed foods such as hot dogs and opt for healthier sources of protein.
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