Most parents want their children to grow up healthy and happy, and good nutrition can be the basis of a healthier, happier life. Your pediatrician will likely steer you through the specifics of your child's particular nutrition needs, but every parent should have an understanding of nutrition for early childhood.
Time Frame
Some elements of good nutrition depend on your child's age. Parents should avoid giving their children cow's milk, eggs, honey and citrus fruits before their first birthday. Children shouldn't eat peanuts or seafood until they are 2 or 3 years old. Most children need iron-fortified cereal until they're around 2 years old. Your pediatrician may also give you specific recommendations about introducing foods to your child.
Significance
Your child's food preferences are determined early in life, so exposing her to a variety of nutrient-rich foods during her infant and toddler years increases the likelihood that she'll develop a taste for healthy foods, according to the Nemours Foundation's website KidsHealth.org. A child's early eating habits can have a lifetime impact on her health and her weight, according to the American Dietetic Association, so promoting good nutrition habits for your child can have lifelong benefits.
Considerations
Because young children have small stomachs, it's important to make sure that they are eating food that packs a nutritional balance. Serve your child a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, dairy products and whole grains. Keep in mind that your child's diet should contain more fat than an adult's to fuel the rapid mental and physical development he's experiencing. Up to 50 percent of your child's daily calories can come from fat.
Misconceptions
Don't worry if your child eats triple helpings one week and barely picks at his food the next week. Because their growth is so dramatic during their early years of life, children's appetites can change from week to week. A loss of appetite doesn't always mean that something is wrong. If your child isn't hungry, offer him food, but don't force him to eat.
Expert Insight
Young children like to be independent, and letting them exercise their independence at mealtime and snack time is a good way to help them develop healthy nutrition habits. The Nemours Foundation recommends encouraging kids to try new foods by serving it as finger foods so that they can feed themselves. Just be ready to lend a helping hand if they become frustrated.
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