Food For Baby (12 - 24 Months)
WHAT TO FEED
- Fruits and veggies:
- Repeated exposure to fruits and vegetables early in life can help young children learn to like them. Offer a variety of types and different colors.
- Whole Grains:
- Try foods like whole wheat bread and pastas or brown rice, which are rich in fiber and other key nutrients.
- Healthy oils and fats:
- Healthy fats are important for brain development.
- Try deboned fish like salmon, tuna, or trout, or choose foods prepared with healthy oils, like olive, canola, corn, or sunflower oil.
- Milk:
- You can begin offering pasteurized whole milk after your child’s first birthday. Only offer plain milk with no added sugars.
- Water:
- Water is the best option to quench your child’s thirst.
WHAT TO LIMIT
- 100% fruit juice:
- Offer fresh fruit instead.
- If you decide to offer 100% fruit juice to your toddler, limit to no more than 4 ounces per day and offer it in a cup, not a bottle.
- Foods high in sodium:
- Your child’s taste preferences are still developing, and offering too many foods high in sodium – like packaged macaroni and cheese – at this age can teach them to prefer these foods for the rest of their lives.
WHAT TO AVOID
- Plant-based beverages:
- Rice, almond, and other plant-based milks are not recommended for your toddler.
- In the case of dairy allergies or intolerances, your pediatrician will work with you to find an alternative infant formula option.
- Sugary drinks:
- Avoid soft drinks, sports drinks, fruit drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened teas and flavored milks, like chocolate or strawberry, which contain added sugar.
- Added sugars:
- Added sugars are NOT recommended for children under two. Check nutrition labels to ensure no/zero added sugars are listed underneath “Total Sugars.”
- Trans fats:
- Foods high in trans fats – like French fries – are not recommended for young children.
