The ultimate guide to feeding your 1-3 year-old baby

At 1 year old, your child is learning to eat on her own. She can chew her food as well as you can, so she can eat the same foods as the rest of the family. At this age, breastmilk still provides important nutrition and protection against disease, but other foods become her main source of nutrition and energy. Feed her other foods first and then breastfeed after if she is still hungry. Your child can eat anything, so give her some of all the food your family eats and make every bite count. Each meal needs to be packed with nutritious food. Be sure she has a portion of animal foods (milk, dairy, eggs, meat, fish, and poultry) each day, plus legumes (like chickpeas, lentils, or peas) – or nuts, and orange or green vegetables and fruits. Add a little oil or fat to her food for energy.

Be sure your child’s snacks are healthy, such as fresh fruit. Avoid junk food and soft drinks. Factory-made snacks like crisps, cookies, cakes, soda, and candy are unhealthy. They have high amounts of sugar, salt, fat, and chemicals and take up space in your child’s stomach that should be filled with nutrition. At 1 year old, your child is learning to eat on her own. She can chew her food as well as you can, so she can eat the same foods as the rest of the family. At this age, breastmilk still provides important nutrition and protection against disease, but other foods become her main source of nutrition and energy. Feed her other foods first and then breastfeed after if she is still hungry.

What to feed your child

Your child can eat anything, so give her some of all the food your family eats and make every bite count. Each meal needs to be packed with nutritious food. Be sure she has a portion of animal foods (milk, dairy, eggs, meat, fish, and poultry) each day, plus legumes (like chickpeas, lentils, or peas) – or nuts, and orange or green vegetables and fruits. Add a little oil or fat to her food for energy. Be sure your child’s snacks are healthy, such as fresh fruit.

How much food and how often

Your child can take between three-quarters to one cup of food three to four times a day, plus one to two snacks between meals. If you are not breastfeeding, he will need to eat more often. At 1 year, about the time he’s starting to walk, your child’s feeding schedule should include four to five meals a day, plus two healthy snacks. Milk products are a very important part of your child’s diet give him one or two cups of milk a day.

Foods to avoid

Avoid junk food and soft drinks. Factory-made snacks like crisps, cookies, cakes, soda and candy are unhealthy. They have high amounts of sugar, salt, fat and chemicals, and take up space in your child’s stomach that should be filled with nutritious foods.

Mealtime tips

Having his own bowl of food will help your child learn to feed himself. Start as soon as he wants. Give him all the food he needs and plenty of time to eat. At first, he will be slow and messy. Help him so that he gets most of the food in his mouth (instead of on himself or the floor!). Encourage him to finish it and make sure he has had enough.  Give your child lots of love and encouragement to eat during meal times. Sit in front of him and make eye contact. Interact with your child, smile at him, talk to him, and praise him for eating. Make the meal a happy time!

Meal examples

Breakfast ideas for 1-3 year old baby

• Banana pancakes (mix 1 egg and 1 mashed banana together), yogurt
• Cottage cheese, blackberries, plain organic granola
• Scrambled eggs, strawberries, toast
• Whole wheat waffles, nut butter, grapes
• Hard-boiled egg, toasted with peanut butter + orange slices
• Oatmeal, toast, raspberries
• Avocado toast, strawberries, yogurt
• Overnight oats
• Mashed sweet potato over toast, berries.

Snack ideas for 1-3 year old baby

• Yogurt with bits of banana and strawberries
•  Hummus and whole wheat crackers
• Avocados and cheese
• Applesauce
• Banana slices
• Carrot slices and hummus
• Cottage cheese and orange slices
• Nut butter on toast
• Smoothies

Lunch meal ideas for 1-3 year old baby 

• Hard-boiled egg, steamed broccoli, toast with peanut butter
• Cheese, bean, chopped veggies and chicken quesadillas, orange slices
• Salmon puree with olive oil spread on toast, strawberries
• Zucchini bread, grapes, cheese cubes
• Steamed tilapia, cornbread, sweet potato
• Quiche with ham and veggies, cooked apples
• Toast with hummus, tomato soup, raspberries
• Veggie burger, potato, grapes
• Omelette with spinach, red bell peppers, feta cheese

Dinner meal ideas for 1-3 year old baby 

• Scrambled eggs in a whole wheat pita, berries, butternut squash
• Grilled cheese on whole wheat bread, yogurt with berries, steamed broccoli
• Meatballs, noodles, peas
• Salmon, brown rice, black beans, cucumbers
• Rice and beans, salsa, guac
• Spinach and cheese tortellini, grapes, steamed carrots
• Roasted chicken, sweet potatoes, green beans
• Turkey burger, corn, pears
• Baked potato with cheese, applesauce, avocado
• Hard-boiled egg, hummus, whole wheat pasta, peaches

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