First Year
Introducing Cow's Milk
After 9-12 months, you can introduce your toddler to whole milk. Your toddler requires approximately 500 mL (16 fl oz) of whole milk a day to help provide the calcium and vitamin D he needs for his growing bones. Can be divided into 125 mL (4 fl oz) servings. Your toddler should be eating a variety of nutritious foods in addition to milk, in order to meet his changing dietary needs, as milk is low in iron and other key nutrients needed for normal healthy growth and development.
In addition to milk, you can also offer your toddler 100% pasteurized fruit juice in limited quantitites. It is recommended to not serve more than 120 - 180 mL (4 - 6 fl oz) of juice per day. Of course, water is also an excellent option.
You can also include a nutritious supplement, such as Enfagrow A+®, to your toddler's diet until he is eating a variety of healthy foods to meet his nutritional needs.
Introducing Flavours and Textures
At this stage, when your child is experiencing a heightened curiousity about the world around him, it is ideal to introduce a wide variety of new foods.
Pureed baby foods are nutritious and delicious. And now, the addition of solid foods means learning how to chew and swallow. From ages 1-2, your child should get most of her calories from solid foods. Small portions are a must, starting with one to two tablespoonfuls of each food. Be sure to vary her choices from the different food groups, keeping in mind that toddlers need more fat and less fibre than adults do.
Second Year
In general, children up to 24 months should drink whole milk to help provide the dietary fat they need for normal growth and brain development. After age 2, most children can switch to lower fat milk. Your doctor will help you decide which type of milk to serve your toddler.
Whole milk doesn't have as much iron as formula. Ask your doctor if your toddler would benefit from a nutritional supplement such as Enfagrow A+.
Make Mealtime Fun
Mealtime at this age can be a fun, rewarding and delightfully messy experience. It can also lay the groundwork for tastes that can last a lifetime. Engage with your child and enjoy—offer fun and healthy options. Instill a love for fruits and vegetables. This may take time, but it is definitely worth the investment. Research shows that kids may need to be offered a food as often as twelve times before they accept it. Try to associate new foods with old favourites. If she likes mashed sweet potatoes, she may also like mashed potatoes and carrots. And mix things up. You'd get bored eating the same thing day after day too.
