TODDLERS

A toddler is a child anywhere between one and three years of age. When a child becomes a toddler, his growth rate becomes significantly slowed and ensuring that the child is eating all the essential nutrients becomes much more difficult. Toddlers are resistant to change, making this transition period to more solids is very arduous for parents. 

Many nutritionists argue that this stage of development is crucial to nutrition throughout the entire span of life. At this stage, iron, calcium, vitamin A, C and D are especially important. Toddlers are very sensitive to the amount of vitamins being consumed. For example, toddlers need to receive at least 15 milligrams of iron a day in their food, but many fail to do so. Drinking large quantities of milk may lead to iron deficiency anemia, as the child will be less interested in other foods, some of which are potential sources of iron.

At 1 year of age, a child should be consuming a wide variety of foods. As he moves through the second year of life, he should be eating 3 meals daily, along with 1 to 2 snacks, prepared and served at regular times. 

The serving size for toddlers is 25% of that of adults.

The best snack choices include fresh fruits, dried fruits, vegetables, dairy products, breads/ cereals, and proteins, like peanut butter. It is important at this stage to make sure, however, that your toddler is not over-snacking, because at this age grazing can cause aversion to scheduled meal times that create a more balanced digestive system.