Give your toddler the best start in life

A feature article by aregan, Mar 31, 2008         

As your baby becomes a toddler, they will gradually join in more and more with family meals. While there will be times when your child cannot quite cope with the food you’re eating and will need their own meal prepared for them, over time your child will gradually start to eat the same food as you. Full fat, whole pasteurised milk is highly recommended for your child to drink until the age of two and half. However, if your toddler’s eating patterns aren’t good and you feel that they may not be getting enough nutrients from other foods, experts recommend continuing the drinking of full fat milk until the age of five.

Encouraging your child to eat new foods is also important. By offering your toddler new food in small amounts, you will very quickly find out what they like and dislike. Most toddlers go through a “faddy” phase as well, only eating certain foods. However, with some gentle encouragement, your child will soon enjoy experimenting with new foods as well as continuing to love their favourites.

It is also important to remember that toddlers have far higher energy needs than adults and cannot go for long periods without food. They are growing at a rapid rate and using an incredible amount of energy moving around and exploring. Therefore, a small, healthy snack such as a sandwich, a drink of full fat milk or a high energy fruit like a banana, is perfect for keeping your child’s energy levels up between meals.

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