Cow & Gate

Your rapidly growing and extremely active toddler needs around 3 times more calories and greater amounts of nutrients in each mouthful of food than you do. And, because his tummy is at least 5 times smaller than yours, he requires quite a different balanced diet than you do too! So don’t start restricting fat and calories too much just yet, as your toddler is not a mini adult!

As you toddler grows, milk plays less of a role in his diet, so other foods, such as cereal, vegetables, fruit, meat and poultry make up most of your toddler’s daily intake.

Make sure the snacks you give him are healthy and nutritious. Try to develop a daily routine of three small meals and two to three healthy snacks around your toddler’s daily routine. Some examples of healthy snacks include:

• Fresh and dried fruits eg apples, bananas, raisins etc.
• Raisin bread.
• Small sandwiches.
• Unsalted crackers.
• Scones.
• Slice of cheese.
• Yoghurt.

Your toddler generally eats when he’s hungry and will eat enough to maintain his energy levels. So let him decide when and how much he’ll eat, varying daily according to what he needs.

Avoiding salt in cooking and do not add salt at the table. Steer clear of packet soups, packet sauces, stock cubes and other processed foods as they often have a very high salt content. In fact, your baby should have less than one tenth of the salt most adults consume. That’s why we NEVER add salt to any of our baby foods.

Not necessarily. Picky eating is commonplace for toddlers. If your child is fussy, don’t despair, there are tips which should help you get through this difficult time. If you’re still worried about your son’s diet, contact your local public health nurse or ring us.

• Try to plan you menu, including the day’s snacks and drinks helps ensure your toddler gets varied and nutritious food.
• Let him join in basic food preparation, like making sandwiches or a salad. He is more likely to eat food that he has prepared himself
• Remember your toddler is a very good judge of his own energy needs and appetite. His food intake can vary daily according to those needs

In generations past, fitness came naturally to children. However today many children see physical activity as a formal scheduled event rather than a natural spontaneous part of everyday life. You can gently increase the odds of exercise becoming a life-long companion by doing the following:

• Limit Television viewing.
• Fit fitness in naturally by ensuring your child spends some time outdoors every day, playing football, running, playing catch etc.
• Set a “fit” example eg walk to the supermarket if you can rather than piling
  into the car.
• Encourage your daughter to walk when you’re on trip out (bring the buggy
  just in case).

Your toddler may not be the perfect gourmet diner yet, but he’ll love a night out on the town! Some tips which will make the experience enjoyable for everyone include:

• Bring along a good supply of drinks and snacks
• A good supply of babywipes and napkins in case of accidents!
• Make sure the restaurant is child friendly- friendly staff, priority seating where possible, speedy service, chairs to suit him, crayons and colouring pages, nice loos, lots of bustle – he needs entertainment!