A diet excessively high in fibre may be too low in calories and may also interfere with the absorption of minerals. Fruits and vegetables can be introduced gradually in the first year of life provided they do not replace energy dense foods but compliment them. Infants are born with enough stored iron for four to six months. After that iron is more likely than any nutrient to be lacking in the infant s diet. During the latter half of infancy adequate vitamin D and calcium are also important for attainment of an optimal bone mass.
Good sources are butter, margarine, adequate exposure to sunlight and oily fish.
In case of doubt about vitamin D status supplements can be started from one month of age. Other vitamin supplements can be delayed till one year for bottle fed infants consuming at least 500ml of infant milk per day. Moderate salt intake by choosing low salt foods and avoiding addition of extra salt during food preparation should be ensured. Apart from meeting the nutritional requirements, emphasis should be placed on learning to enjoy food. Mealtime for them should be an interesting occasion, a time they look forward to.