The Baby Guide: Nutrition for 1-Year-Olds
By: Snapi Health
Tags: Food, Parenting, Toddlers, Parenting Advice, Baby

Second year of life, here we come! Baby-stepping out of infancy and into toddlerhood, quite literally. Dozens of developmental skills happen in this stage, including feeding skills.

Photo by Rusty Watson on Unsplash

Self-feeding becomes an important developmental skill at this age. Toddlers are beginning to feel independent and enjoy exploration in life and in eating. Ellyn Satter’s Division of Responsibility (sDOR) encourages your leadership with the what, when, and where of meals, and to allow your child to decide how much and whether to eat what you provide. As you set the stage for a pleasant mealtime experience, consider some of these tips:

Have your child sit at the table for eating, and discourage walking or playing during mealtimes.

Use plates, cups, and utensils that are toddler-sized. Forks should have dull prongs.

Toddlers thrive in routines — offer meals and snacks at similar times every day.

Toddlers follow by example; model good manners and eating habits.

Distraction-free meal times help your child tune in to their satiety cues and interest in food.

Brace yourself for the unpredictability! A toddler’s appetite varies day to day with some days eating very little and other days asking for seconds.

Feeding and Nutrition for 1-Year-Olds

1-year-olds begin transitioning away from breast milk and formula, and into regular meals. However, they still only have their front teeth — molars and canines, their back teeth, start to come in after 12 months. Their ability to chew foods will change as they grow more teeth, so continue serving soft, easily mashed foods before then.

Some general feeding guidelines are:

Encourage finger feeding by serving your child softened and steamed foods, like soft meats or steamed vegetables.

Continue to introduce new foods to your child; if they say “no” on the first try, offer it again a few days or weeks later. Repeated exposure matters — it’s unlikely to be a “no” forever!

Toddlers are highly active and have small tummies, so to meet your child’s nutritional needs aim for 3 meals with snack times, or 6 small meals, per day.

Good dental hygiene is important in the toddler years — if you give a nighttime bottle, only put water in it. When a drink that contains sugar (including milk) is given at bedtime, the sugar stays on the teeth and leads to cavities.

If your toddler is not routinely exposed to sunlight, a vitamin D supplement might be necessary — talk with your pediatrician or Snapi Health dietitian.

Incorporating all of the food groups in your child’s diet helps to achieve recommended intake of vitamins and minerals. Recommendations for children 1–2 years old by food group:

Fruits include whole fruit and 100% fruit juice. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, fruits can be served whole, pureed, mashed, or cut up. Fruit juices should be diluted with water if given in a bottle or sippy cup, though [the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends](https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2017/05/18/peds.2017-0967#:~:text=The intake of juice should,of fruit servings per day.) a maximum of 4 oz/day of 100% fruit juice, and avoiding juices with added sugars.

include whole fruit and 100% fruit juice. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, fruits can be served whole, pureed, mashed, or cut up. Fruit juices should be diluted with water if given in a bottle or sippy cup, though [the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends](https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2017/05/18/peds.2017-0967#:~:text=The intake of juice should,of fruit servings per day.) a maximum of 4 oz/day of 100% fruit juice, and avoiding juices with added sugars. Vegetables are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and can be given steamed, pureed, or cut up. Offer a variety of vegetables including dark green, red, orange, and legumes (peas, lentils, and beans).

are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and can be given steamed, pureed, or cut up. Offer a variety of vegetables including dark green, red, orange, and legumes (peas, lentils, and beans). Grains come as both refined and whole grains. The Dietary Guidelines recommend that at least half of your child’s grains be whole grains — loaded with fiber to keep your child fuller longer and help their digestion. White bread/crackers, white rice, pasta, and many cereals are examples of refined grains; oats, whole wheat (breads, pastas, crackers, cereals), brown rice, and quinoa are examples of whole grains.

come as both refined and whole grains. The Dietary Guidelines recommend that at least half of your child’s grains be whole grains — loaded with fiber to keep your child fuller longer and help their digestion. White bread/crackers, white rice, pasta, and many cereals are examples of refined grains; oats, whole wheat (breads, pastas, crackers, cereals), brown rice, and quinoa are examples of whole grains. Dairy products are rich in calcium and include milk, cheese, and yogurt. 16–24 oz (2–3 cups) of milk per day is recommended for toddlers. Whole milk that is pasteurized, unflavored, and fortified with vitamin D is best. Full-fat dairy products are good for this age group to help with their brain and nerve development.

products are rich in calcium and include milk, cheese, and yogurt. 16–24 oz (2–3 cups) of milk per day is recommended for toddlers. Whole milk that is pasteurized, unflavored, and fortified with vitamin D is best. Full-fat dairy products are good for this age group to help with their brain and nerve development. Protein is the building block for much of your child’s growth. Good protein sources include meat, fish, eggs, peanut butter, tofu, and beans. Many of these foods need to be cut up, softened, or thinned out for your toddler. Grinding up meat such as beef and mixing it with a sauce or gravy can help with both the zinc and iron intake, and may improve your child’s acceptance of it.

Prevent choking

Choking on food is a scary thing to happen to toddlers. A child who is choking may not be able to make noise, so it’s important to always supervise meal and snack times, and be alert if the child is eating in the car. We also recommend that caregivers discourage eating while walking or playing, and encourage toddlers to chew and swallow their food before talking. Some more tips to reduce the risk of choking are:

Cut foods into small, chewable pieces

Cook or steam hard veggies like carrots

Never offer nuts, seeds, gum, marshmallows, popcorn, or hard candies

Only give peanut butter spread thinly; do not offer chunks of peanut butter

Quarter whole grapes and cherry tomatoes to make them safe to eat

There’s more where that came from…

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About the Author

Allisyn Berg is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) who is passionate about sharing credible, science-backed information. She has a special interest in pediatric nutrition & development, and any food involving avocados.

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