Significance

• One-year-olds need a good diet to promote their overall physical health and nutrition. Kids need adequate nutrition to grow and to learn. The toddler years are important because they set the foundation for healthy food preferences in childhood and, later, adulthood. Babies should be allowed to try new things, so they can develop their own preferences, but they should not be trying unhealthy things.
  
  

Nutrition Requirements

• Breastfeeding should end when the baby is about 1 year old, according to the American Heart Association. A 1-year-old baby should have already been slowly introduced to some foods starting at about the age of 4 months to 6 months. A 1-year-old should get a fruit or vegetable in every meal, adding up to 1 c. of fruit per day and 3/4 c. of vegetables each day. One-year-olds should also get 2 c. of milk per day, preferably low fat, as well as 2 oz. of carbohydrates, preferably whole grains. One-year-olds need about 900 total calories each day.
  
  

Meals

• You can serve a 1-year-old regular meals--two to three per day--at the times you eat. But don't force the baby to eat if it is not hungry, and don't allow it to each too much when it is. If the baby isn't responding well to being fed, try letting him feed himself. Some babies don't like getting messy, so if they don't eat their messy foods like mashed potatoes, try wiping them off or getting a cleaner food like some whole grain bread.
  
  

Tips/Hints

• One of the most fun parts of feeding a 1-year-old is watching her react to new foods. Your baby might be especially pleased if he is allowed to try some of the foods the parent is eating. Babies might make faces at new foods, but even if they look completely disgusted, don't let them throw their vegetables on the floor. Babies have to get used the tastes of food and develop preferences for healthy eating. Some babies don't adjust well to the taste of cow's milk. Try mixing in some formula or breast milk at first to get them used to it.
  
  

Things to Avoid

• Avoid processed foods, bleached flour, high-calorie, high-fat and high-sugar foods. Avoid things a 1-year-old might choke on, such as gummy or stringy foods. Try to avoid inconsistent meal times, as well, since babies need to develop regular hunger patterns and eating behaviors in response to their hunger. It is good to feed the baby healthy proteins like fish, but avoid fried foods.