Developing Healthy Eating Habits

As your child grows older, you will begin to notice a big difference in your child’s eating habits. At this age, it is common for children to begin eating less, while becoming selective about what they eat. At the same time, your child’s motor skills will be improving in leaps and bounds as they sleep less and play more. At your child’s age, you should continue to encourage healthy eating habits, while providing a consistent, balanced diet for your child. 

Sometimes, your child may be distracted by the world around them. This means that instead of eating in a baby chair, your child will be more interested in crawling around or looking for new toys to touch and play with. When your child is finally ready to eat, you may find that they are picky about the food they eat. However, you can encourage your child to eat healthily by serving a variety of healthy snacks added to their normal diet. For example, mix in finely grated vegetables such as carrots into your child’s infant cereal or add fruits for interesting colours that will get your child’s attention. As they get used to these small changes in their diet, they’ll be used to you encouraging healthy eating habits. To get creative in the kitchen, you can even bake your infant cereal into healthy cookies that your child can nibble on. Another great way to get your child eating is to have them join you at the dining table. As they get more active, your child may begin to adapt to your eating schedule and develop healthy eating habits.

To ensure that big nutrition is absorbed by your child’s small tummies, you can try CERELAC^® Infant Cereals for 12 months which is specially formulated using CHE (Cereals Hydrolysed Enzymatically) technology. This ensures that carbohydrates such as rice or wheat are broken down to smaller components for ease of digestion. They are also developed with B.lactis probiotics which help improve beneficial intestinal microflora in your child’s digestive system and reduce the incidence of diarrhoea. CERELAC^® for 12 months contains multigrains with increased taste and texture to help encourage your child’s palate for a wider variety of flavours. 

While you may see a change in your child’s healthy eating habits, it shouldn’t be anything to be overly concerned about. Continue feeding your child with a balanced diet of different foods, and your child will do fine. If you notice any strange behaviours or patterns from your child, it is best to consult your usual paediatrician. 

Growing up with your child is a journey that is adventurous and memorable in every way. For more information on your child’s development, visit our section on Weaning. Try one of our delicious and nutritious balanced meals in the Recipe Section, these are sure to be a delight for your child.