MyFeed Personalized Content
Toddlerhood
Article

PLAYING: How to provide a healthy toddler diet

Add this post to favorites

How to provide a healthy toddler diet

A healthy toddler diet now can set your little one up for a lifetime of healthy eating. Here are some nutrition building blocks for the best food for toddlers.

2 mins to read Jan 28, 2021

Tips

  • Avoid too much sugar, salt or saturated fats.
  • Offer a variety of foods, to train your toddler’s taste buds.
  • Aim for 2-3 portions of milk and dairy (or suitable plant-based substitutes) a day.
  • Aim for 5-7 portions of fruit and veg a day. They can be fresh, frozen, raw, cooked, canned, juiced or even dried.
  • Aim for 2-3 portions of lean meat for toddlers a day, or fish or vegetarian protein alternatives.
  • Aim for 3-4 portions of starchy carbohydrates a day. Keep the portions small as carbs can be very filling.
  • Remember that toddler-sized servings are much smaller than adults’. A serving of bread for a one to two-year-old is around half a slice, and a serving of meat is around 30g (1oz) — that’s about a third of your palm.
  • Give your toddler more food if he shows you that he’s hungry. Just don’t overload his plate with too much at the start.
  • Choose unsaturated fats from vegetable sources (e.g. rapeseed or olive oil) instead of foods deep-fried in trans or saturated fats, such as chicken nuggets or fries.
  • Serve in appropriate sizes and texture — whole carrots and whole grapes are potential choking hazards. Grapes should be cut up in half lengthwise, and carrots should be cooked soft and cut into bite-sized pieces.
  • Growing minds and bodies use up their reserves quickly. Keep your toddler topped up with 1-2 healthy snacks a day.
  • Aim for 6-8 drinks a day. Water and unflavored milk (or plant-based alternatives like soya or rice milk) are best. Avoid fizzy drinks and sugar-sweetened beverages.
  • Some health authorities recommend giving very young children and toddlers vitamin D supplements, as it can be difficult getting enough from sunlight and diet alone. Speak to your healthcare provider for advice.
  • If you think you’ve got a picky eater, read our checklist on how to help.

Join

MVP Logo

Here’s where you’ll find everything you need to make the best of those first 1,000 days of parenthood… TOGETHER.

  • icon paper

    Content for you

    Enjoy personalised content, parenting tips, latest product updates and promotions.

  • icon faq

    Tips & Advices

    Need nutritional advice? Speak to our nutrition experts.

  • icon box

    Free Samples

    Request a sample and try our products today!

  • icon calendar

    Tools

    Try our tailored practical tools to guide you through the parenting journey.

Search icon

Not quite what you're looking for?

Try out our new smart search engine