Balanced Diet for a Year-Old Baby

Milk

• Once parents wean their one-year-old from formula or breast milk they will want to ensure their child gets enough milk. As of 2009, the type of milk offered to a toddler depends on the child's position on the weight growth percentile charts and his family's genetic tendencies toward obesity and heart disease.

  If, at the one-year well check, the doctor confirms the child is under the 85th percentile in weight and there is not a high risk in obesity or heart disease, then whole milk is encouraged. If however, the child is above the 95th percentile and/or has high risk in their family tree, then reduced-fat milk is encouraged.

  When a child is between the 85th and 95th percentile it is recommended to discuss the decision with a physician.

  Authors of "What To Expect the Toddler Years" encourage parents to start each day with sippy cups filled with a total of three cups of milk. At the end of the day, if the three cups of milk are not gone then a parent can substitute the dairy requirements with yogurt, cottage cheese or other healthy dairy options.

Vegetables

• Vegetables do not have to be a source of stress for parents. Dr. William Sears reminds parents that a vegetable serving for a one-year-old is 1 tbsp. The recommendation is between three and five servings of vegetables a day and can be done creatively.

  Grated zucchini or carrots can be concealed in a variety of sauces for pastas. Offer dips of all kinds to encourage the child to enjoy vegetables as finger food. Vegetable faces on pizzas or interspersed between meat on a kabob can entice finicky eaters. And when all else fails, remember that a child may eat 6 tbsp. of vegetables on one day and none the next.

  Since toddlers eat in spurts, do not fret over each day's tally of foods; rather, take a weekly analysis of diet.

New Foods

• Since honey is now allowed into the one-year-old's diet, smoothies can be a great way to incorporate a child's fruit and protein servings into the day. Wheat germ, yogurt, honey, fruit, and milk provide nutrient-filled calories for smoothies.

  Eggs can be explored, whether scrambled or served hard-boiled as a snack.

Bite-Sized Portions

• The biggest challenge for a parent of a new toddler is adjusting to the mini-sized portions. Tendencies to filling a plate of food will only result in arguments or an over-eater.

  In the beginning of the new exploration into all foods, measure out the tablespoons of vegetables to get an idea of what that amount feels and looks like. A new toddler will only have to eat two servings of meat a day weighing in at 1 to 2 oz. a piece. Measure and study servings guidelines on the back of food packaging to anticipate how much your child really needs.

  Toddlers love to graze so offer age-appropriate snacks in areas accessible to them throughout the day. Encourage your child to participate in the cooking. Teach her how to spread peanut butter on a rice cake with a plastic knife, or have her help you stir the milk into the macaroni and cheese.

Calories

• According to Dr. Sears, a toddler needs to consume between 1,000 to 1,300 calories a day. Since this age group tends to operate in a feast or famine mode of eating, balance over weekly periods is easier to obtain than daily adherence. As long as nutrient-filled grains, fruits and vegetables, and proteins are offered, a balanced diet is easily achieved.