Ways to Meet a Toddler's Nutritional Needs

Children of all ages have different nutritional needs and barriers to good nutrition. Toddlers are perhaps the most perplexing and challenging age group of all age groups combined (including adults). Their nutritional needs rival that of a newborn baby and are in fact more challenging because instead of dealing with an infant who can’t argue, you are now dealing with a little person expressing their own thoughts, ideas and individualisms. Toddler’s selective eating habits might not provide all the essential nutrients. Parents of toddlers need to know how to integrate nutritious foods into their diet.

Some problems with toddler nutrition are that their appetites are he one day and gone the next. This is because their growth has slowed down, and remains slower except for those growth spurts - these are much more infrequent than with infants and do no seem to be as general among the population as an infants growth spurt. Another problem is their rejection of entire food groups and short attention span.
 

Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional problem faced by this age group. It is generally caused by a diet that lacks iron rich foods and beverages. According to the CDC over 50% of toddlers in the US do not consume the recommended dietary intake (RDI) for iron. Iron deficiency can affect a child’s growth and may lead to learning and behavioral problems. Iron is used to make red blood cells which carry oxygen throughout the body. Without enough iron and red blood cells, the body doesn’t function efficiently.

To help prevent iron deficiency,  limit your child’s milk intake to about 16-24 oz. per day. Increase iron rich foods: meat, fish, poultry, enriched grains, spinach, beans and tofu Include foods that contain vitamin C when serving foods rich in iron. Vitamin C is needed by the body to absorb iron. Example: fish with mango chutney. Foods rich in Vitamin C include broccoli, tomatoes, strawberries, oranges, yellow and red peppers.
 

For children in general, reported dietary intakes of the following are low enough to be of concern by the USDA: vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium and fiber. These nutrients are found in abundance in fruits, vegetables and whole grain products. Toddlers require at least one third of their dietary energy requirements to be supplied in the form of fat. Toddlers will cope better with approximately six small meals or three small meals and 2-3 healthy snacks each day rather than three large meals. The fat in a toddlers diet should come from the foods they eat rather than added fats. Nutritious forms of foods that contain fat include: cheese, meat/fish/chicken or egg (1-2 servings per day); these same products will also provide most of a toddler’s protein requirements. Other good fat choices for toddlers are avocado and peanut butter - these contain the heart healthy monounsaturated fat.

To improve a child’s attention span at mealtime, have them help with meal preparation. This makes them feel a sense of accomplishment and pride.
These will help them focus on eating the foods they have created. During meal preparation, you can also get in good nutritional lessons: For example,
what color are carrots? Do you know why orange foods are healthy for you? Orange foods contain a nutrient that helps your eyes stay healthy so you
can see better. This will also help a child be less resistant to trying new foods and rejecting entire food groups.
 

Eat Together - Children benefit from meals shared with family in many ways. They learn that mealtime is a happy social time. They have some
“quality” family time and will focus more on the benefits of uninterrupted family time and be less combative about food choices - especially when they
see that everyone at the table is eating the same foods.

Be patient. Busy, “picky” toddlers may be so interested in exploring the world they prefer throwing and playing with their food rather than eating it; after
all, once they eat it, it is gone! Meal time may be a 30-60 minute activity for some curious toddlers and take others only 10 minutes to chow down.
 

Eat healthy foods yourself - toddlers are going to pick up the same foods you do and are going to want to taste and try whatever you have as well. Eating by example is the best way to ensure healthy food choices in your child. The most important habits to model: eat breakfast, eat your vegetables, eat healthy snacks, and TURN OFF THE TV.
 

New foods are better accepted when a toddler is hungry - at the beginning of a meal and preferably at the meal y our child eats best. Add a new food
served with an old familiar favorite food such as broccoli with cheese or tofu with noodles.
 

Little bodies were designed to tell children when they are hungry and when they are full. Let children tell you when they’ve had enough to eat. If they
didn’t eat all of their dinner and you are afraid they will come back in 30 minutes to an an hour asking for more food, offer them the plate of food they
didn’t finish.
 

Some good books: Play with Food, Quick Meals for Healthy Kids and Busy Parents

Good websites for child nutrition:

General Childhood Nutrition:
Child’s Nutrition Resource Center at Baylor - www.bcm.edu/cnrc
Ellyn Satter’s site for parents and professionals - www.ellynsatter.com
FDA, US Food and Drug Administration - www.fda.gov

Cooking with Children:

www.spatulatta.com

www.molliekatzen.com
 

Food Safety:

www.foodsafety.com
 

Vegetarianism:

www.vegetarianbaby.com

www.oznet.ksu.edu/humannutrition/nutLink/pages/VEG.HTM

www.kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/vegetarianism.html