Our Child's Growing Nutrition
Our Child's Growing Nutrition
Our Child's Growing Nutrition
Outline: Nutrition 101 Ages and Stages Whats normal? Picky Eaters Patience Possible solutions Common Nutrition Concerns
Nutrition 101
Hold Her Head Up High. Although some babies are able to lift their heads in a show of strength from the day they are born, its usually not until 3 or 4 months of age that the ability to hold ones head up consistently higher and for longer periods sets in. Sitting Pretty. Babies typically start sittingalbeit initially with a fair bit of proppingat about 6 months of age. Fortunately, several modernday high chairs and feeding chairs come with convenient recline features that offer additional support for those not quite ready to sit fully upright on their own. Big Enough to Take It. As a rough rule of thumb, babies are big enough to tackle solid foods right around the time when they double their birth weight and reach a minimum of about 13 pounds. Open Wide. As babies become more aware of the world around them, they also tend to become more interested in foodoften watching food intently and opening their mouths in eager anticipation when they see some headed their way.
A toddlers energy requirements are not very large. Heres a general guide for feeding your toddler. Each day, a child between ages 1 and 3 years needs about 40 calories for every inch of height. This means, for example, that a toddler who measures 32 inches should be taking in an average of about 1,300 calories a day, but the amount varies with each childs build and activity level. The childs serving size should be approximately one-quarter of an adults. For example, heres an average toddler-sized meal.
One ounce of meat, or 2 to 3 tablespoons of beans One to 2 tablespoons of vegetable One to 2 tablespoons of fruit One-quarter slice of bread Your toddler will get enough calories along with all the protein, vitamins, and minerals he needs from an average daily intake similar to the following:
Average Daily Intake for a Toddler
Servings Per Number of Day 6 servings Calories Per Day 250 calories
One Serving Equals Bread, to slice Cereal, rice, pasta, cooked, 4 tablespoons Cereal, dry, cup Crackers, 1 to 2
Vegetables Fruits
2 to 3 servings 2 to 3 servings
75 calories 75 calories
Vegetables, cooked 1 tablespoon for each year of age Fruit, cooked or canned, cup Fruit, fresh, piece Juice, to cup (2-4 oz)
Dairy
2 to 3 servings
300-450 calories
2 servings
200 calories
1 oz (equal to two 1-inch cubes of solid meat or 2 tablespoons of ground meat) Egg, any size, yolk and white
Legumes: dried beans, 2 servings peas, lentils Peanut butter (smooth only)
Soaked and cooked, 2 tablespoons (1/8 cup) 1 tablespoon spread thin on bread, toast, or cracker
Last Updated 9/30/2013 Source: Nutrition: What Every Parent Needs to Know (Copyright American Academy of Pediatrics 2011)
With all the energy your toddler uses, his stomach cant hold enough to keep him from getting hungry between meals. Many children need a morning and afternoon snack, which should be timed so they wont interfere with lunch or dinner. Snacks should include a satisfying balance of healthful foods.
Healthy Snacks for Toddlers
Fresh Fruits
Apples, bananas, peaches, nectarines, pears (sliced) Cherries, grapes, plums (sliced or smushed and pitted) Orange or grapefruit sections (cut into pieces) Strawberries Apples, apricots, peaches, pears (cut up) Dates, prunes (pitted, cut up) Raisins Carrots, green beans (well cooked, diced) Steamed cauliflower, broccoli Yams (cooked and diced) Peas (mashed for safety; a child can inhale whole peas) Potatoes (cooked and diced) Cheese (grated or diced) Cottage cheese Yogurt, fresh or frozen
Milk
Dried Fruits
Vegetables
Dairy Products
Whole wheat bread Bagel cut into small pieces Crackers (saltine, graham, whole grain) Dry cereal Pretzels Rice cakes
Fish (canned tuna, salmon, sardines; whitefish)
Meat/Protein Group
Snacks to Avoid
Raw vegetables are mostly too difficult for toddlers to manage, and somecarrots, whole cherry tomatoes, whole green beans, celeryare a serious choking hazard for toddlers. But theres no reason that a toddler shouldnt enjoy well-cooked vegetables cut into manageable pieces. Big chunks of any food and glob-like spoonfuls of peanut butter are hazardous and should not be given to children younger than 4 years; the same advice is just as important for any types of nuts, peanuts, or popcorn because children arent able to grind food and reduce it to a consistency safe for swallowing. Chunks of peanut butter can stick to their palate and end up choking them.
Breakfast
12 cup nonfat or low-fat milk 12 cup cereal 46 oz. or 12 cup cantaloupe or strawberries or banana
Snack
12 cup nonfat or low-fat milk 12 cup fruit such as melon, banana, or berries 12 cup yogurt
Lunch
12 cup nonfat or low-fat milk 1 sandwich2 slices whole wheat bread with 12 oz. of meat and cheese, veggie and dressing (if needed) or peanut butter and jelly 14 cup dark-yellow or dark-green vegetable
Snack
1 teaspoon peanut butter with 1 slice whole wheat bread or 5 crackers or string cheese or cut-up fruit
Dinner
12 cup nonfat or low-fat milk 2 ounces meat, fish, or chicken 12 cup pasta, rice, or potato 14 cup vegetable
If your family would like to include margarine, butter, or salad dressing as a side option to any meal, choose low - fat or healthier versions, if possible, and only give 1 or 2 teaspoons to your child.
Last Updated 7/31/2013 Source Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 (Copyright 2009 American Academy of Pediatrics)
PICKY EATERS
Picky eaters: 1. Can be very disruptive to family and household routines. 2. One of the most common complaints at well child visits. Our job is to offer a variety of healthy meal options and snacks throughout the day Our kids job is to decide how much and if/when they eat. 1. Try to involve child in dinner making process a. Give as many choices as possible 2. Dont be a short order cook 3. A child wont starve overnight if they dont eat 4. Healthy boundaries 5. Never make a child clean his/her plate 6. Sit down as a family to eat 7. Practice healthy eating habits yourself 8. Dont say negative things about food, body image, or weight in front of children 9. Get creative and be patient
Make sure your child is hungry when mealtime comes. Offer only healthy snacks, and do not offer snacks too close to mealtime.
Food strikes: Refuses to eat whats served, which can lead to short-order cook syndrome
Let your child eat what he wants if the jag food is healthy. Offer other foods at each meal before the jag food. Be patient. After a few days, your child likely will try other foods. Food jags rarely last long enough to cause any harm. Make sure your child is hungry when mealtime comes. Offer only healthy snacks, and do not offer snacks too close to mealtime.
Have whole-grain bread and rolls as well as fruit available at each meal, so there are usually choices that your child likes. You shouldnt prepare separate meals for each child, unless you want to be a short-order cook.
Dont be afraid to let your child go hungry if she wont eat what is served. Turn off the TV during meals. Watching TV during meals is a distraction that prevents family interaction and interferes with a childs eating. Mealtime is often the only time during the day that families can be together.
If your child whines and complains about the food offered, encourage her to eat what she can. If she continues to whine and complain, have her go to her room or sit quietly away from the table until the meal is finished. She can return and finish her meal only if she promises not to complain.
If your child is hungry and wants to come back to finish eating, let her know that its good to have her rejoin the family.
Avoid letting her take food away from the table to eat, return for dessert, or snack until the next planned meal or snack time.
Encourage your child to eat what he can. Do not force your child to eat other foods. Giving more attention to finicky eating habits only reinforces a childs demands to limit foods. Offer a variety of foods from all the food groups. Be patient. Eventually your child will move on to other foods. Model eating and enjoyment of new foods yourself by introducing new foods at each meal.
Encourage your child to allow a small portion of the new food to sit on her plate instead of forcing her to try new foods. Be patient. It may take many tries before a child is ready to taste a new food and a lot of tastes before liking new food.
Not enough Iron in the diet Too much milk Picky about eating meat Constipation Not enough water Not enough fresh fruits and vegetables Food allergy Limits nutrient intake, particularly of dairy (Calcium and Vit D) Gastrointestinal distress due to allergies
References
Healthychildren.org UpToDate Food Fights: Winning the Nutritional Challenges of Parenthood Armed with Insights, Humor, and a Bottle of Ketchup, by Laura a Jana, M.D., FAAP, and Jennifer Shu, M.D., FAAP. American Academy of Pediatrics