Toddlers and Healthy Eating

Any child in the age range of 1 to 3 years is called a toddler, if in case you are looking up who could be categorized as toddlers.

As a child enters his or her toddler years, their cognitive, emotional, and social development blossom as they explore their independence and a place in this world. These are absolute fun years to see your child discover and learn new things. I have often found myself getting amazed at the way my toddler responds or reacts to a situation. The way he tries to pinpoint his emotions, or more so, displays his antics and scares me out of my wits.

This article highlights the importance of healthy eating for toddlers and details out in that regard.

Why Healthy Eating for Toddlers is Important?

Toddler years see the child gain a lot of physical strength and muscle power. They learn to walk, jump, run, climb stairs, kick, throw a ball and even draw simple lines. Their gross motor and fine motor skills mature. They also tend to master them perfectly during these years.

For all of the enormous magnitude of developments during these years, that form the foundation for a healthy life, their nutrition should not lag. A toddler must have the right and proper nutrition fed into him or her during these early and formative years.

Contradictorily, toddlers are known for the tantrums of their age. In those formative years, their brains are still learning the ropes of emotional intelligence and they display a variety of emotions. Sometimes getting too unmanageable for the parents. When it comes to food and eating, these little ones are known to throw a fit at anything that they don’t fancy. That is the story of every household which nurtures a toddler.

In addition, here are some benefits of healthy eating for toddlers:-

• Stabilize their energy
• Stabilize their moods
• Helps to maintain a healthy weight and height
• Avoid lifelong illnesses due to unhealthy eating

Why Toddlers Are Fussy Eaters?

In contrast to the necessity of a healthy diet for toddlers, these little ones are the fussiest and most troublesome eaters. They might eat some and reject some. Or they might not eat at all. They might make a mess of the food. All possibilities arise when it comes to toddlers and food.

But it is also important to understand that picky eating is usually a normal developmental stage for toddlers. The color, taste, texture, and flavor do play a role in the acceptance of a particular food item. A food item that was enjoyed a day before might be snubbed the other day. And, it is perfectly normal. My child used to love bananas but currently, he runs at the sight of them. Also, it is natural for parents to get frustrated at such fussiness. However, it is also essential to know that the child’s appetite and eating behaviors keep changing as they grow and would level out in time. (Hopefully!!)

Here comes the “why” part of fussy eating:-

• Toddlers aren’t growing as fast as babies; they need less food.
• They are busier exploring the world around them and have only short attention spans for food.
• Toddler appetites are constantly changing because of growth spurts and variations in activities.
• They sometimes would like to push boundaries to display their independence.

What is a Healthy Diet for a Toddler?

A toddler is supposed to have three meals a day and one or two snacks in between.

• With the number of growth spurts and developments during this stage, the kids must get the right amount and unique mix of nutrients in their meals per day – which would be proteins, carbohydrates, fat, (macronutrients) vitamins, and minerals (micronutrients).
• A good platter of vegetables, fruits, and dairy products is essential.
• Milk and milk products are an excellent source of calcium, which is required for the strong development of bones and teeth.
• Choose more whole or sliced fruits and limit consuming them as juices.
• More the variety of vegetables offered, the better.

To top it all, water should be the drink of choice, after every meal. It is the best way to quench thirst and an excellent sugar-free option when compared to juices. As a general rule of thumb, a child between 1 to 3 years should consume 5 to 6 glasses of water each day. The water requirement of a toddler also depends on the climatic conditions of the region he or she is in.

Tips for Parents to Create Healthy Eating Habits in Toddlers

Be Patient

Keep offering new foods many times. The child might start trying it after an average of 10-15 times, even if it is just half a spoon of it. This way you will be able to establish healthy eating habits in your kid.

Let the Child Decide the Quantity

Though the parents can decide the quality of food that is being provided to the kid, let the child decide on how much he or she wants to eat. Force-feeding can be avoided as that might create an aversion to the offered food item.

Let Them Get Involved in the Process

Sometimes, it works wonders when the child is involved in choosing the menu and cooking process. Involve them in little chores of helping them choose vegetables/fruits; let them watch you chop them in the kitchen and clean. I have also noticed kids enjoying having a peek at the entire cooking process, right until the mustard seeds splutter. When they learn to appreciate and see what is cooked, the interest in the food item has a definite probability to increase.

Be a Good Example

For starting healthy eating habits in your kids, you need to be a good role model. If the child sees the parent eating a variety of foods, the kid is more likely to try them. Set the right example for the child and eat healthily.

Limit Screen Time for Healthy Eating Habits

By limiting screen time, the parents encourage the child to be more active and less distracted. This enables them to be engaged in more physical activities. The more active they are, the more is their appetite and less is the fussiness. Also, research has indeed shown that kids who cut down on TV-watching also reduced their percentage of body fat.

Toddlers and food are one of the common challenges that every parent faces. Although it can be really stressful, parents can also take relief in the fact that it is just a stage of development and as they grow, the fussiness concerning food does come down gradually.

Hope the article was of help to all parents. Happy healthy feeding!