Making Family Meals Toddler Friendly
It happens in the blink of an eye. Your baby blossoms into a toddler who walks, talks and wants to make all the food choices!
But here’s the “watch out.” If parents aren’t careful or let their toddler take charge of what’s served, his diet can take a turn in the wrong direction. According to one study, 30 percent of 15 month-olds drink sugar-sweetened beverages and most have low fruit and veggie intake. Another study found toddler diets to be low in healthy fats, fiber, iron and potassium.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Here are five ways to keep your toddler’s diet healthy while getting the rest of the family fed.
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Adapt family meals: Having your child eat with the family is good for them; they get exposed to a variety of food, they learn table manners, and can even learn new words. Encourage children to use a fork and spoon, but be patient as this takes time and toddlers love using their hands. Offer nutritious meals but be sure to serve it in ways they can eat it.
For example, instead of raw veggies, try blanching (cooking in boiling water for a few minutes) and cutting them so they are easy and soft enough to eat. Be sure to chop any soft, cooked veggies you are eating. Cut up fruit and chop soft meat so your toddler can pick it up with their hands. Cooked beans and fish work great too.
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Consider toddler nutrition needs: Experts agree that in the first two years of life, children should be given mostly nutritious food. That means parents should keep sweets, fried food like chips, and sugar-sweetened beverages (soda, punch) as rare treats. It also means providing healthy meals with a variety of food groups. This benefits the health of the whole family, as well as your toddler. (See chart below for specific toddler needs.)
After two years, sweets and fried foods (like chips) can be offered every once in a while, but you still want to opt for healthier choices most of the time.
- Watch easy fill ups: A toddler’s stomach is the size of a fist, so it fills up quickly. Watch the juice and milk, which can decrease appetite for whole foods. At mealtime, offer 1/2 cup of 100 percent juice, milk or water but avoid having your toddler sip on juice or milk between meals. A good rule of thumb for juice is no more than 4-6 ounces daily and no more than 24 ounces (3 cups) of milk.
- Eating out: Instead of choosing a “kid’s meal” at restaurants, try sharing some of your meal. For example, a toddler can’t bite into a taco but they can eat the shredded chicken, beans and some soft tortilla. You can also cut your burrito, lasagna, veggies or most any healthy dish into small pieces. Most restaurants serve food in large portions so there’s usually plenty to go around!
- No-Nos: There are some foods that your toddler is not ready to eat yet. Raw fish (sushi) and high mercury sources of fish such as shark, king mackerel, tilefish and swordfish aren’t healthy for toddlers.
Don’t forget about choking hazards! This includes tough meats, hot dogs, spoonfuls of peanut butter, grapes, nuts, chunks of cheese, raw veggies, hard candies and gum. Some of these items can be cut, like grapes cut in fours, cheese sticks cut lengthwise and then chopped and peanut butter lightly spread on toast.
Remember—while your toddler can say no to what’s offered (and they probably will) your job is still to offer healthy foods at regular meals and snacks. Try to keep the family meals easygoing and pressure-free and everyone will look forward to them! 
Toddler Nutrition Needs*
| Food Group | Minimum Daily Servings | Offer... |
|---|---|---|
| Protein Foods | 2 ounces | 1 ounce of chicken, meat or fish, 1 egg, ¼ cup beans |
| Milk/yogurt | 2 cups | ½ cup |
| Fruit | 1 cup | ¼ cup or ½ small fruit, 3-4 ounces juice |
| Vegetables | 1 cup | ¼ cup cooked or soft raw like avocado or tomato |
| Grains (half whole grain) | 3 ounces | ½ piece bread, ¼ cup cooked pasta or ½ cup cereal |
