Food chart for one year old baby

From Bottle to Cup: Helping Your Child Make a Healthy Transition

By: Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP

You've probably heard that when your baby is around 6 to 9 months old, it's time to begin moving away from bottle feeding. But like many parents, you may feel a little apprehensive about this next step in your child's growth and development.

If your little one pouts, shouts or bursts into tears when you offer them a "big kid cup," take a deep breath. Protests like these are totally normal! After all, little humans don't like letting go of familiar habits any more than we do. And the comfort they get from sucking on a warm bottle can be hard to give up.

Like all growth stages your child will pass through, this one takes patience and time. But there are many good reasons not to give in when your child demands a bottle.

Why prolonged bottle feeding can cause health problems

Pediatricians and dentists stress the benefits of training your child to drink from a cup at mealtime as you gradually reduce the number of bottle feedings. Ideally, this transition will begin around 6 months, when you offer your child a cup for the first time. You will then reduce the number of bottle feedings slowly, completing the transition sometime between 12 and 18 months.

Letting children bottle-feed longer than this can cause them to:

Skip meals. Little ones who sip on bottles during the day often don't feel hungry at mealtimes. This may mean they're getting less of the fiber and rich nutrients found in solid foods. If you're begging your child to eat, bottles might be the cause.
Reach an unhealthy weight. For many kids, bottles become high-calorie meal supplements and snacks, leading to toddler obesity. And while many people find chubby toddlers adorable, pediatricians point out that early obesity sets the stage for weight (and health) problems later in life.
Develop cavities. Early childhood caries, sometimes called "baby bottle tooth decay" or baby tooth cavities, happen when your child's teeth are constantly bathed in milk, formula, juice or other drinks. Little ones who drink from bottles well into their second year may also have tooth alignment problems and even speech delays, since little mouths need to strengthen the muscles for clear speech.
Resist even more. Toddlers cling to their bottles even more fiercely as time goes by. This can trigger a major power struggle between you and your child, so starting early is the healthiest path for both of you.

Tips for a smoother transition to drinking from a cup

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that you offer your child a cup when they start eating solid foods, usually around 6 months. You can use a "sippy" (training) cup with a spouted lid or offer a cup and straw. Some children may choose to drink from an open cup without a straw – and that's just fine, too.

Sippy cups should be used only while little ones are learning. It's healthiest for kids to drink from an open cup by about 2 years of age. (If your child has a chronic illness, physical differences or shows signs of small motor skill delay, ask your pediatrician to help you put together a schedule that follows your child's abilities.) When your child is using a sippy cup, only fill them with plain fluoridated water without juice or sugar.
Move away from the bottle gradually. When you begin weaning, tell your child they can drink from a bottle at mealtimes. Gradually eliminate bottle feedings at other times, especially naps or bedtime. Be ready to offer extra snuggles, songs or bedtime stories so your child feels reassured, but learns to self-soothe without a bottle. Giving your child plain water in bottles between meals and then moving to plain water in sippy cups or cups can help with the transition.
Start offering a cup to your child as early as 6 months. Bring one to the table with your child's plate and encourage them to give it a try. Begin by putting formula or breast milk in their cup—whatever they're drinking already. (This might feel more natural than starting with water.) As they get the hang of things, you can fill their cup with plain water at mealtimes, too.
Celebrate their success. Notice your little one's progress and offer them praise. If it feels right, put on party hats and sing a happy tune. Your child is eating and drinking like a big kid, which helps set the stage for lifelong health. Hooray!
If your child balks, do a little investigating. Maybe they aren't thirsty when you offer them a mealtime drink, and that's okay. Model good habits by drinking water when you eat together. If they seem to need a little more attention, don't hold back. "Wow, you took a sip! Good job! I love seeing you drink from your big-kid cup."
Bring everyone into the act. Let daycare providers, sitters, grandparents, siblings and friends know that your child is building a new skill. Other caregivers need to follow the same routine so your child can move forward.

Issues to watch for along the way

Bottle weaning can be tricky, so it's smart to know some of the challenges that parents and caregivers sometimes face. Here are a few extra tips for you.

Offer cups mainly at mealtime. Little ones who carry their cups around all day like security blankets may drink way too much (and need more frequent diaper changes). If your toddler is thirsty, offer them a little plain water, but then set the cup aside and remind them it will be there when it's time to eat.
Trust your child to self-soothe without a bottle. Temporary sleep problems can turn into serious struggles if you give in to your child's protests and offer a bottle at bedtime. Create a healthy new routine when your little one can snuggle with you, listen to a story or soft music and drift off. A pacifier may also help.
Offer healthy beverages. Plain water is the healthiest drink for your child, and the fluoride in tap water helps prevent tooth decay. (If you're wondering how fluoride works and whether it's safe for kids, here's a helpful article.)
Milk and juice contain natural sugars that deliver extra calories and increase cavity risks, so offer small portions. Avoid drinks with added sugar, especially carbonated beverages, which damage tooth enamel.
As your child transitions to an open cup, place one next to the bathroom sink or water dispenser so they can serve themselves. Help them practice with the faucet or dispenser valve and offer praise for progress. (Another big-kid milestone to celebrate!)

Choosing the right cup for your child

There are literally hundreds of choices out there, so this can be confusing. Many sippy cups have a valve under the spout to stop spills. But kids have to suck to get any liquid from them, which is just like drinking from a baby bottle. Not at all helpful for learning and development!

If you prefer a sippy cup rather than an open cup (with or without straw), choose one with no valve. It should have a snap-on or screw-on lid with a simple spout. Opt for one with two handles to help little hands get a grip. Some cups have a weighted base that pulls them upright when they tip—great for minimizing spills. But remember, the sippy cup is an optional step toward using a “regular” cup. Many children transition from breast or bottle to a regular cup without a sippy cup in between!

What about breastfed babies?

With many parents pumping for convenience, little ones may drink breast milk from bottles as part of their regular routine. In this case, breastfeeding parents can follow the same steps for weaning as those who use formula.

If you have used no bottles at all, you can still follow a weaning routine that uses many of the same steps. Introduce a cup filled with breast milk around 6 months of age, and slowly reduce the number of breastfeeding sessions from several per day to one and then, eventually, none.

Keep in mind that your child can drink breast milk from a cup for as long as you want to provide it. Breastfeeding sessions will gradually become snuggle sessions offering your child physical comfort and love, just as you did when you were nursing.

Remember

Offer your child a cup around 6 months, and steadily move away from bottle or breast feeding between 12 and 18 months. The sooner you start, the easier the transition will be.

Your child's resistance doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong. Be patient and trust that your little one will gradually start drinking like a big kid.

If resistance turns into a full-blown power struggle, talk with your pediatrician. Also consult your pediatrician if your child has a chronic illness, physical difference or developmental delay that will affect their ability to move away from bottle feeding.

More information

Recommended Drinks for Children Age 5 & Younger
Why It's Important to Take Care of Baby Teeth

About Dr. Shu

Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP, medical editor of HealthyChildren. org, is a board-certified pediatrician, author and mother living in Atlanta. She is also editor-in-chief of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) book Baby & Child Health and co-author of Heading Home With Your Newborn and Food Fights.

The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

Building Balanced Snacks to Feed to Toddlers

By: Jennifer Anderson, MSPH, RDN & Tanyaporn (Katie) Kaenkumchorn, MD, FAAP

Toddlers need important nutrients to build their brains and bodies. Children this age use a lot of energy to grow and play, but they have small stomachs. They may not be able to eat enough at mealtime to make it between lunch and dinner.

Every toddler is different. Many toddlers need an afternoon snack. Some toddlers also need a morning snack.

Here are some ideas to help you build snacks for your hungry toddler that offer a healthy balance of the nutrients they need.

How to put balanced snacks together

Children sometimes come to think of a "snack" as a time to eat highly processed foods. You can help avoid this trap by serving a variety of healthy, freshly prepared foods to your kids—even at snack time.

To make a balanced snack for your toddler, you can include:

a protein food (includes dairy foods)
a fruit and/or vegetable and
a grain or starchy vegetable

Keep in mind that not every snack needs to be a mini-meal; a balanced diet can be achieved over the course of the entire day. When you serve snacks with fruits and veggies, whole grains, beans and proteins, though, you know your toddler is on the right nutritional track.

Some balanced snacks you can put together using key food categories:

Fruits

Apples, peaches, plums, pears (all thinly sliced)
Grapes, grape tomatoes, berries (all smashed or cut lengthwise)
Oranges, grapefruit sections (cut into pieces)
Bananas (sliced lengthwise)
Frozen fruit (defrosted and cut into pieces)
Avocado (sliced)
Dried apricots, peaches, pears, dates, prunes, raisins (pitted and cut into small pieces)
Rinsed canned fruits

Example combinations

Vegetables

Carrots, green beans, cauliflower, broccoli (steamed until soft)
Yams or sweet potatoes (cooked and diced)
Peas (cooked and smushed)
Steamed spinach or greens (pureed)
Rinsed canned vegetables

Example combinations

Dairy products

Plain yogurt
Cow's milk or non-dairy milk
Cottage cheese
Cheese (shredded or diced)

Example combinations

Grains

Tortillas, pita bread, whole wheat bread
Rice, corn, quinoa, grits (cooked)
Hot cereals
No or low-sugar whole grain cold breakfast cereals soaked in milk

Example combinations

Proteins

Salmon and sardines
Chunk light (skipjack) tuna can be served once per month. Tuna fish can be higher in mercury, which is not good for toddlers. (See "Healthy Fish Choices for Kids.")
Peanut butter, nut and seed butters (spread thinly)
Edamame, chickpeas, beans (cooked and mashed)
Lentils
Hummus
Cooked tofu cubes
Eggs (scrambled or hard boiled and cut)
Chicken, turkey, pork, beef, lamb (cooked and diced)
Ground nuts and seeds (mixed into foods)

Example combinations

Toddler serving sizes

Serve toddlers small portions to start, such as 3 quartered strawberries and ⅛ of a quesadilla.

If your child finishes this, they will decide if they are still hungry and ask for more. If they don't finish this, they are full. Let them stop eating.

Because you are serving snacks with fruits and veggies, whole grains, beans and proteins, it's okay to let them fill up at snack time.

Foods to avoid with toddlers

Choking hazards

Big chunks of food, and hard, round, and slippery foods are a choking hazard for children under age 4. Cook or cut up these foods to minimize choking risk. Avoid whole nuts, spoons of peanut butter, and popcorn until age 4.

Sugary, salty & overly processed foods

Toddlers don't need added sodium or sugar. For health reasons, avoid added sodium and sugar until they are 2 years old.

Foods like salty crackers, chips, cookies, pastries and cakes can be fun sometimes, but your child will eat these when they are older. Serve these foods less often.

Best beverages for toddlers

Serve snacks with water or milk. Delay serving juice until age 2 to help protect your child's teeth and avoid developing a preference for sweet drinks. (See "Recommended Drinks for Children Age 5 & Younger.")

More information

Sample Menu for a 1-Year-Old
Feeding & Nutrition Tips: Your 2-Year-Old
Ask the Pediatrician: How do I help my choosy eater try more healthy foods?
Food Additives: What Parents Need to Know
Plant-Based Diets: Are They Good for Kids?

About Ms.

Anderson

Jennifer Anderson, MSPH, RDN is a registered dietitian and has a master's of science in public health from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She is the founder of Kids Eat in Color, a resource that helps families feed their children from their first bite of solid food through picky eating and elementary-aged nutrition needs. Prior to starting Kids Eat in Color she coordinated youth nutrition programs at a food bank, performed research in inner-city food deserts and consulted for the USDA national office SNAP-Ed program. Her academic background is in public health nutrition, cultural anthropology and economics.

About Dr. Kaenkumchorn

Tanyaporn (Katie) Kaenkumchorn, MD, FAAP is a board-certified pediatrician and pediatric gastroenterologist with a special interest in nutrition. She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Wisconsin chapter and the AAP’s Section on Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition. In addition to practicing pediatrics in Milwaukee, she is on the Kids Eat in Color health & development team.

Union of Pediatricians of Russia

Nutrition for children from 1 to 3 years of age

The period from 1 to 3 years of life is a crucial stage in the transition to an adult type of nutrition, which has certain features. In order to ensure that all the necessary nutrients enter the child's body and at the same time prevent an excess of individual nutrients, nutrition should be balanced and varied.

The daily amount of food for children aged 1 to 1.5 years should be 1000-1200 g, from 1.5 to 3 years - 1200-1500 g, the amount of food in one feeding should not exceed 300-350 ml. The diet consists of three main meals per day and two snacks. It is considered optimal when breakfast is 25% of the total energy density of the diet, lunch is 30–35%, dinner is 20%, and additional meals are about 10%. In general, the child can eat the same food as the rest of the family.

In the diet of a child of 1–3 years of age , must be present daily: meat of animals or poultry, dairy and sour-milk products, vegetables, fruits, bread, cereals, vegetable and butter; fish and eggs are included in the diet 2-3 times a week.

Cereal products: bread - 2-3 servings per day, cereals and side dishes - 1 time per day
Fruit and/or vegetables: at least 5 times a day
Dairy products: at least 3 servings per day (including those used to make cereals, yoghurts, fermented milk drinks, cottage cheese, infant formula or breast milk).

Domestic pediatricians recommend, when compiling a diet for children aged 1–3 years, preference should be given to specialized children's dairy products of industrial production that meet high quality requirements and safety indicators for this age. Most children's dairy products are additionally enriched with vitamins and/or minerals and other biologically active components, taking into account the physiological needs of children of this age. At the same time, in foreign recommendations, children over 1 year old are offered the gradual introduction of whole cow's milk, which is rich in fats necessary for proper growth and development, the absorption of vitamins A and D, the development of the child's brain and nervous system.

Meat dishes: 2-3 times a day
Fish dishes: 2-3 servings per week
Eggs: 2-3 per week
Dietary fats: 3-4 teaspoons of butter and/or vegetable oils per day

When cooking, use the minimum amount of salt and sugar, and do not add them to industrial products.

Offer your child a variety of foods and let them choose for themselves. Children love to eat on their own, so if possible, offer food that the child can eat with their hands.

It is important to remember that a baby can choke on pieces of food, so whatever you give your baby should be crushed or cut into small pieces that can be easily chewed.

Do not give to a small child: nuts, whole grapes, cherry tomatoes (unless quartered), whole carrots, seeds (such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds), round candies, legumes, raisins, because a child can eat them choke.

Also in the diet of children of the first 3 years of life should not be present:

Mushrooms; canned snacks, pickled vegetables and fruits
Home-preserved canned food
Dry concentrates for side dishes
Hot sauces, mustard, horseradish, pepper, vinegar, mayonnaise
Natural coffee
Juices and drinks in the form of dry concentrates; sweet carbonated drinks
Products containing food additives (flavorings, dyes of artificial origin, including chewing gum), popcorn
Combined fats; cakes and pastries

It is important to remember that children of this age should not be given too spicy and spicy foods.

1 year old baby menu: detailed guide for parents

A man is already a year old, he has acquired teeth, watches with interest what adults eat and constantly tries to catch something from their plate. And here comes the one who instructively says to the parents: “It’s time to transfer to the common table!” And it won't be right. We find out what the child’s menu should be per year so that he grows up healthy, active and happy.

What to feed a child in a year

The menu of a child of 1 year should include daily dairy and meat products, vegetables and fruits, bread and cereals, vegetable and butter. Twice a week - fish and eggs. Let's figure out what exactly and in what quantity to give the baby - let's look at the pyramid of the children's diet in detail.

Milk

The very first and most important milk for a child is mother's milk. It not only nourishes, but also supports the immune system, and the feeding process itself is useful for the baby emotionally. After a year, the child ceases to be a baby by definition, but this does not mean that breastfeeding should be hastily “curtailed”. Pediatric experts, including the World Health Organization, recommend continued breastfeeding until the child is two years old. But the number of attachments to the chest can be reduced - now one or two times a day is enough.

After a year, the baby can be introduced to cow's and goat's milk. Up to a year, animal milk is prohibited, primarily because children's kidneys are not yet ready to properly remove the excess phosphorus contained in the product.

Together with phosphorus, they get rid of calcium and vitamin D, and this is fraught with the development of a severe form of rickets in a child.

Like any new product, it is necessary to introduce milk into the children's diet gradually, especially since it is often allergic. First, give half a spoonful during breakfast and observe the reaction throughout the day. If there is no allergy, you can double the portion every day. The milk standard for a one-year-old child is 200 ml per day, plus 100 ml for cooking.

When choosing milk for a child, remember that it should not be:

fat: no more than 2.5–3.5%, otherwise the load on the digestive organs and biliary tract is great;
fat-free: no nutritional value, no fat-soluble vitamins;
unprocessed: "live" milk from the farm must be boiled. Yes, there will be fewer vitamins, but the nutrients will remain, and the milk will become microbially safe.

Powdered milk drinks for children older than one year may be the best option. For example, a Kabrita mixture based on healthy goat milk for children from 12 months. Such a milk drink contains all the vitamins, minerals and functional nutrients necessary for growth and development - a special fat complex, prebiotics, probiotics, omega fatty acids. The mixtures are enriched with the most valuable goat milk whey, rich in useful amino acids. Two servings of such a drink per day compensate (as a percentage of the daily requirement) up to 54% calcium, 40% iron and 54% vitamin D3.

Fermented milk products

Fermented milk products appear in a child's diet even before the age of one. They are rich in protein and calcium, improve intestinal motility, increase immunity and should be on the child's menu every day. But they should be given no more than the recommended rate, so as not to overload the baby's kidneys.

40 g of cottage cheese and 150 ml of fermented milk drink: kefir, biolact, yogurt, etc. are enough per day for a one-year-old child.

The menu of a one-year-old child can be varied with 10-15% fat sour cream. The daily norm is 5-9 g. It can be added to soup, salad or served with the same cheesecakes.

In the year of the child for the first time you can treat cheese: just give a piece to gnaw or add it to pasta, casserole, scrambled eggs. Cheese is rich in calcium - 600–900 mg per 100 g of product.

But cheese should be given to the baby in limited quantities - no more than 5 g per day, because it contains a lot of sodium. Choose hard or semi-hard varieties with a fat content of 30-35%. Remember that blue cheese, smoked, processed, spicy, brine and with various additives, such as nuts and peppers, are not suitable for baby food.

Meat

Every day in the diet of a one-year-old child should be meat, the norm is 100 g. You can give beef, veal, lean pork, rabbit meat, turkey and chicken. Offal diversifies the menu: language and heart. The liver is also useful, but it is advised to give it no more than 1 time in 7-10 days, since it contains a large amount of toxic substances.

Duck and goose meat is not suitable for baby food because it is very fatty. The same with lamb. Not a place in the children's menu and sausages. Sausages, sausages, sausages are harmful for adults, and even more so for children.

Fish

Twice a week it would be good to replace part of the meat portion with a portion of fish. 30–50 g will be enough. Fish is easily digestible, contains iodine, fluorine, copper, zinc, vitamins A and D, B vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids and iron.

For the first acquaintance with fish dishes, nutritionists advise choosing not river, but marine inhabitants - they have a priority in terms of environmental cleanliness and the content of useful elements. In addition, they are less bony. You can start with low-fat varieties, such as pollock, cod, flounder. And later add haddock, navaga and horse mackerel to the diet.

The advantage of river fish is that it is not as allergic as sea fish. The most suitable for the children's menu are: hake, carp, river trout and river perch.

A strict taboo in baby food for smoked and salted fish, as well as caviar - so much salt is definitely not good for a child. It is too early to indulge your baby with seafood: all kinds of crabs, shrimps, squids, mussels, lobsters and lobsters are too dangerous from an allergenic point of view.

Eggs

It is desirable that eggs be on the baby's menu 2-3 times a week. Starting from a year, a child can be given not only the yolk, but also the protein. It is better to choose chicken or quail eggs, which, by the way, are less allergenic. Eggs of waterfowl - ducks, geese, etc. - are banned, as they are most often infected with salmonella.

Because of the potential for infection, any eggs must be cooked before being placed on the baby's table. The “soft-boiled” and “pouched” options are not for the baby. The child can be fed with a hard-boiled egg, scrambled eggs with milk, or dishes with the addition of an egg.

Vegetables and fruits

About four times a day the child should eat vegetables and fruits. The kid has already met many of them. During the year, culinary acquaintances continue, you can try beets, turnips, tomatoes, cherries, cherries, strawberries, chokeberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, lingonberries, apricots, peaches, kiwi and citrus fruits.

When your child is one and a half years old, you can add seaweed salad to his diet. Naturally, it should not contain vinegar! Laminaria is rich in iodine, macro- and microelements, and is easily digestible.

Do not forget about dried fruits, compared to fresh fruits, they are several times more fiber and minerals: magnesium, iron, potassium.

Slowly begin to introduce greens into the baby's menu: cut it finely and add it to salads, soups, main dishes. Dill, parsley, cilantro, celery are especially useful - they have a lot of vitamin C.

Legumes

Legumes contain a lot of vegetable protein, fiber, B vitamins, vitamins C, E, PP, carotene, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, iron, etc. But they should not be more often in the menu of a one-year-old child 2-3 times a week, because they are known for their ability to cause increased gas formation in the intestines. Before giving a child legumes, they must be thoroughly boiled and, if possible, cleaned of coarse fibrous skin. Green peas (fresh or frozen) and green beans are best suited for a children's menu.

Cereals

Cereals are the basis of the food pyramid, they should be present in the child's diet every day. In the morning - in the form of porridge, with or without milk. For lunch, as a side dish. Buckwheat and oatmeal have the first place in nutritional value. From these cereals, they usually cook, even before a year, the first porridge for the baby. Among the "firsts" are also corn grits and rice.

When the child has already tasted cereals from the main cereals, you can experiment with millet and cereals obtained from wheat - wheat and semolina. Note that semolina porridge is not held in high esteem by nutritionists, because it is the poorest in vitamins and minerals. It is not often advised to give it to a child, only for the sake of a variety of taste sensations.

Healthy barley and barley porridges are heavy for a delicate children's stomach. Barley porridge can be given to the baby only after one and a half years. Barley - after three.

Pasta and bread

Pasta is a lifeline for a mother who is drowning in business, but has to feed her child urgently. Kids usually like pasta too. And only nutritionists are dissatisfied, they remind that pasta:

can be entered into the menu of a child at 1 year old no more than 1-2 times a week;
is better not to give to overweight children;
should be excluded when the child is constipated.

Babies can be given bread per year, but not more than 60 g per day. It is better to start with wheat or rye-wheat. It is desirable to dry it slightly in advance so that it becomes easier to digest. Rye bread is made from sour dough, which causes fermentation in the intestines, so it is advised to treat a child to it only after a year and a half.

Butter

Butter not only improves the taste of dishes, but also enriches the diet with vitamins D, E, K, A. A one-year-old child can eat 10–20 g of the product per day, as part of dishes or spread on bread. The oil should not be the fattest - the optimal fat content is from 72.5 to 82%.

Vegetable oils are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are necessary for maintaining the health of both children and adults. It is enough for a one-year-old child to eat 10-15 ml of vegetable oil daily. In addition to the popular sunflower oil, the baby's diet may include corn oil, olive and sesame oil.

Important! Both butter and vegetable oil should be added to ready-made dishes, they should not be subjected to heat treatment.

How to cook for a 9 year old baby0061

After a year, a very important stage should begin in the child's nutrition - a gradual transition to solid food. It is now very important for a baby to learn to chew food, so he will develop chewing muscles, improve the ability to voluntarily control the movements of the organs of articulation.

To begin with, try to offer your child vegetable stew, just thoroughly mashed with a fork, instead of “airy” puree. A little later, you don’t need to knead the vegetables, it will be enough to chop them finely. Start cooking cereals from ordinary, not ground, cereals. Make salads with finely chopped fruits and vegetables.

An important principle in the preparation of children's food is to preserve the beneficial substances contained in the products as much as possible. Therefore, use gentle technologies: boil, bake, stew, steam.

Remember that a significant part of the vitamins is destroyed by heat and exposure to moisture and air. Never peel vegetables ahead of time - just before putting them in the pot. The water should be boiling by now. To preserve minerals in vegetables, boil them in salted water. The rule does not apply to beets - boiling in salted water worsens their taste.

Prepare baby soup without toasting. If the soup is meat, be sure to drain the first broth.

Is it possible to use salt and spices

Food for a one year old child can be slightly salted. To an adult, children's food should seem undersalted.

It is acceptable to use spices, but in very small quantities - only until a light shade of taste is achieved. Bay leaves, basil, cumin, thyme, coriander, marjoram, rosemary, allspice, vanilla, cinnamon can be added to the dishes of a child from one to three years old. Spices such as red and black pepper, horseradish, mustard are too hot and are not suitable for children's dishes.

What about sweets

In our culture it is customary to treat children to sweets, and this is completely wrong. Sweets increase allergic reactions, lead to overweight and provoke the appearance of caries, so the later the baby gets to know them, the better.

You can sweeten food only if the baby refuses to eat unleavened food - cottage cheese, porridge, etc. But first, try to improve the taste with berries, fruits or dried fruits.

If you still can't wait to pamper your child with something sweet, let it be marshmallows, marshmallows, marmalade, jam, marmalade, jam or children's cookies. But only after the main meal.

What you can and cannot drink

For a child, as well as for an adult, the ideal drink is plain water. You can offer the baby boiled water from the tap or buy a special one - in a bottle marked "for baby food".

Compotes from vegetables, fruits and dried fruits diversify the drinking diet. Try to cook them without sugar, most likely, the baby will be delicious anyway. Vegetable and fruit juices are also better to make yourself. However, it is often not worth giving them to a child to drink: there are no dietary fibers in them, but there is plenty of sugar and acids.

At the age of one year, the child can already be given weak herbal and fruit teas. It is useful to drink cocoa, it contains proteins, carbohydrates, fats and a biologically active component that can stimulate the activity of the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Sometimes you can treat your baby to surrogate coffee, which is made from barley, oats, rye, chicory, soybeans, chestnuts, etc.

Do not give your child tea, cocoa, or surrogate coffee after fish or meat dishes. These drinks contain substances that prevent the absorption of certain nutrients, such as iron.

Do not treat your baby to carbonated drinks, even mineral water - the carbon dioxide contained in them irritates the gastric mucosa.

How to make a menu for a 1-year-old child

Experts advise making a menu for a child for a week in advance. This makes it easier to ensure that the baby's nutrition is balanced. It is important to immediately build a regular meal schedule and, if possible, do not deviate from it for more than 30 minutes. Thanks to the regime, the child develops a conditioned food reflex, and this helps to digest and assimilate food well.

A one-year-old child is recommended to be fed five times a day. three main meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner and two additional ones: afternoon tea and bedtime feeding.

A child from one to one and a half years old needs about 1000-1200 ml of food per day, from one and a half to three years - 1200-1500 ml.