Your Child’s Nutrition
First Year
What's for Dinner?
At this point, your child is no doubt curious, adventurous and more than willing to put things into her mouth. So, now's the perfect time to introduce her to a whole range of new foods, within reason and safety of course.
Pureed baby foods are nutritious and delicious. And now, the addition of solid foods means learning how to chew and swallow. From ages 1-2, your child should get most of her calories from solid foods. Small portions are a must, starting with one to two table spoonfuls of each food. Be sure to vary her choices from the different food groups, keeping in mind that children need more fat and less fibre than adults do.
Read How to Avoid Choking Hazards with Solid Foods.
We all love desserts, but at this point it's important not to overemphasize desserts as better than the rest of the meal. If you do serve dessert, try and make it a healthy one, like sharing a juicy sliced pear.
Try Some Tricks for Healthy Eating
2nd Year and Beyond
Low Fat, Please
By age 2, your child's brain growth is just about complete. So the fat she's needed up to now can be reduced. Since, whole milk doesn't have as much iron as breast milk or milk formula. Ask your doctor if your growing child would benefit from a growing up milk formula such as Almarai Enfagrow A+.
Have Fun with Foods
Mealtime at this age can be a fun, rewarding and delightfully messy experience. It can also lay the groundwork for tastes that can last a lifetime. So be a part of it. Offer options, and make them fun. Instill a love for fruits and vegetables. If at first you don't succeed, don't push, but do try, try again later. Research shows that kids may need to be offered a food as often as twelve times before they accept it. Try to associate new foods with old favourites. If she likes mashed sweet potatoes, she may also like mashed potatoes and carrots. And mix things up. You'd get bored eating the same thing day after day too.
