12 - 18 months: feeding your toddler

Learn how to encourage a healthy, balanced diet, even when your toddler is asserting their newfound 'no' power!

Your toddler might seem like a little adult, but when it comes to their diet they still have very different needs to you. While it's important to include your toddler in family meal times, make sure that you don't add salt or sugar to foods that they eat and always check the labels of pre-prepared foods you feed your toddler. 

Although it's tempting to think of toddlers as mini-adults, they still have a lot of growing up to do and their nutritional needs are quite different from ours. At 12 - 18 months old, toddlers should have a diet that is lower in salt, sugar and fibre but higher in fat than that recommended for adults. Your toddler needs a variety of foods from all the main food groups to make sure they're getting the goodness they need in every mouthful. 

To get the right balance of energy and nutrients in their diet, your toddler should get used to a routine of 3 small balanced meals a day with regular nutritious snacks in-between. Why not learn more about a nutritionally balanced toddler diet.