Did you know

What to avoid...

1...toddlers should not eat large quantities of salty foods, sugary and acidic drinks, drinks with sweeteners

2...large fish such as shark, swordfish and marlin may contain high levels of mercury and should be avoided

3...whole nuts should not be given to toddlers and young children under five because of the risk of choking

Things to be aware of...

4...salt and sodium from convenience foods should be kept to low amounts. There is some sodium in most nutritious foods therefore toddlers do not need 'added salt' or foods that are high in salt such as takeaways, ready meals and sauces, and salty snacks such as crisps. Only give these foods to toddlers occasionally such as once or twice a month

5...many toddlers do not get enough iron in their diet. Red meat is the richest source of iron but there is also iron in pulses (such as lentils and beans), nuts, eggs, fortified breakfast cereals, dried fruit and green leafy vegetables

6...eggs and shellfish should be well cooked as they can cause food poisoning in toddlers if eaten raw or partially cooked

7...all toddlers should drink full-fat or growing up milk until they are two years old, rather than semi-skimmed milk, as they contain more calories and vitamin A

8...supplementation of vitamins A and D are recommended for all children under five years old

Establishing a routine...

9...you may need to try and feed your toddler a new food ten or more times before he/she accepts it

10...toddlers should have six to eight drinks per day to ensure adequate hydration

11...toddlers need carbohydrates from starchy foods such as bread, cereals, rice, pasta and potatoes at every meal

12...oily fish such as mackerel, salmon and sardines are a good source of omega 3 fats and should be offered regularly*

*you can give boys up to four portions of oily fish a week, but girls should be given no more than two portions of oily fish a week because of traces of toxins found in these fish. It is less for girls as a precaution against accumulating high toxin levels into childbearing years

Your toddler's body

13...your toddler's tummy is much smaller than yours. That's why they need to eat small amounts of energy and nutrient rich foods frequently. 3 meals with 2-3 healthy snacks per day is a good way to provide this

14...that the body mass index (BMI) of toddlers decreases from around their first birthday onwards as they become slimmer, until about 4-5 years when it begins to increase

15...toddlers need less milk than they did in their first year of life, 3 drinks of 120mls (4oz) per day is about right but they can have less if they are eating yogurt and cheese regularly