Family meal times are a great way to introduce your toddler to good eating habits. Here are some tips on adapting what you cook so everyone can enjoy it.
Your toddler can eat more or less the same foods as the rest of the
family now. But you may need to adapt some of your usual recipes,
as there are some ingredients that are still best avoided.
Salt
Avoid adding salt to any meal you are cooking that your toddler
will eat. Toddlers need no more than 2g of salt (0.8g sodium) per
day. Too much salt can lead to a liking for salty food. A high salt
diet can be linked to a number of health problems and is not good
for your baby's developing kidneys.
Stock
Most ready-made stocks are high in salt, so avoid using them in
meals your toddler will eat. Instead you could use a baby stock,
very low salt stock or water. Cooking with herbs is another way of
adding flavour without increasing the salt content of a meal.
Shop-bought sauces and ready-made foods
If you are using shop-bought sauces, check the salt content as many
can be higher in salt than you may realise. Always check the labels
of ready-made foods, even those aimed at children, to help you
choose those with less salt. A toddler should have no more than 2g
salt (0.8g sodium) a day.
Sugar
Keep the amount of added sugar in your toddler's meals to a
minimum, as it can encourage a sweet tooth and may lead to tooth
decay. Limit sweets, biscuits, cakes, chocolate and sugary drinks.
Restrict sweet foods to meal times and avoid offering them every
day or as a reward.
Spices
As your toddler becomes increasingly used to more complex flavours
you can offer mildly spiced meals, such as a mild chicken curry.
Take care that anything you offer is not too hot though, as spices
can irritate your toddler's stomach lining.
Foods to avoid
- Raw eggs and food that contains raw or partially cooked eggs
because of the risk of food poisoning. Make sure eggs are hard
boiled.
- Whole or chopped nuts for children under five years old because
of the risk of choking. Instead, crush or flake them or else avoid
completely if you are concerned your toddler may be at risk of a nut
allergy.
- Shark, swordfish and marlin. These fish may contain relatively
high levels of mercury, which might affect your toddler's
developing nervous system.
Great family meals
- Spaghetti Bolognese with added vegetables and no added
salt.
- Grilled sausages, reduced-sugar-and-salt baked beans and mashed
potato.
- Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with rice.
- Scrambled egg on toast with sliced tomato.
- Lentil and vegetable curry with rice and chapattis, made using
water or a low salt vegetable stock.