Question

My child is 2.8 years old. What foods should I offer? How many times should I offer milk?

Answer

At this age, most children can eat the same foods as you, although they may need them to be chopped up so they are more manageable to eat.

 

Make sure that you offer your little one a range of foods for a balanced and varied diet, as these will help give them the nutrients they need to grow and develop.  Examples from each of the food groups are:

 

- Starchy foods - like bread, pasta, potato, sweet potato, rice and cereals

- Protein foods - like meat, fish, milk, eggs, cheese, yoghurt and pulses (beans and lentils)

- Healthy fats - like avocado, oily fish such as salmon and sardines, peanut butter and olive oil

- Fruits and vegetables - fresh, frozen, canned and juice all count, although limit juices to mealtimes only

- Foods high in fat and sugar - like crisps, chocolate, chips, deep fried foods, sweets, cakes and biscuits - limit these to treats only

 

Milk is still an important source of calcium for healthy bones. It's a good idea to offer your little one 2-3 serves of dairy foods a day. This can be either a glass of milk (semi-skimmed is fine at this stage), a small yoghurt or a small lump of cheese.

 

 

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