For picky-eating toddlers, creating a positive mealtime experience and offering a variety of foods can help encourage them to try new things. Introduce new foods and let your child explore different textures and colours on their plate. Keeping portion sizes small and avoiding pressure to eat can reduce mealtime stress for both you and your child. Be patient, as it often takes multiple exposures before a toddler accepts a new food. Setting a good example by enjoying a balanced diet yourself can also make them more curious about trying a wider range of foods.
Iron is a critical nutrient for children’s growth and development, playing a key role in forming haemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood to fuel the body and brain. Adequate iron levels help maintain children’s energy, focus, and overall cognitive development, supporting them in learning and daily activities. Iron also strengthens the immune system, helping children to resist infections. Including iron-rich foods like lean meats, beans, fortified cereals, and leafy greens in their diet is essential for sustained physical and mental development.
- Babies, toddlers and preschoolers are at [color1]higher risk of iron deficiency,[/color1] mainly due to increased iron needs for their rapid growth.
- Iron is important for [color1]general growth, muscles and blood formation.[/color1]
- Without an adequate iron intake, especially for those who are following a vegetarian diet, toddlers can become anaemic and it could affect their potential for grow and development. They can also become [color1]tired and irritable which can affect their learning.[/color1]
[color2]We ensure there’s at least ONE (or more) iron containing food included on the menu on each day. We also provide mainly wholegrain breads and wraps to further increase the iron intake of your children.[/color2]
Vitamin C is essential for children’s growth and development, supporting a strong immune system, healthy skin, and wound healing. This powerful antioxidant helps protect cells from damage and plays a crucial role in absorbing iron, which is vital for energy and concentration. Additionally, vitamin C contributes to the development of healthy bones, teeth, and connective tissue. Providing children with vitamin C-rich foods, like fruits and vegetables, can help support their physical and cognitive development, setting the foundation for lifelong health.
- Many people are aware that the benefit of Vitamin C is to [color1]enhance our immune system.[/color1]
- Most importantly, Vitamin C helps the body to absorb iron more efficiently. This is crucial for children at this growing age to [color1]prevent anaemia and poor growth.[/color1]
[color2]It is always our priority to provide fruits and vegetables high in Vitamin C regularly in our menu. [/color2]
Good nutrition is especially important for vegetarian toddlers, as they are in a key phase of rapid growth and development. Without animal-based sources of nutrients like iron, protein, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids, it becomes essential to include a variety of plant-based foods that can meet these needs.[color1] Iron and protein are vital for muscle and brain development, while nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and zinc support strong bones and immunity.[/color1]
Well-rounded vegetarian diets for toddlers should feature legumes, tofu, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens, complemented with fortified foods if needed. By carefully planning a balanced vegetarian diet, parents can ensure their toddler gets the nutrients needed to thrive physically and cognitively.
- Our vegetarian meals are based on [color2]cheese or lentils/ legumes. [/color2]
- This is to ensure your child obtains [color2]adequate protein intake from their diet.[/color2]
- It also includes a food containing [color2]iron and a fruit or vegetable high in Vitamin C. [/color2]
the do's
- Lead by example. Enjoy the food and show them you like it.
- Make positive comments when trying new food.
- Talk about the new food with your child eg: where it’s from, the colour, the texture, the taste.
- Regular meal and snack times.
- If your child decides that they are hungry after the refused food, [color1]re-offer the refused meal/ food.
- Involve your child in buying and meals preparation.
- Offer a wide range of different food at each meal – make the plate colourful.
- Serve new food with familiar or favourite food.
- Patience and Perseverance: [/color1] Continue to offer small amounts of new food – 10 to 15 times before your child will try it.
- Try to ignore food refusal, instead praise them when they eat well.
- Set a ‘one-bite-rule’.
- Making a mess when eating is part of learning about food. But if your child is doing it for attention, ignore the behaviour and calmly take the food away.
- When a food/meal is refused, you may want to say something like: ‘Oh, I am sorry, you are not hungry, I will put this away’, ‘Can you tell me when you are hungry and I will get it for you’, ‘That’s a shame, this is so yummy. Maybe you might like to try it next time’
The don'ts
- Threats
- Punishments
- Bargaining
- Providing multiple alternatives.
- Do not take away a refusal meal and offer a completely different meal
- Leaving long gaps between meals to make your child hungry
- Do not fill your kids up on unhealthy snacks or fluids before a meal