To do my best with eating, I need healthy meal and snack options from you. It’s up to me to do my job with eating.
Don’t worry if I don’t want to eat a meal or snack. Tell me when you will offer my next meal or snack. I will probably be hungry by then. Praise me with words, not food. These words are the best reward: “I am proud of you!”
Snacks help me get what I need to grow, play, and learn. My stomach is small, so I get hungry every 2 or 3 hours. Offer me one snack between breakfast and lunch, one snack between lunch and dinner, and maybe one snack before bedtime.
As I continue to grow, I continue to learn about new foods. I’m trying new tastes and textures. My foods will change as I learn.
For me, the amounts are still small. I may be eating more whole foods that are soft, cut up, or foods I can pick up by myself.
My appetite can change from day to day. Don’t worry if I eat more one day and less the next. Keep offering me new foods and add on to favorites I enjoy. We’ll learn together. Eating together should be enjoyable for both of us.
Offer meals and snacks about every 2-3 hours, including something before bedtime.
Create a satisfying meal or snack by offering me a few different foods at eating times.
I eat small portions. A serving is about 2-4 tablespoons or a quarter slice of bread. Let me eat until I show you I am full.
Cereal
Pasta
Tortilla
Rice
Bread
Crackers
Bite-sized pieces.
Examples: whole grain bread, white bread, tortillas, rice, noodles, cereals, crackers, pancakes, French toast, muffins, bagels, dry or cooked cereal.
Offer a variety throughout the week based on culture, family traditions, and budget.
Green beans
Carrots
Beets
Broccoli
Sweet Potato
Cauliflower
Bell peppers
Cooked and mashed, sliced, or chopped veggies.
Examples: beets slices, broccoli, cauliflower, yams, potatoes, carrots, green beans.
Offer a variety throughout the week based on culture, family traditions, and budget.
Kiwi
Plum
Nectarine
Blueberries
Apples
Watermelon
Avocado
Mashed, sliced, chopped, canned, or soft fresh fruit.
Examples: applesauce, apple wedges, bigger chunks of banana, pear slices, canned peaches, kiwi, strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew.
Offer a variety throughout the week based on culture, family traditions, and budget.
Breastmilk
Yogurt
Sliced Cheese
Milk
Cottage cheese
String cheese
Examples: whole milk, or low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese.
Offer a variety throughout the week based on culture, family traditions, and budget.
Peanut Butter
Tuna
Beans
Eggs
Tofu
Beef
Chicken
Examples: soft cooked pieces, mashed beans or peas, eggs, peanut butter, cut up hamburger, tofu, and cooked, choppled meat, poultry, or fish.
Offer a variety throughout the week based on culture, family traditions, and budget.
Cupcake
Pudding
Cookie
Ice Cream
Brownie
Offer 1 serving of dessert at the same time as the rest of the meal and allow your child to pick when to eat it at the beginning, middle, or end of the meal.
Offer cookies and other desserts as a snack on occasion. You can offer it with milk if you want.
Offer a variety throughout the week based on culture, family traditions, and budget.
Butter
Cream cheese
Ranch dressing
Gravy
Children need some fat to grow, provide energy, and make food taste good.
Examples: butter, sour cream, cream cheese, ranch dressing, other sauces, gravy.
Quesadilla with guacamole
Pizza
Mac n’ Cheese
Lasagna
Burrito
Sandwich
Some foods are a combination of food groups and make for a tasty meal.
Examples: pizza, casseroles, soup, mac n’ cheese, spaghetti, lasagna, burritos, quesadillas, soft tacos, hamburgers.
Give me a small spoon or fork and a small plate and cup. I may still be a little messy when I eat. I am learning!
I need to sit down while I eat or drink. Let me sit in my booster seat at the table.
Check to see if I need a doctor’s visit and a lead test.
Buckle me into a child safety seat when we ride in a car.
Let’s wash our hands together before and after we eat. Teach me how to wash my hands with warm water and soap. I need to wash them for 20 seconds, or the time it takes to sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”
Keep me away from tobacco smoke, matches, and lighters.
Hold my hand when we cross the street.
I need simple rules. Limit my screen time to one hour or less. Set limits on when, where, and how often we have screen time. Talk about what I’m learning as we watch together, and keep me safe from what I shouldn’t see. Let’s focus on each other during meals and snacks, not a screen.
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Side-Lying Hold
This hold is useful when:
Cross-Cradle Hold
This hold is useful when:
Clutch or “Football” Hold
This hold is useful when:
Cradle Hold
This hold is useful when:
Laid-Back Hold
This hold is useful when: