We have a toddler and we’re not sure how to plan healthy meals for him. Any ideas?

At no time in life is there a greater opportunity to forge positive attitudes about food and eating than when a child is a toddler. It is important that adults remember a few facts about toddlers that will help plan meal and snack times. Let’s begin with some basics of toddler behavior:

• Toddlers are neophobic. This distrust is a sign of the toddler’s growing ability to recognize the difference between things that are familiar and those that are not. This fear of the unfamiliar includes a fear of new foods. Soon after turning 1 year old, a toddler seems to become very opinionated about food likes and dislikes. He learns to say, “No.” This also is part of being a toddler — striving for independence and beginning to express individuality.

Be prepared to offer new foods many times and expect to have foods accepted one day and refused the next day. Be patient. As new foods are introduced, serve old favorites alongside. Start slowly and give the child some control by offering choices. Show the child what the food looks like, and be prepared for “no.”

• Toddlers benefit from the routine of a meal and snack-time schedule. By routine, we mean meals and snacks that are predictable, dependable, and thoughtfully planned and offered at approximately the same time daily. This structure of regular meals and snacks is important to a toddler’s growth and developing autonomy.
• The toddler decides how much food to eat and whether or not to eat what is served. The adult offers nutritious foods that are appropriate for toddlers, determines when food is served (the mealtime routine), and determines how food is served (wash hands, sit at the table, etc.) The toddlers food intake may be less for one day and more the next. This is normal for a young child.
• Skipping meals or snacks is not unusual. If children skip a meal because they are not hungry, it is all right. As the adult, approach the situation calmly and matter-of-factly. Have the child continue to follow the meal or snack routine with the rest of the family. This routine might include hand washing, sitting at the table, and cleaning teeth after the meal. This emphasizes the importance of the meal and snacks routine and continues to provide the child the opportunity to eat the nutritious and appropriate food that is being offered.
• Children eat first with their eyes. While it is true that children like simple things, it doesn’t mean quality is not an issue. For even young children, it is important that meals are both attractive and tasty.
• Toddlers generally do not like to mix their foods. Avoid casseroles or foods touching each other. Prepare foods separately and distinctly. Use dishes with compartments and sides, to make it easier for toddlers to use utensils.
• As parents or caregivers, let your own positive attitudes toward food show. Sit with the toddler at mealtime and model acceptance of the meal. Be aware of your influence. When you select and enjoy certain foods, or when you choose to ignore or “put your nose up” with certain foods, you are passing along food choices and attitudes.
• Keep in mind that toddlers tend to approach eating the same way they approach playing. This means that eating will be messy, as they learn how food feels in their fingers, how they get the food from the plate to their mouths, and how they become familiar with using a spoon and a cup. We should offer finger foods in safe forms and provide child-size utensils. We encourage learning to eat as well as improving fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

In planning toddler-friendly meals, keep these principles in mind:

• Nutrition. Build menu plans using the Food Guide Pyramid. Choose more whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Choose sweets sparingly. Offer three meals plus two or three snacks daily. Schedule nutritious snacks to offer more nutrient dense foods that promote growth.
• Portion size. Offer appropriate serving sizes. Seconds can be offered, if available.
• Dental health. Avoid “grazing” which promotes tooth decay and spoils the appetite for the next meal or snack. Use water in between meals and snacks to quench thirst. If sweets are served, offer them at a meal instead of alone or at snack time.
• Color and texture. Offer attractive, varied, manageable foods. Avoid hard, dry, stringy and slippery foods. Some foods are hard to chew; others are difficult to swallow. Avoid foods that may cause choking.

What foods should be avoided in order to prevent choking?

We do not recommend serving the following foods to toddlers:

• Peanut butter, small marshmallows, large chunks of meat, pretzels, chips, hard candy, popcorn, raw peas, ice cubes, raisins and other dried fruit.

The following foods can be changed to make them safe for toddlers:

• Hot dogs — cook, cut in quarters lengthwise, then into small pieces.
• Whole grapes — cut in bite-size pieces.
• Nuts, seeds or peanuts — chop finely.
• Raw carrots — chop finely or cut into thin strips, steam or microwave to soften.
• Fish with bones — remove the bones.