When it comes to our baby’s food we tend to completely rely on milk for nourishment. But as the kids grow older the baby’s body requires various other nutrients that only milk cannot provide. For newborn kids, milk is a wholesome and complete meal but as your child begins to walk and play more actively he needs more than just milk for his nourishment and growth.
Why Is Milk Not Enough?
Milk is an excellent source of Vitamin D and calcium which is not only important but sufficient for an infant but for a toddler it doesn’t do much. A toddler needs a healthy dose of vitamins other than vitamin D, proteins, iron and other nutrients to ensure baby’s rapid growth and development. Once a baby sprouts his first set of teeth and is on solids, his developmental needs surpass milk and its nutrients.
How Much Milk Does My Toddler Need For His Growth?
Considering the fact that a toddler is growing at a speedy rate, he or she needs to have milk along with a wholesome diet. For a toddler 2 large cups of milk per day is more than sufficient. If your baby is more inclined towards milk than solid food you could give him 3 small cups of milk but feeding your baby more milk than that won’t provide extra nourishment, but would actually deter him from having wholesome food. Experts suggest that 350ml and 400ml of milk a day is enough and it is not recommended to feed him more.
What Other Foods Should I Feed My Toddler?
Your toddler needs a good balance of proteins, vitamins, calcium, carbohydrates and natural fiber in his daily diet. In simple terms, make sure your baby’s meal comprises of rotis, some rice, dal and some vegetables as well. Rotis made of wheat are a good source of iron, magnesium and vitamin B6. Rice provides the required amount of starch or carbohydrate necessary for growth. Vegetables are rich in nutrients; different vegetables have different nutritional value. Like leafy vegetables are rich in iron, green vegetables are also rich in iron, calcium and vitamin C. If you are a non vegetarian you could give a small portion of soft meat to your toddlers as well which is properly cleaned and de-boned. Avoid red meat since it can a little difficult to digest. Click here to read more.
Why Does My Child Refuse To Eat Food?
A majority of toddlers start to eat very few things, so that is nothing to be worried about. If your child simply does not want to eat food it could be because he finds the process of eating food boring and time consuming. If your child is just being lazy or stubborn to eat food and is asking for milk instead do not give- in to his tantrums. If your child refuses food, let him go but when he comes back and is hungry, offer the same food. If you offer your baby a cup of milk every time he refuses the food on plate, you will be encouraging unhealthy eating habits and your child will be deprived of the nutrition he needs. But in some cases your child could have a stomach infection that he is not able to explain. If your child is not willing to eat anything at all, it is advisable that you consult a doctor at the earliest. You can read more about fussy eater here and here.
How Should I Plan My Toddler’s Diet?
A toddler needs a well balanced diet. Make sure that your toddler has 3 wholesome meals in a day which include a healthy breakfast, a wholesome lunch and dinner. You could give your baby a snack or two during the day if he feels like. Avoid giving your baby chips and biscuits as snacks instead opt for fruits and smoothies. Do not exclude milk from your toddler’s diet. Your child is still growing and needs milk in his daily diet. A cup of milk can be given to the baby in morning, another one in the evening along with some snacks and the last one before the baby goes to bed.
How Can I Get My Baby To Eat Solid Healthy Food?
Kids can get very fussy when it comes to food, especially now since their taste buds are more developed. If you want to get your toddler to eat his veggies you have to get a little creative. It is important that you include vegetables in your toddler’s diet but it doesn’t necessarily have to be the same subzi you make for the adults, go easy on the spices and get a little creative. You could even garnish the regularsubzi with a little bit of cheese, which kids generally love. Another trick is to jazz up the presentation of the food, you could get colorful plates and bowls for your kid and fancy up the regular food with vegetable toppings and garnish and instantly notice the difference when your child eat his meal without throwing a fit.
What Are The Other Alternatives Of Milk?
If your baby absolutely cannot skip milk, you could switch the regular milk with a variety of other options. You could opt for soy milk which is made by soybeans; just make sure to choose organic soy milk made without adding pesticide to the soybeans. Other options include nut milk which is up of almonds and variety of other nuts. These alternatives cannot substitute for food. A toddler must have his regular meals everyday but if once in a while your child doesn’t feel like eating a wholesome meal you could give him milk or the above mentioned variety of milks instead.
