Learning About Feeding Your Toddler
By age 2 or 3, your toddler may prefer certain foods and dislike others. Toddlers may have a lot of variation in how hungry they are each day. Giving your toddler new foods to try can encourage a love of variety, texture, and taste. Exploring new foods is a skill that takes time and practice to learn.
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Toddlers may need many tries before accepting a new food. Keep offering them new foods—even if they don't like them the first time.
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Make healthy foods available to your toddler. Your toddler can decide how much to eat.
Ways to help your toddler with healthy eating
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Serve healthy foods and drinks.
- Offer lots of vegetables and fruits every day.
- Provide healthy snacks that your toddler likes.
- Offer water when your toddler is thirsty.
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Prepare for meals and snacks.
- Have a snack and meal routine. Try 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks a day.
- Trust your toddler's eating. It's okay if they eat a lot at one meal and not much at the next.
- Let your toddler help in the kitchen as soon as they show interest.
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Help your toddler try new foods.
- Give foods in small portions. Offer 1 or 2 spoonfuls to start.
- Eat with your toddler. Serve them the same healthy foods you eat.
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Practice healthy eating habits together.
- Be a role model. Let your toddler see you eat healthy foods.
- Try not to use food as a reward.
Where can you learn more?
Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd
Enter V931 in the search box to learn more about "Learning About Feeding Your Toddler".
Adaptation Date: 2/23/2024
Adapted By: Alberta Health Services
Adaptation Reviewed By: Alberta Health Services