You may surprise yourself over the coming weeks by saying the same thing to your child when they frown at their purée of green beans or spit out all the pieces of the broccoli you cooked so lovingly! It’s undoubtedly frustrating, and it’s natural to try to use your powers of persuasion and get them to pick up that piece of vegetable. It’s also important to remember that no matter how frustrating it is, you should persevere with feeding your child a range of healthy foods.

Feeding a toddler or a growing baby isn’t always easy, especially if they’ve decided they don’t like something. But if you can help them develop good eating habits, the chances of them trying and enjoying new foods throughout childhood, and developing healthy habits for the future, are greatly increased.

This is because good eating habits start early with the introduction of solids. Teaching your child to eat well won't necessarily be an easy ride, but the sooner you start encouraging them to eat the right things and enjoy exploring new tastes, the better these habits will be.

• As many as 50% of babies in the 13 to 18 month age range eat the same meals as their parents. This can be problematic as their digestive system and organs only fully mature after the age of 2 years. Ideally your child will eat stage-appropriate foods that prepare them for the tastes and textures of family meals while giving them all the nutrients they really need.
• Iron deficiency is common in the UK, with 1 in 8 toddlers being deficient. It’s important that baby and toddlers meals contain adequate amounts of iron to help with their growth and development.
• Children's intake of protein, the building block foods (meat, fish and eggs, in particular) between the ages of 6 and 36 months is often too high. The risk is that the child may become overweight. This can even lead to childhood obesity further down the line. The correct amount of protein is between 10-15g per day up to the age of age of three years.
• More than half of young children eat too many sweet foods. It’s important that your child doesn’t eat too much sugar as an infant. Feeding them too much can increase their risk of dental caries, and might encourage a sweet tooth later on in life!
• Studies indicate that many children do not consume enough calcium to meet their daily needs. Calcium is important for the normal growth and development of bones in children.

With these facts in mind, it’s easy to see why helping your infant develop good eating habits is important. Feeding a toddler or baby can be a challenge when they decide they don’t like something, but persevering with a healthy balance of food is good for their health in the long term.

If you follow a few simple rules, you’ll know you’re giving the best to your baby or toddler. Eating habits, once established, can be tricky to break – so make sure the ones your child forms are good, and set them up for the future.

• Supply three regular meals per day (with 2-3 healthy snacks as needed) containing a balance of carbohydrates (starchy foods), proteins, fruits, vegetables, dairy products and cereals.
• Try to vary their meals from week to week in order to develop their sense of taste. Always giving them the same flavours can put them off tasting new foods.
• Your child should only have meat or fish once a day. Three of four teaspoons between the ages of 6 and 12 months is enough.
• Eggs must be well cooked. Start with just a little, then work up to one whole egg per week.
• When it comes to salt, there's no need to add any to homemade baby food. Don't add it to shop-bought jars either. It isn’t necessary and the food will taste good to your baby without it! This is a good habit to adopt throughout life.
• Avoid adding any sugar to food and drinks.
• When it comes to drinks, try and stick to water. Keep sugary drinks for special occasions like birthdays if you do give them to your child.

Your baby will adopt these good infant feeding habits more readily if you also apply good and sensible eating habits to yourself. After all, you’re their biggest role model and they want to learn as much from you as they can! If you’re eating snacks they like but know they can’t have, they probably won’t want to try that yummy piece of broccoli instead.

As your child gets older, let them help out in the kitchen so that eating becomes a time of fun and pleasure. They’ll learn more about the food they’re eating, become more familiar with different fruits and vegetables, and feel very grown up if they’re allowed to arrange their dinner on a plate! You might even inspire a future chef. When possible, sit around a table to eat meals with the family too. Your child might learn from watching others eat, and they’ll associate mealtimes with being with the people they like.

Not everything will work for your child, and you’ll doubtlessly come up against “I don’t like!” or “I want that!” at some point. But with plenty of understanding and gentle perseverance, you’ll help your child to form good eating habits that can last a lifetime.

Statistics show that food allergies and intolerances are rising steeply, and these figures include new born babies. Baby milk allergy sufferers and lactose intolerance in babies, as well as nut, egg, and gluten allergies, are not entirely uncommon. The causes of these allergies are complex and linked to several factors, but the basic mechanism of an allergic reaction is that the human body comes into contact with a substance it does not ‘recognise’ (or no longer recognises) and activates its defence system in order to eliminate the intruder.

While there are many different symptoms of allergies, the solution is always the same: avoidance, removing the offending ingredient completely from your baby's diet.Studies suggest that by introducing solid foods gradually and methodically, you may help reduce the risk of your child developing allergies. The following information may help to answer some of your questions about this subject.

Generally speaking, breastfeeding helps to reduce the risk of food allergies developing in babies.

Infants born to ‘high-risk’ families, where there is a family history of allergies (i.e. the father, mother or siblings have allergies) can be at higher risk of becoming allergic to proteins found in cows' milk and  in this situation, breastfeeding is even more strongly recommended in order to help reduce the risk of developing an allergy. Healthcare professionals may even recommend limiting dairy products and other allergenic foods in the mother's diet to reduce the milk protein transfer in her breast milk.Although it is not possible for everyone, ideally babies should be breastfed for the first six months of their life as breast feeding also helps to boost babies’ immune systems. The digestive system also matures more effectively. It is essential that solid foods are then introduced very gradually.

Depending on the food responsible, symptoms to look out for include vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, hives, slight swelling of the lips and tongue, eczema, asthma and recurrent ear, nose and throat (ENT) infections, and potential disruption to the child's growth rate, which you can monitor via their growth chart.

The main food allergens are eggs, gluten, fish, peanuts and cows' milk proteins.

• Egg allergy in babies: The culprit is often the egg white and it is recommended that you don’t give babies raw or undercooked egg whites before the age of 1 year. The yolk can be introduced after 6 months. If you child is diagnosed with an egg allergy, bear in mind that many food products are manufactured using ingredients containing eggs. You will need to read the label and list of ingredients carefully.
• Gluten intolerance in babies: Gluten is a protein found in cereals such as wheat (including bread wheat, spelt and Khorasan wheat (popularly sold under the Kamut brand), rye, oats and barley. As soon as a gluten intolerance is diagnosed, all products derived from these cereals will need to be eliminated from the diet. Fortunately, current regulations require that all products that contain gluten must be clearly labelled to show this. Infant cereals for babies from 4-6 months may be gluten free, but always check the ingredients list. However it is possible to introduce gluten gradually from the age of 6 months onwards.
• Peanut allergy in infants: Peanuts are not really a nut but a legume, commonly referred to as the bean and pea family. If your child is high risk (for example, there is a family history of peanut allergy) then discuss with your GP first before introducing peanuts (in the form of peanut butter or finely ground peanuts) to your child’s diet, to establish whether it is safe to do so. Like eggs and gluten, peanuts may be present in many manufactured foods not designed for children.  You will need to read the label in order to check for the inclusion of peanuts. Peanuts may occasionally be found in a product even though they are not deliberately added, so check so-called “may contain” statements. Remember, whole peanuts are not recommended for children under the age of 5 years, even if your chid is not high risk, as they are a choking hazard.
• Nut allergy in babies: Nuts, or tree nuts as they are sometimes called, cover a number of foods; almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachio nuts and macadamia or Queensland nuts.  If your child is considered high risk, then discuss with your GP first before introducing nuts (in the form of nut butters or finely ground nuts) to your child’s diet. Like eggs and gluten, nuts may be present in many manufactured foods that are not designed for children.  You will need to read the label in order to check for the inclusion of any nuts. You should also check whether nuts can be found in a product even when they’re not deliberately added, by checking so-called “may contain” statements.  Remember, whole nuts are not recommended for children under the age of 5 years, as they are a choking hazard.
• Milk allergy in babies: Cows’ milk protein allergy is common, particularly in infants. Your healthcare professional, will help you decide which baby milk alternative would be best for your little one in this situation.

So, careful weaning may help to reduce the risk of food allergies developing in babies. How should you go about it in practical terms?
 
You can reduce the risk of your baby developing food allergies by following the advice of your health care professional and weaning your baby gradually.

• It is preferable to continue to breastfeed whilst solids are introduced to your baby’s diet.
• Start introducing solids at around six months.
• Only introduce one new food to your child at a time. Start with a small amount and allow at least three days between each new food to help identify any allergic reactions, especially for the highly allergenic foods such as wheat or egg.
• Start with infant cereals that are gluten-free, and only use infant cereals that contain gluten after six months.
• Follow normal weaning recommendations, using foods such as rice, potatoes, root and green vegetables, apple, pear and bananas, in their meals. Give them to your baby individually.
• Always cook fruit and vegetables thoroughly (before reducing them to a purée or compote) until they are old enough to eat them raw (around eight months).

 If you want more tips on safely weaning your baby, read our detailed weaning guide.
 

In the first instance, your GP or paediatrician may prescribe a blood test. It is then recommended that you consult an allergist – your GP will tell you what to do. Some allergists specialise in infant allergies. 

Unfortunately no medical cure currently exists for food allergies. However, some children do outgrow them. If your child has a food allergy, they would need to be re-tested by your health care professional at regular intervals to establish the persistence of their allergy.

• According to the Food Standards Agency, it is estimated that 1-2% of adults and 5-8% of children have a food allergy*.
• The UK has one of the highest prevalence of allergies in Europe with an estimated 30% of the population suffering from an allergy at some time in their lives.
• Prevalence of food allergy is highest in young children.

• www.allergyuk.org
• www.anaphylaxis.org.uk

*http://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/multimedia/pdfs/publication/allergy_fsa_overview.pdf

• Starts to be interested in food
• Begins to sit with support
• Recognises faces
• May push up from belly
• Plays with feet
• Starts to smile

• Breast milk (or formula milk):

What?

Breast milk, on demand. If introducing formula milk, please follow the advice of your health care professional and the on-pack feeding and preparation instructions.

Why?

Breast milk or formula milk is still the main source of nutrients for your weaning baby.

• Infant cereals (50g):

What?

Your baby will need around 50g or 3 tablespoons of iron fortified infant cereal a day.

Why?

Each serving of infant cereal is packed with important nutrients and provides complex carbohydrates that are easy to digest. This makes them an ideal food for babies who still only have little tummies, and will help him feel fuller for longer.

• Fruits (10g):

What?

Your baby might enjoy about 2 teaspoons of pureed fruit a day.

Why?

Fruit contains vitamins and minerals. It also contains antioxidants, which help keep cells healthy, and gentle dietary fibre, which supports digestion.

• Vegetables (10g):

What?

Your baby might enjoy about 2 teaspoons of puréed vegetable a day.

Why?

Vegetables contain vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants (which help keep cells healthy) and gentle dietary fibre (which supports digestion).

• Opens mouth for spoon: Try introducing a new flavour by mixing infant cereal, fruit or vegetable purée with the familiar taste of breast milk or baby’s usual formula.
• Starts to swallow purée: Begin with the velvety smooth textures of infant cereals, fruit and vegetable purées.
• Starts to show interest in food: Encourage this by getting him to taste a tiny bit and then enthusiastically eating some yourself.

Your baby can help you understand how much food he needs. You just have to learn his cues.

Your baby might have had enough if he:

• Slows down sucking food off the spoon.
• Turns head away from spoon
• Spits out familiar or favourite foods
• Gets distracted easily

Full up – suggestions

Listen to your baby’s cues. If he is full, don’t try to force him to eat more. Try not to worry; it’s normal for the amount your baby eats to change from meal to meal, as well as day to day.

Your baby may still be hungry if he:

• Opens mouth and turns towards you

Still hungry – suggestions

After the meal, offer 1-2 teaspoons of infant cereals, fruit or vegetables. You can try to gradually increase the number of teaspoons of infant cereals, fruit and vegetables at the next mealtime by 1 or 2.

Breast milk is just right to meet all of your baby’s nutritional needs for the first 6 months. If you decide to use formula, it is designed to contain all the essential nutrients your baby needs.

• Cereals:

Rice (gluten free) contains complex carbohydrates and added vitamins and minerals such as iron to help support normal cognitive development. Infant cereals are a great source of nutrients and energy (which he’ll need for all that growing) and are easy for your baby to digest. Nestlé infant cereals are gentle on your baby’s tummy and packed with goodness to help him grow healthily.

• Vegetables:

Peas, pumpkin, yam, and carrot are easy to digest and are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and gentle dietary fibre. Make sure they are steam cooked, as they are too hard for your baby to digest raw. Then purée them to a smooth consistency so it is easy to swallow. Adding a little good quality vegetable oil will help your baby to better absorb certain vitamins.

• Fruits:

Peach, banana, apple, pear, quince and papaya are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and gentle dietary fibre. They will provide new exciting tastes and textures for your baby to enjoy. Steam cook, then purée to a smooth consistency so they are easy to swallow.

Rest assured no parent is spared the experience of a picky eater: toddlers and babies will almost certainly at some point, refuse point blank to eat a delicious meal you will have lovingly prepared. Toddler tantrums and refusals from babies at mealtimes are all part of growing up, but it’s natural to feel disappointed and concerned when your baby refuses to eat. The secret to getting through this stage is to try not to associate giving food with giving affection and love to your child. That’s easy to say but not so easy in practice! Just remember that a child will never starve themselves.

There are many reasons why you may have a fussy eater. Toddlers are often picky eaters because of their growing sense of self.

At around 18-24 months old, your child will start to assert their personality. If they realise that saying "no" upsets you, they will use this as a way to test your position of authority. This is usually the beginning of the classic ‘no phase’, which is a normal stage in your child's psychomotor development.

This turning point also signposts that your baby has lots of other things they would like to be doing rather than eating. There are so many new things to discover, places to explore and games to play, that eating might not seem like the most fun option. Try looking at it positively: they’re so interested in the wider world that food is no longer their main priority! The refusals of a toddler or baby fussy eater are often also an expression of their desire for independence.

You've probably realised from speaking to friends that two-year olds have similar preferences when it comes to food.

 Favourite foods tend to be:

• Sweet, sugary flavours.

• Pasta, rice and potatoes.

And what they don't like:

• Less keen on vegetables.
• Reluctant to try new foods.

This phase of fussiness is normal and your baby will probably go through a phase of not wanting to try new foods. Fear of the unknown causes your child to start rejecting new foods. It is more pronounced in some children than in others, and most children grow out of it. When they are 6 or 7, it’s unlikely they’ll still be a fussy eater. Toddler and baby mealtimes can feel like a chore when they are refusing food, but remember that this phase is normal and it won’t last forever.

Try following some of our tips to reduce the frustration and further chances of picky eating.

• Relax, and don’t try and win this battle of wills. It will get better with time.
• Get to know your infant’s appetite and tastes, as fussiness doesn’t explain all food refusals. Perhaps your baby was simply not that hungry that particular time; appetite changes from day to day. Additionally, a baby fussy eater might not be rejecting one food in particular, as a touch of tiredness or teething can also affect their appetite. Don't worry, your baby will eat everything they need and their health is not in danger as long as their growth rate continues to progress normally.
• Another possibility is that your baby really doesn't like the food you are offering (remember how you used to hate spinach!). After several refusals, you can assume that your baby does not like that food. However, don’t give up. Just keep trying it at different times as it can take up to 16-20 attempts at trying a food before it is accepted.
• Sometimes it is not necessarily the taste of the food but the stringy texture that the child may not like. Try using a fine sieve to remove any stringy bits from a fennel purée or the seeds from a raspberry compote! Or, for example, your child might dislike cooked carrot but, if they’re old enough to eat uncooked foods (around 8 months), might enjoy it raw. Try the food in lots of forms to see if there’s one they like.
• Don’t use blackmail or intimidation to solve fussy eating, and avoid negotiation. Learn to be both firm and coherent: "You don't want it, ok, it doesn't matter. However, you won't get anything else but water until the next meal". Admittedly, it's not easy the first time! However, once your child realises they don't have a hold over you, they will understand that it is in their own interests to compromise.
• Don't turn mealtimes into an emotional tug of war. They don't eat "to please you" but rather because it is an enjoyable, vital necessity.
• Don’t force your child to eat. It’s better to avoid head-on conflict. Just ask them to taste it and praise them for having done so, even if they didn't like it. Then offer the same food in a different form a few days later.
• Involve your child by letting them identify different foods and taste them without having to eat them.
• Early on in weaning, present them with healthy options of what to eat and allow them to choose.
• Allow them to feed themselves even if it does get messy. Try using finger foods to make it easier for your toddler fussy eater to interact with what they’re eating.
• Create the right environment. Try to remove any distractions in order to teach them to concentrate on the food in front of them, so that they learn about the colours, textures and flavours of their meal.
• Rather than presenting them with a full plate of food, which can be off-putting for someone with such a small appetite, arrange the meal into little portions. Also, pay attention to presentation: a funny plate and a special, colourful spoon will make the meal a lot more fun for your child.
• Feed your child at the dinner table with the rest of the family. This will make them feel more involved, and show them that everyone else is enjoying their food.

Remember that this stage is very normal, and unless your child appears unhealthy there’s nothing to worry about. 

For calcium to be absorbed and to regulate its movement in and out of bones, your body needs vitamin D. For babies and toddlers, this makes vitamin D very important for the normal growth and development of their bones.  

There are many ways to ensure that your child is getting enough vitamin D. These include supplements, the sun, and food with vitamin D.

A daily supplement is recommended for all infants and children aged 6 months – 5 years (unless they are drinking 500mls or more of Infant formula per day). The daily recommended supplement dose is 7.5 µg (300IU/day) of Vitamin D. Vitamin D supplements are available over the counter in some shops and chemists, or through some NHS clinics.

The ideal amount of time to spend in the sun will vary. because the production of vitamin D by the skin from sunlight depends on:

• The season – in the summer months (between April and September) sunlight is it at the right wavelength to make vitamin D in our skin.  In the winter it is absorbed by the atmosphere.
• Latitude – in the south of the UK there is more sunlight at the ideal wavelength for vitamin D. Vitamin D production is slightly less in the north, as the wavelength is not ideal.
• Weather – less vitamin D is synthesised on cloudy days.
• Time outside – children have to be outside to make vitamin D from the sun, as it cannot pass through glass at the right wavelength. If your child isn’t outside a lot, they’ll have less chance of making vitamin D.
• Time of Day – more vitamin D is made when the sun is most intense in the middle of the day.
• Colour of skin – darker skins require more time in the sun to make the same amount of Vitamin D as lighter skins.
• Sunscreen use – sunscreen blocks the sun’s rays and prevents the skin from making Vitamin D. However, it is advised that by enjoying the sun safely, while taking care not to burn, your child can still make vitamin D without raising the risk of skin cancer.

When your child isn’t getting a lot of vitamin D from the sun, it is especially important to make sure they have supplements and eat .

Some foods naturally contain during weaning, the inclusion of these foods can help towards their intake.

• Foods which naturally contain vitamin D include oily fish (such as sardines, pilchards, mackerel, herrings, salmon, trout and fresh tuna). It is recommended that oily fish be included in meals once or twice a week.  Eggs and meat also provide small amounts of vitamin D.
• Fortified foods are a good source of vitamin D.  Foods in the UK that are fortified with vitamin D are:
  • Margarine
  • Formula milks (infant formulas, follow-on formulas and growing up milks)
  • Some breakfast cereals
  • Infant cereals
  • Some brands of yoghurt

A combination of vitamin D supplements, foods with vitamin D, and safe exposure to sunlight will all count towards your child’s intake.

Many of us are aware that iron is essential for carrying oxygen around the body in the blood, but it also plays a very important role in a child’s cognitive development.

Infants from 6-12mths of age need 7.8mg per day and 1-3 year olds need 6.9 mg of iron a day.  A nutritionally balanced diet containing a combination of different foods is one of the foundations of a healthy diet. Ensuring your child has a varied diet is a better option than giving them supplements, as it avoids the risk of them having too much iron and it is sustainable.

There are two kinds of iron in food.  The first form is easily absorbed by the body and is found in meat and fish, which are naturally iron-rich foods for babies.  The second form is found in plant foods and is not as easy for the body to absorb, but it is still an important part of their diet.

Iron for babies during weaning can come from many sources, and it all goes towards their intake.

1. Breastfeed your baby for the first six months. Breast milk is naturally rich in the nutrients your little one needs.

2. If you’re not breastfeeding, make use of an iron-fortified infant formula.

3. Provide suitable iron rich food for babies. These include:

• Meat, fish, eggs, poultry, and pulses - 2-3 times a day
• Oily fish
• Red meat (such as beef, lamb and pork)
• Dark poultry meat such as chicken legs and thighs (white meat such as chicken breast has less iron)
• Dhal
• Lentils
• Beans
• Baby cereals with iron
• Dried fruit
• Green vegetables
• Hummus
• Poppadums made with lentil flour
• Bhajis and Bombay mix made with chickpea flour

4. Avoid tea and high fibre foods that inhibit the absorption of iron.

Remember, vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron, particularly from plant sources of iron, so offering citrus fruits and orange juices during meals can be helpful.

If your child has a vegetarian diet, it’s still easy to ensure they get enough iron. If your child doesn’t eat meat or fish, they will get enough iron if you give them plenty of fortified breakfast cereals, dark green vegetables, broad beans and lentils, and dried fruit such as apricots, figs and prunes.

For more tips on weaning your child and making sure they have a balanced diet, check out our guide to everything you need to know about weaning.