On this page you will find healthy eating information and tips for children, from weaning them at six months old until they are five.

Maternal and Child Nutrition Guidelines
(full pdf dicument - 2.7Mb)

or in sections
1: Introduction
2: Preconception & pregnancy 
3: Infant Feeding (birth to 12 months)
4: Toddlers & preschool
5: Appendix

 Also see

• Breastfeeding

All your  questions answered, including where to find extra support in South Gloucestershire.

• NHS Choices > Birth to five

Whether your child is a newborn, a toddler or a pre-schooler, this Birth to five guide is for you. It has 150 pages of NHS-accredited information, videos and interactive tools to help you through the parenting process.

Weaning

When your baby is about six months old, he or she will be ready to start trying solid foods. Start by offering a few spoonfuls of mashed fruit or vegetables after a feed and gradually progress from there.

There are some general tips for healthy weaning:

• Aim to offer simple, home prepared foods whenever you can. Don't add salt, sugar or honey to foods, remember your baby is just starting to devleop different tastes
• Offer drinks in a feeder cup or beaker from six months, rather than a bottle
• Give your baby A, D and C vitamin drops from the age of six months up to at least two years, or up to five years. These are available from your local health clinic and are free for eligible families
• Avoid sugary drinks and baby juices at bedtime. Keep to water or milk between meals, as these are kind to developing teeth and gums
• If your family has a history of allergies, your baby might be at higher risk of developing an allergy too. If this is the case, delay the introduction of certain foods including cow’s milk, eggs, wheat, seeds, fish and shellfish. Do not give your child peanuts until they are three years old
• Goat or sheep milk are not suitable as a milk substitute for young children. Talk to your doctor or health visitor if you’re concerned about allergies

As your child moves through the stages of weaning, he or she should start to:

• Take greater amounts of solid food
• Take foods that are thicker and lumpier
• Get more involved in feeding themselves
• Increase the range of foods eaten
• Drink less milk (500-600mls of breast or formula milk a day)
• Take finger foods between meals
• Fit in with the normal family meal routine

Feeding toddlers

Between the ages of one and five, children grow and develop rapidly, so it’s really important that they get all the energy (calories) and other essential nutrients (protein, vitamins and minerals) that they need for healthy growth. Their appetite will vary too, so don’t force children to eat if they don’t want to.

Aim to introduce your child to a wide range of foods from the four main food groups:

• Fruit and vegetables
• Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods
• Milk and dairy foods
• Fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein

Coping with fussy eaters

It’s quite normal for young children to go through periods of food refusal or food fads for short periods. It can be a very frustrating time for parents and carers. But the good news is, in the majority of cases, this phase soon passes, usually by the time children start school.

Here are a few tips to help with fussy eaters:

• Offer realistic serving sizes of food, keep portions small and they can ask for more if they’re hungry
• Keep offering and encouraging different foods but don’t worry if they will only eat a limited number of foods for a while
• Try disguising vegetables in soups, stews or mash in with potatoes. Blend vegetables with a tomato sauce for pasta
• Don’t be tempted to allow your child to fill up between meals, especially with crisps, biscuits or sweets. Offer healthy snacks instead
• Make sure there are no other distractions around when eating
• Sit down with your child while they eat and try to use it as a time to chat about other things, try to stay relaxed!
• Leave the food out for about 20 minutes and praise them for any food they have eaten
• Avoid using food as a reward, especially sweets, chocolate or savoury snacks.

Children learn from what they see others doing around them, so during the early years it’s really important to set a good example. If children see parents and carers eating healthily and taking time to enjoy mealtimes together at least some of the time, they are more likely to grow up enjoying the same pleasures.

Talk to your health visitor or doctor for more support and advice about feeding your toddler.