Signs of readiness for self-feeding
• Can start to use a spoon himself (though proficiency will take a while!)
What to feed
• Whole milk
• Other dairy (soft pasteurized cheese, full-fat yogurt and cottage cheese)
• Same food as family, mashed or chopped into bite-size pieces
• Iron-fortified cereals (rice, barley, wheat, oats, mixed cereals)
• Other grains (whole wheat bread, pasta, rice)
• New fruits: melon, papaya, apricot, grapefruit (citrus is now okay)
• New vegetables: broccoli and cauliflower "trees"
• Protein (eggs; cut-up or ground meat, poultry, boneless fish; tofu; beans; thinly spread smooth peanut butter)
• Citrus and non-citrus juice
• Honey is now okay
How much per day
• 2 to 3 servings dairy (1 serving = ½ cup milk, ½ to 1 oz. cheese, 1/3 to ½ cup yogurt or cottage cheese)
• 4 to 6 servings cereals and other grains (1 serving = ¼ to 1/3 cup cereal, ¼ cup pasta or rice, ¼ to ½ slice bread or bagel)
• ¼ to ½ cup fruit
• ¼ to ½ cup vegetables
• 2 servings protein (1 serving = 2 tablespoons ground or two 1-inch cubes meat, poultry, or fish; 1 egg; ¼ cup tofu or cooked beans; 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter)
• 3 to 4 oz. juice
Feeding tips
• Introduce new foods one at a time, with at least three days in between to make sure your child's not allergic.
• Choking hazards are still a danger.
Age: 18 to 24 months
Feeding skills to look for
• Self-feeding
• Food phrases like "more" and "all done"
What to feed
• Whole milk
• Other dairy (natural hard cheese, soft pasteurized cheese, full-fat yogurt and cottage cheese, pudding)
• Iron-fortified cereals (rice, barley, wheat, oat, mixed cereals)
• Other grains (whole wheat bread and crackers, cut-up bagels, pretzels, rice cakes, ready-to-eat cereals, pasta, rice)
• Fruit, cooked, canned or fresh, cut up or sliced (apples, bananas, peaches, strawberries, pears, cherries, grapes, plums, oranges, grapefruit)
• Dried fruit, soaked until soft so it won't pose a choking hazard (apples, apricots, peaches, pears, dates, pitted prunes, raisins)
• Vegetables, cooked and mashed or diced (carrots, green beans, cauliflower, broccoli, yams, potatoes, peas)
• Protein (eggs; cut-up or ground meat, poultry, boneless fish; tofu; beans; smooth peanut butter)
• Combo foods like macaroni and cheese, casseroles
• Fruit and vegetable juices
How much per day
• 2 to 3 servings dairy (1 serving = ½ cup milk; ½ to 1 oz. cheese; 1/3 to ½ cup yogurt or cottage cheese; ¼ cup pudding)
• 6 servings grains (1 serving = ¼ to ½ slice bread or bagel; 1 or 2 crackers; ¼ cup pasta or rice; 1/3 to ½ cup cooked or ready-to-eat cereal)
• 2 to 3 servings fruit (1 serving = ¼ cup cooked or canned, ½ piece fresh; 1/8 cup dried; ¼ to ½ cup juice)
• 2 to 3 servings vegetables (1 serving = 1 to 2 tablespoons)
• 2 servings protein (1 serving = 2 tablespoons ground or two 1-inch cubes meat, poultry, or fish; 1 egg; ¼ cup tofu or cooked beans; 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter)
Feeding tips
• Introduce new foods one at a time, with at least three days in between to make sure your child's not allergic.
• Choking hazards are still a danger.
Age: 24 to 36 months
Feeding skills to look for
• Self-feeding
• Eagerness to make own food choices
What to feed
• Low-fat milk
• Other dairy (diced or grated cheese; low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, pudding)
• Iron-fortified cereals (rice, barley, wheat, oats, mixed cereals)
• Other grains (whole wheat bread and crackers, cut-up bagels, pretzels, rice cakes, ready-to-eat cereal, pasta, rice)
• Fruits, sliced fresh or canned
• Dried fruit, soaked until soft so it won't pose a choking hazard (apples, apricots, peaches, pears, dates, pitted prunes, raisins)
• Vegetables, cooked and cut up
• Protein (eggs; cut-up or ground meat, poultry, boneless fish; tofu; beans; smooth peanut butter)
• Combo foods like macaroni and cheese, casseroles
• Fruit and vegetable juices
How much per day
One serving for a child this age is about ¼ the size of an adult serving.
• 2 to 3 servings dairy (1 serving = ½ cup milk; ½ to ¾ oz. cheese; ½ cup yogurt; ¼ to ¼ cup cottage cheese; ¼ cup pudding)
• 6 servings grains (1 serving = ½ slice bread or bagel; 1 or 2 crackers; ¼ to ½ cup pasta or rice; 1/3 to ½ cup cooked or ready-to-eat cereal)
• 2 to 3 servings fruit (1 serving = ¼ cup cooked or canned, ½ piece fresh, or ¼ to ½ cup juice)
• 2 to 3 servings vegetables (1 serving = 2 to 3 tablespoons)
• 2 servings protein (1 serving = 2 tablespoons ground or two 1-inch cubes meat, poultry, or fish; 1 egg; ¼ cup tofu or cooked beans; 1 tablespoon peanut butter)
Feeding tips
• Introduce new foods one at a time, with at least three days in between to make sure your child's not allergic.
• Choking hazards are still a danger.
• Your child may seem to eat less than before — that's perfectly normal at this stage. If you wonder whether he's getting enough calories, use this guideline: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that your child get about 40 calories a day for every inch of height.
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