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Nutritional Practices for Infants & Toddlers

According to the CDC (2018), poor nutrition can contribute to future problems such as
heart disease, cancer, and obesity. It is very crucial that parents and caregivers follow
proper nutritional practices for their young ones, so they can get the needed nutrients
and vitamins necessary for a healthy development. The World Health Organization (2019)
advises us that if children are not fed properly, then this can be detrimental and causes
developmental delays, illnesses and can die. This handout is designed specifically for
parents and caregivers looking for ways they can practice sound nutritional planning for
their young ones.

Get Help from your State

☐ In the State of New York, there are programs established to help low-income parents and
caregivers to plan properly for their families. These are just a few programs that you can
utilize if you reside in the state of New York:
 Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

 Farmers' Market Nutrition Program

 Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

 Commodity Supplemental Food Program

 Eat Well Play Hard (EWPH)

(New York Department of Health, 2018)

Current nutritional Practices for Toddlers

 Provide three meals and several planned snacks each day
 Choose foods from all five food groups
 Eat together as a family
 Encourage exercise and plenty of play time together
 Drink plenty of water daily (CDC, 2018)
 Strategies for Healthy Eating
Educate Children
☐Allow children to feel involve in food preparations. Having them wash and peel different
foods can motivate them in wanting to eat these foods. Teach your child about different
foods when visiting the supermarket or farmers’ market. Children with developmental
delays can watch as you prepare health meals. Offer variety by switching up meals
instead of sticking to the same meal. This can be fun for children (Better Health Channel,
2011).

Substitute Unhealthy snack for Healthy snack

☐ Have toddlers pack a snack bag by giving them healthy options. Instead of giving children
soda, chips, sports drinks, candy, or regular milk, parents can substitute these for
healthier snacks. This activity can give children the power to make decisions on their own
when choosing healthier snacks. Parents can make a list of healthy choices for them to
choose from. Children with special needs can use pictures of healthy snacks to pick their
choices.

Start Early
☐ Family style eating at the table can give parents the opportunity to model eating healthy
foods. Infants and toddlers can grow to love healthy foods if they are exposed to these
foods at an early age and sees that their parents are eating them too. Modeling is so
powerful especially for young ones.

Reference

Better Health Channel (2011). Eating tips for children (3) – older toddlers [PDF file].
Retrieved from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/eating-tips-
for-older-toddlers?viewAsPdf=true

Center for Disease Control (2017). Making healthy eating easier [PDF file]. Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/about-nutrition/pdfs/Nutrition-Fact-Sheet-H.pdf

Department of Health (2018). Nutrition. Retrieved from

https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/

World Health Organization (2019). Essential nutrition actions mainstreaming nutrition

through the life-course [PDF file]. Retrieved form
https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/326261/9789241515856-
eng.pdf?ua=1