By the time your child reaches the age of one, they can eat pretty much the same food as the rest of the family. This is the time when the eating habits that often last well into adulthood are established. These tips can help you on your way to good habits.

Good food for young children:

Children need nutrition to grow and develop. As young children do not eat as much as adults, they need food that is rich in vitamins and minerals. At the same time, it is not what a child eats at a single meal or on a single day that is important, but what they eat over a longer period of time. So the aim is not to try to get every meal perfect, but to provide good food overall.

What is good food for children is also good food for the rest of the family. As children don't know what is good for them, you as a parent need to lead the way. A good rule is that you decide what to serve, while the child decides how much to eat.

Dietary advice for children - What should children eat?

For children, as for adults, it is good to eat a varied diet, that is, to eat many different types of food. This ensures that they get the nutrition they need - protein, carbohydrates, fats, different vitamins and minerals.
By serving different types of food, you also help the child get used to many flavors. Many children are skeptical about new foods and may need to try a new food many times to get used to the new taste. It may be easier to absorb a new taste if it is served with food that the child already likes.

Although it is good to have a varied diet, it is not the end of the world if the child eats the same food for a whole week. This will not cause nutritional deficiencies. What you can do instead is try to vary the side dishes and snacks. If your child eats only a few dishes over a long period of time, the diet may become too monotonous. Talk to the nurse at the child health center (BVC) about what you can do then.

The body benefits from being fed regularly - breakfast, lunch and dinner and 2-3 snacks. It will also help your child learn the difference between being hungry and being full. Avoid snacking between meals so that your child can eat properly at mealtimes. It is also not good for the teeth to always have something in the mouth.

Want to read more about dietary advice for children aged 1-2? Click here to read more!