Healthy Eating Guidelines for New Zealand Babies and Toddlers (0–2 years old) - Released September 2021

Sep 27, 2026

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Age-appropriate feeding in the first two years supports healthy growth, development, and long-term wellbeing for New Zealand babies and toddlers. The guidelines provide evidence-based population-health recommendations for nutrition and feeding practices for children under two, aiming to establish healthy eating behaviours. They address risks from poor nutrition, including increased chances of obesity and diet-related diseases later in life, and recommend breastfeeding as the primary nutrition source until around six months.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages108

Reading Time4 h 32 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Nutrition in the first 1,000 days

Barriers to adequate early nutrition

Overview of the guidelines: The evidence underpinning the statements

The Eating and Activity Guidelines series

Eating Statements for New Zealand babies and toddlers (0–2 years old)

Eating Statement 1: Aim to exclusively breastfeed your baby until they are around six months of age

Continue to breastfeed for up to two years or longer

Healthy Eating Guidelines for New Zealand Babies and Toddlers (0–2 years old) Released September 2021 Citation: Ministry of Health. 2021. Healthy Eating Guidelines for New Zealand Babies and Toddlers (0–2 years old) . Wellington: Ministry of Health. Published in September 2021 by the Ministry of Health PO Box 5013, Wellington 6140, New Zealand ISBN 978-1-99-100738-4 (online) HP 7784 This document is available [at www.health.govt. nz](at www.health.govt. nz) This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. In essence, you are free to: share ie, copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format; adapt ie, remix, transform and build upon the material. You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the licence and indicate if changes were made. i Kupumua Foreword Being provided with age-appropriate foods and drinks in the first two years of life gives babies and toddlers the best start and sets them up for good health across their lifespan. The consequences of poor nutrition during this period may result in an increased risk of developing obesity and other diet-related diseases later in life. Healthy Eating Guidelines for New Zealand Babies and Toddlers (0–2 years old) provides updated population-health recommendations for feeding children who are under two years of age, to promote healthy growth and development and help establish healthy eating behaviours. The foods that young children receive and are exposed to in their first two years of lifeform the basis of their eating patterns and behaviours and food preferences. Having reliable information on optimal feeding practices for babies and toddlers, built on evidence and expert advice, is key to positively influencing a child’s health and wellbeing over their lifetime. Findings from the Growing up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) cohort study, a nationally representative sample, show that too many young children are not eating a diet that is consistent with the nutrition guidelines. Among the feeding practices of concern is the early introduction of foods and drinks that are high in sugar, salt or fat. This is concerning as these foods add excess energy to the child’s diet, may accustom the child to their taste and displace nutrient-dense healthy foods. Advice in these guidelines reinforces current recommendations that breast milk is all a baby needs until around six months of age, at which time, a variety of foods should be introduced to meet the child’s increased nutrient requirements. Repeated exposure to a range of nutritious foods, for example bitter tasting vegetables, helps children to learn to like a variety of healthy foods and, when provided in the context of a positive eating experience, increases food acceptance. I am grateful for the support and advice from the Maternal, Infant and Toddler Technical Advisory Group. This group of maternal and child nutrition specialists advised the Ministry of Health on the statements and the evidence on which those statements are based. My thanks also for the valuable input from members of the public, the health sector, non-government organisations and industry who gave feedback on the draft guidelines. Foreword ii Healthy Eating Guidelines for New Zealand Babies and Toddlers (0–2 years old) These evidence-based guidelines are intended to underpin all advice provided to parents and caregivers about babies and toddlers food and nutrition needs. They will guide public policies and programmes strengthening the food environment for young children. The guidelines are also the basis of nutrition messaging currently being developed for priority groups. Deborah Woodley Deputy Director-General Population Health and Prevention iii Ngā whakamihi Acknowledgements Healthy Eating Guidelines for New Zealand Babies and Toddlers (0–2 years old) was written by Dr Sarah Gerritsen and Dr Sally Mackay, School of Population Health at The University of Auckla

FAQs

Why are healthy eating guidelines important for babies and toddlers in New Zealand?

Providing age-appropriate foods and drinks in the first two years gives babies and toddlers the best start and supports good health across their lifespan. The document notes that poor nutrition in this period can increase later risk of obesity and other diet-related diseases.

What does the guideline say about breastfeeding in the first six months?

The guidelines reinforce that breast milk is all a baby needs until around six months of age. They recommend exclusively breastfeeding until that time.

How should new foods be introduced after around six months?

After around six months, a variety of foods should be introduced to meet increased nutrient requirements. Repeated exposure to nutritious foods, including bitter-tasting vegetables, helps children learn to like a range of healthy foods.

Sep 27, 2026

Upload by ahduag