Toddlers - What should my toddler eat and drink? - Mealtime Tips, Active Play, Television, Growth and Development, Immunize, Tooth Decay, Choking

Sep 27, 2026

Uploaded by vwvw

Toddlers provides practical guidance for feeding and caring for children ages 12 to 24 months, including food and drink choices using a daily food guide and portion-based meal planning. It emphasizes limiting high sugar and high fat foods, offering whole milk early and transitioning to lower-fat options at 2 years, and capping fruit juice intake. The pamphlet also covers active play, appropriate television viewing by age, key growth and development milestones, and preventive health steps such as immunizations, protecting against tooth decay, and choking prevention. Sample meals and snack patterns support consistent routines.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Toddlers

What should my toddler eat and drink?

Active Play

Television

Growth and Development

Be Wise...Immunize

Mealtime Tips

Prevent Tooth Decay

Prevent Choking

Breastfeeding

Daily Food Guide for Toddlers (12 to 24 months)

Fruits, Dairy, Protein, Vegetables, Grains

Sample Meals for Toddlers

Toddlers What should my toddler eat and drink? • Your toddler needs to eat a variety of foods every day using the Daily Food Guide for Toddlers Ages 12 to 24 months shown on the other side of this pamphlet. • Make sure you limit high sugar and high fat foods so your toddler has room for healthy foods. Too much milk, juice, or sugary drinks can “fill up” a toddler. Your toddler may then have a poor appetite and not eat other important foods that would help him or her to grow and be healthy. • Toddlers under age 2 years should drink whole milk. They need the extra fat in whole milk for growth. At 2 years, begin fat free or 1% lowfat milk. Talk to your WIC nutritionist or health care provider about reduced fat milk if your toddler is above the 85th percentile weight-for-height. • Limit fruit juice to ½ cup or 4 fluid ounces per day. • Limit solid fats like butter, margarine, shortening, and lard, as well as foods that contain these ingredients. Active Play Toddlers should play actively each day. Active play includes: running, skipping, climbing, hopping, jumping, throwing a ball, and dancing. Toddlers should not sit still for 1 hour or more at a time, except when sleeping. Television Children under18 months of age should not watch any television. Children 18 to 24 months of age who watch television should only watch educational, non-violent programs. Parents should watch with their children to help them understand what they are seeing. Growth and Development • There are milestones to expect at each age, which may vary with each child. For more information about developmental milestones, [go to cdc.gov/MilestoneTracker](go to cdc.gov/MilestoneTracker). • Discuss your child’s growth and development with your child’s health care provider. Be Wise...Immunize Children need shots to protect them from disease. Bring each child’s shot record each time you come to WIC. [FloridaHealth.gov/WIC](FloridaHealth.gov/WIC) Mealtime Tips • Parents are responsible for offering toddlers healthy foods at regular mealtimes. • Toddlers are responsible for how much food they eat at each meal. • Toddlers should be encouraged to try at least one bite of a new food. • Toddlers should not be forced to eat certain foods or to eat all of the food they are given at a meal. Prevent Tooth Decay •Let your toddler begin to drink from a small cup with a spill-proof top. Later, let your toddler practice drinking from a small cup without the spill-proof top. Remember, spills are normal. • Toddlers should stop drinking from a bottle by the time they are 12 to 14 months old. Ask your nutritionist for ideas on how to wean your toddler from the bottle. •Do not let your toddlersip juice, milk, or sweet drinks frequently during the day or at bedtime. Instead, you can give your toddler water when he or she is thirsty between meals or at bedtime. Prevent Choking • Toddlers should always sit up while eating. • Toddlers should be told to take small bites and completely chew food before swallowing. •Cut soft fruits and cooked vegetables into small pieces—not in round, coin-shaped slices. Remove seeds, pits, and tough skins. • Make sure grapes, cherries, berries, and tomatoes are cut into small pieces. •Cut hot dogs and sausage-shaped meats into small, thin pieces—not in round, coin-shaped slices. • Mash cooked beans. • Peanut butter or nut butter can cause choking. Peanut butter or nut butter should only be given when spread thinly on crackers or toast; or thinned and blended into foods. • These foods can cause choking and should not be given to your toddler: n ice cubes n marshmallows n hot, sticky breads n popcorn, pretzels, and chips n large chunks of meat n nuts, seeds, peanuts n raw vegetables such as carrots and celery n raisins and other dried fruit n fish, chicken, or turkey with bones n gum drops, chewing gum, and round-shaped candies Breastfeeding Breastfeeding is recommended a

FAQs

What kinds of foods should a toddler eat each day?

A toddler should eat a variety of foods every day using the Daily Food Guide for Toddlers ages 12 to 24 months. Offer regular meals and healthy snacks while limiting high sugar and high fat foods.

How much fruit juice is allowed for toddlers?

Limit fruit juice to 1/2 cup or 4 fluid ounces per day.

What are the key choking prevention recommendations for toddlers?

Toddlers should always sit up while eating and take small bites, chewing completely before swallowing. Cut foods like grapes, hot dogs, and soft fruits into small pieces, mash cooked beans, and avoid high-risk foods such as popcorn, nuts, and round candies.

Sep 27, 2026

Uploaded by vwvw