Feeding Issues With Toddlers

Is My Toddler Getting Proper Nutrition?

By Melinda Copp

Toddlers are notoriously picky eaters. They are stubborn, they seek control and they aren't afraid to say no, which can leave parents concerned that their little one isn't getting proper nutrition.

If you're concerned that your toddler isn't eating a balanced diet, consider the following advice from experts.

"Embarrassingly, I let my son have a bottle until age 3 because he wouldn't drink milk otherwise," says Amy Robertson, a mom from Seattle who lives in Quito, Equador. "But he didn't get to carry the bottle around, just at specific times per day."

Toddlers that are allowed to carry their bottle or sippy cup of milk around all day can actually over drink. Getting too much milk throughout the day can curb your toddler's appetite at mealtime. And unlike formula or breast milk, cow's milk is not complete nutrition. It doesn't contain iron, so a diet heavy in milk can result in anemia.

"Toddlers only need 18 to 24 ounces of milk at most," says Ann Meyers, a clinical nutritionist at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. If you're concerned that your toddler isn't getting enough milk, push yogurt, cheese and other dairy products to make up for the calcium.

Vegetables – a toddler's classic foe. Having a little fun may be the answer to this one.

"I called broccoli little trees, and my son would pretend to be a giraffe when he was [smaller]," Robertson says. "This worked great and he loves broccoli still."

You can also get creative with how you prepare vegetables and balance them with things that your toddler loves.

"I have trouble getting my son to eat vegetables," says Amy Philo, a mom from Frisco, Texas. "Some things I do include giving him smoothies made from fruits and vegetables, orange juice with carrot ice cubes and spinach brownies. I haven't tried sweet potato pancakes yet, but that is my next idea."

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