Eating tips for older toddlers

After their second birthday, older toddlers keep developing new eating skills and food habits. At this age they can be unpredictable eaters: they may love a food one day and refuse it the next, or turn down a meal at home that they happily eat somewhere else.

This can frustrate and puzzle parents, but it is a normal pattern for a healthy, active toddler. Very few children pass through these years without causing some worry about how much they eat. Each day, toddlers need a variety of foods to grow and develop well, including dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt.

Reduced-fat dairy products can be offered to toddlers aged 2 years and older, but avoid no-fat dairy products in this age group. Restricted diets are not recommended for toddlers, because they can limit the energy and nutrients a child needs for growth and development.

Toddlers have changeable appetites#

Growth spurts and changing activity levels through the day can lead to a large appetite for a while, followed by small, picky eating soon after. The evening meal often causes the most concern, because children may be tired or simply not hungry. Other common reasons for irregular eating include:

• Frequent snacking, which can curb the appetite for main meals. This generally is not a problem if the snacks are nutritious.
• Filling up on drinks, especially sweet drinks or milk.
• Being too tired to eat, or not liking the food served at that meal.

Most children can balance food intake with activity if they are encouraged, but not forced, to eat. You can help by offering a variety of healthy, nourishing foods for your child to choose from. Serve the same foods as the rest of the family, with a range of textures and flavors for balanced nutrition.

When a food is refused, the child may not be objecting to the food itself but testing the reaction it gets from the people around them. By assuming the food is to blame, parents can get caught up in a frustrating game.

Helpful tips for dealing with food refusal#

• Try to stay calm and do not force your child to eat.
• Allow your child some likes and dislikes.
• Offer new foods alongside familiar ones.
• Provide a small spoon or fork and a comfortable chair.
• Turn off screens and chat together at mealtimes instead.
• Start with a small serving and offer more if your child is still hungry.
• If a meal is refused, let your child sit quietly for a few minutes before leaving the table.

Be a role model for your child#

If you eat well, your child may copy you. You can also use food activities to help older toddlers learn about food and nutrition. Letting children help with simple food preparation, such as washing or peeling vegetables, making a sandwich or salad, or baking fruit or vegetable muffins, teaches them about healthy eating.

Other learning opportunities include:

• Sharing food with other people.
• Exploring the shapes and colors of food and how foods grow.
• Developing skills such as pouring, stirring and cutting.
• Learning food hygiene, like washing hands before touching food or eating.

Healthy snacks and drinks#

Snacks between meals are an important part of the day for young children, so keep them as healthy and as interesting as possible. Suggestions include:

• Fresh or dried fruit.
• Crackers or vegetable sticks. Hard vegetables should be thinly sliced, grated or steamed for children under 3 years of age to reduce the risk of choking.
• Crackers with cheese or hummus.
• Yogurt, which can be frozen in hot weather in place of ice cream.
• Raisin bread, fruit loaf or toasted muffins.
• Plain biscuits, scones or buns.

Always sit with and supervise children during meals and snacks, and enjoy eating together.

For some children who are busy playing and exploring, drinks may replace food or snacks. When appetites are small, this can reduce the amount or variety of food eaten and may affect a child’s growth. Milk and dairy foods are an important part of a child’s diet: about 3 small cups of milk each day (no more than 500 mL total) provide a good amount of calcium for strong bones and teeth.

Sweet drinks such as juice and cordials are not needed. Water is the best drink between milk feeds.

Eating at childcare#

Childcare gives children a chance to eat with others and try new foods and tastes. Some parents find their toddler is tired at the end of the day and less interested in the evening meal. This will vary for each child.

Always ask childcare staff about your child’s eating habits, and share any concerns or problems you notice at home. Working together with childcare staff can reinforce healthy food messages and good eating habits for your child.

Key points#

• This can frustrate and baffle parents, but it is a common eating pattern for a healthy and active older toddler.
• The evening meal may cause the most concern, when children may be tired or not hungry.
• Offer a variety of foods daily from the main food groups, and enjoy eating together as a family.
• Offer water to drink, healthy snacks between meals, and accept some food refusal without worry.

Where to get help#