What to Feed Children at Every Age

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Just about every parent wants to help their child grow up to be a healthy eater, even if the parents themselves tend to subsist on donuts and TV dinners. Plenty of parents have embarked on the journey of parenting with the best of intentions regarding meal planning, only to miss a nutrient vital to their child’s health and learn of a problem during the child’s next doctor’s visit.

Children have different needs at every age. This is true of social, emotional, spiritual and, of course, physical needs. Food and nutrition is just a small part of those ever shifting physical needs.

When it comes to ensuring a child gets all the nutrients they need, knowledge is essential. There are dozens of books, websites, video series and blogs about exactly what to feed children based on their age and development. One of the biggest keys to helping children eat healthy, however, is the behavior of parents. Children who witness their parents eschewing vegetables for potato chips will likely loath eating salads. Parents who live off processed, pre-frozen meals, are likely to see their children wanting foods loaded with salt and fat. To help children eat healthy, parents need to eat healthy themselves and help their children come to love what they eat. That requires first, of course, knowing what to feed children at every age to ensure they get all the nutrients they need.

Infant

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Infants at first subsist solely on breast milk or formula, but eventually they start requiring a more diverse diet in order to get all the nutrients they need. Babies that are transitioning from milk to a more varied diet should start by eating soft foods and purees. This is why most commercial baby foods are essentially funny colored mush. Soft finger foods such as bits of hard-boiled egg, cooked peas and cut up bananas are good options for early semi-solid foods.

When babies are between six months and a year old, make sure that they are getting plenty of iron. This nutrient is necessary to keep babies from developing anemia during this period of rapid growth. Vitamins A, C and B12 are also essential during this time but are easily overlooked by frazzled parents. Though it may sound strange to adults who try to avoid fats, infants also need to get plenty of fat in order for their body to have the necessary energy to both continue growing and continue brain development.

Toddler

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Toddlers are masters of finger foods, at least supposedly. Anyone who has seen a two year old tossing Cheerios across the room or planting a bowl of spaghetti on their head would disagree with that assessment. Regardless of whether or not toddlers put food where it is supposed to go, they are capable of handling solid foods. Their increased hand-eye coordination also allows them to use utensils like forks and spoons. As any parent, babysitter or annoyed older sibling can attest, however, eating utensils may still be a bit of a challenge.

Toddlers still need foods that are cut into small pieces and, depending on their age, likely still favor soft foods. They do, however, have slightly different nutritional needs. While toddlers still need plenty of vitamins and to continue to have some fats in their diet, potassium and vitamin K come into special focus. Potassium is necessary for toddlers to avoid weakness and unhealthy fatigue. Vitamin K is associated with wound healing, a definite must for toddlers who are just learning to stand, walk, open drawers and otherwise get into absolutely everything. Yogurt, kidney beans and zucchini are good sources of potassium, and vitamin K can be found in collard greens and edamame. Make sure a toddler eats plenty of pineapple, brown rice and sweet potatoes as well. These are good sources of manganese, a nutrient essential for brain health and language development.

Child

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When toddlers become young children, their nutritional needs change once again. Children are infinitely more active than toddlers. They can walk, talk, run, climb and swim. They begin to form their own opinions and personalities as well as interact with the world in new ways. Children also begin to attend school.

For children, make sure that they are eating a well-rounded diet that contains all the essential vitamins and nutrients. As children develop the ability to say “no” and declare their likes or dislikes, it is easy to end up with a child who does not want to eat anything but grilled cheese and hot dogs. This, of course, leads rapidly to nutritional deficiencies. Make sure a child eats plenty of fruits and vegetables. Also ensure that active children have enough carbohydrates to give them quick energy and protein to both help them feel full longer and to help avoid muscle soreness after a day at the playground. Avoid giving into demands for processed foods such as bologna and boxed chicken nuggets. These are often high in salt and fat which can lead to childhood obesity and other problematic conditions such as anemia.

Adolescent

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Adolescents and teens continue to need well-rounded diets, but each child’s individual needs become increasingly more unique. Adolescents that play sports, for example, will need to eat slightly different things than those who are less active. This is also the first age where portion control becomes a serious focus. Children tend to eat until they are no longer hungry, which is healthy. Adolescents and teens are more likely to overeat out of a need to clean their plate or simply because it tastes good, and they want more.

An adolescent’s diet should be adjusted to fit the needs of their body. Young athletes will likely need higher amounts of protein to help with muscle recovery. Teens going through growth spurts require more food in general, and girls who have begun menstruating may need to eat more red meat, spinach or black beans in order to keep their iron intake high enough to avoid anemia.