Toddler outside next to plants with a strawberry in their hand
Eating well
By giving your child a varied diet containing a selection of foods from the different food groups every day, you will provide all the essential nutrients they need.
1min
2 dippy eggs served with asparagus
Vitamin D

Needed for healthy bones. You can find vitamin D in a few foods like oily fish and eggs. However, young children will need to take a supplement as what they need can’t be found in food alone*.
Dippy Eggs & Asparagus Soldiers for Toddlers
Sweet Potato Baby Falafel for Toddlers served with lettuce and grated carrot
Vitamin A

Helps keep little one’s immune system tip-top along with their vision. Find it in liver, sweet potato and leafy greens.
Sweet Potato Baby Falafel for Toddlers
Lamb, Spinach & Mushroom Koftas served with cherry tomatoes, cucumber and carrot sticks
Zinc

Great for healing scratches and grazes and an energy boost. Lots of dairy foods, meat, fish and eggs contain it.
Lamb, Spinach & Mushroom Koftas
Chicken, Avocado & Mango Sandwich
Vitamin C

Helps with growth and repair of skin and other tissues. Oranges, mango, cauliflower, broccoli and berries all contain it.
Chicken, Avocado & Mango Sandwich
TODDLERS FOOD TO AVOID
table with small bowls containing baking ingredients, one of them is sugar
Sugar

Sugars are a carbohydrate and they provide energy. Milk, fruit, vegetables and other healthy snacks all provide natural sugars and a range of essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and fibre. Refined sugar provides nothing but empty calories and offers no other nutritional benefits. It's important to limit your child’s intake of sugary drinks, sweets and high-sugar snacks. A diet high in sugar can lead to dental issues as well as encourage a sweet tooth.

When giving your children a sweet treat it is better to give pure fresh or dried fruit – these can also be added when cooking to sweeten foods, for example, rice pudding, porridge, muffins or cereal.
Healthy snacks for babies and toddlers
Salt sprinkled over a bowl containing edamame beans
Salt

The maximum daily salt intake for 1-3 year olds is just 2g per day. Little ones cannot tolerate large amounts of salt due to them having immature kidneys. A lot of processed foods contain high levels of added salt so these must be avoided too as children can become accustomed to these and can develop a high salt tolerance.

If you are worried the foods you are serving your toddler don’t have enough flavour, rather than adding salt try adding herbs and spices which will also help broaden your child’s diet.

We have a wide range of delicious organic baby finger foods and toddler snacks. Please click the link below for more details.

*Source: NHS

How many calories do toddlers need daily? 

Young children live a very active lifestyle and are growing and developing at an alarming rate. The energy they require aids rapid growth, brain development, development of immunity, rapid recovery following infection and physical activity. Their dietary needs also vary considerably to that of an adult. For little ones aged 1-3 a guide of 1,165-1,230 calories is suggested, but remember each little one is different.