Key components of your child’s diet:

• Exclusively breast milk or formula. No additional focus on macronutrients, micronutrients, or hydration - they’re all included in breast milk or formula!

Best practices for parents:

• Supporting yourself and your baby is a lot of physical work! Give yourself a pat on the back.

• If you are breastfeeding, rest up, and be patient with yourself.

• If you are using formula, there’s a great comparison guide in the resources below.

Key components of your child’s diet: Adding in non-milk foods and water

• Macronutrients - Many introductory foods are fruits and vegetables, which are mostly carbohydrates. Great introductory healthy fats include olive oil, avocado, and eggs. Great introductory proteins include eggs, yogurt, and pureed meats or beans.

• Micronutrients - fruits and vegetables that you may introduce at this time, like pumpkin, peaches, and pureed peas, all have great micronutrients.

• Hydration - you can start offering a sippy cup during meals, but milk should still be the main source of hydration.

Best practices for parents: Watch for signs of readiness, like increased interest in or grabbing for what you are eating.

• Start with single-ingredient foods and introduce one food at a time in small amounts.

• Let your baby feed themselves rather than putting food in their mouth yourself, as this increases the risk of choking.

• Great items to start with include banana, mashed avocado, pumpkin, soft cooked eggs, pears, peaches, or plain oatmeal.

• Avoid foods that are choking hazards, like nuts, seeds, popcorn, and large chunks of raw fruit or vegetables.

• Be patient and do not pressure your child to eat.

• New guidelines recommend introducing even the common allergens (cow's milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish) early and often, but doing so with a watchful eye. Food allergies can present at any point in childhood, starting now, so please seek medical attention if you suspect allergy symptoms like skin rashes, difficulty breathing, vomiting, or swelling of the face and tongue.

Key components of your child’s diet: Relying more on non-milk foods, and potentially weaning from breastmilk or formula entirely

• Macronutrients - As more of the baby’s protein and fat comes from non-milk foods, it’s a great time to emphasize a source of protein (like meat, tofu, or beans) and a source of fat (like olive oil, fish, or avocado) in each meal. 

• Micronutrients - Your child’s preferences form based on the foods they’re exposed to at early ages, so try out some of the more bitter vegetables in this stage!

• Hydration - Aim for around 32 oz of water daily at this stage, but let your child express preferences and account for other fluids they are consuming.

Best practices for parents:

• Checkout the resource guide below from Solid Starts that outlines the right size bites based on baby’s age.

• As your baby works to include more foods, you can be a great example by role-modeling healthy eating patterns.

• Start feeding your baby what you eat now rather than making special meals to make it easier on everyone as they grow.

• Without making a separate meal, it may be helpful to separate components for the child.  For example, if you’re making a casserole with rice, chicken, and zucchini for the adults, keep the rice, chicken, and zucchini separate for the child.  

• Never use judgmental terms about healthier foods, like “you have to eat your vegetables first even if they’re gross.”  Treat them as any other food (regardless of your own preferences) so your child will do the same.

Key components of your child’s diet: Consuming nutrition exclusively from non-milk food.

• Macronutrients - A child of this age should start consuming about 15 grams of protein per day.  This is the equivalent of 1 adult thumb sizes worth of meat, fish, yogurt, tofu, or other source of protein at 3 meals per day.

• Micronutrients - Aim to help them consume 2-3 servings of vegetables and 1-3 servings of fruit per day

• Hydration - Aim for around 32-48 oz of water daily at this stage, but let your child express preferences and account for other fluids they are consuming.

Best practices for parents:

• Continue offering new foods and supporting your child in exploring various textures, flavors, and combinations of food. 

• Serving in separated plates and allowing your child to choose the order in which they eat is helpful in developing autonomy.

Key components of your child’s diet: Stepping into macronutrient balance and continuing micronutrient awareness.

• Macronutrients - A child of this age should start consuming about 15-20 grams of protein per day.  This is the equivalent of 1-2 adult thumb sizes worth of meat, fish, yogurt, tofu, or other source of protein at 3 meals per day. At this stage, having a source of each macronutrient (protein, fat, carbs) at each meal is optimal.

• Micronutrients - Aim to help them consume 2-3 servings of vegetables and 1-3 servings of fruit per day

• Hydration - Aim for around 32-48 oz of water daily at this stage, but let your child express preferences and account for other fluids they are consuming.

Best practices for parents:

• Normalize snacking on whole foods. A Tupperware container of green beans as a stroller snack can seem completely normal to your toddler if that is what you offer. 

• Don't pressure vegetables, or refer to them as "healthy" or imply that they are punishment or not your favorite. They are simply another food that your family consumes.

Key components of your child’s diet: Eating like a smaller adult. 

• Macronutrients - A child of this age should start consuming about 20-30 grams of protein per day.  This is the equivalent of 1-2 adult thumb sizes worth of meat, fish, yogurt, tofu, or other source of protein at 3 meals per day. At this stage, having a source of each macronutrient (protein, fat, carbs) at each meal is optimal.

• Micronutrients - Aim to help them consume 2-4 servings of vegetables and 1-3 servings of fruit per day

• Hydration - Aim for around 32-48 oz of water daily at this stage, but let your child express preferences and account for other fluids they are consuming.

Best practices for parents:

• As your child becomes even more active, ensure their water intake is keeping up with their needs. Keep a water bottle handy at all times. 

• It's also a great time to experiment with different preparation methods. Try roasting a vegetable that may not have been a hit in another format - the caramelization is more appealing to most!

Key components of your child’s diet: Eating to fuel energy levels and growth.

• Macronutrients - A child of this age should start consuming about 25-40 grams of protein per day.  This is the equivalent of 2 adult thumb sizes worth of meat, fish, yogurt, tofu, or other source of protein at 3 meals per day. At this stage, having a source of each macronutrient (protein, fat, carbs) at each meal is optimal.

• Micronutrients - Aim to help them consume 2-4 servings of vegetables and 1-3 servings of fruit per day

• Hydration - Aim for around 32-48 oz of water daily at this stage, but let your child express preferences and account for other fluids they are consuming.

Best practices for parents:

• Your child may be settling into a nutrition routine. It's normal to feel as if food preparation and a focus on health is getting boring, but remember that you're setting your child and yourself up for success for decades to come. 

• It's a great time to try out some new recipes, or go to the Farmer's Market to involve your children in selecting new vegetables and fruits. 

• It's a great time to let your child help you prepare food safely - having a role in preparation often leads to more enjoyment of the dish!