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Healthy Foods for One-Year-Olds

By their first birthday, many children have already started eating solid foods. Thereafter, solids play a more important role in their diet. One-year-olds require healthy foods to help them learn and play.

  1. Significance

    • One-year-old children are at an age at which the majority of their nutrition comes from solid foods, instead of formula or breast milk. By choosing healthy foods for their 1-year-old, parents assist the child's growth and development simply by providing his body with essential energy.

    Types

    • One-year-olds can eat a large variety of healthy foods. Fruits and vegetables acceptable for 1-year-olds are soft and easy to chew. Some examples include bananas, oranges, peeled apricots, peeled peaches, peeled pears, applesauce, cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew and strawberries. Vegetables for 1-year-olds include baked-potato wedges, mashed potatoes and cooked carrot sticks. Since meats are tough to chew, 1-year-olds can only have processed or ground meats. Dairy foods 1-year-olds can eat include yogurts, puddings, cottage cheese and even cheese cubes. Cereals, strips of bread and crackers are good options from the bread category.

    Considerations

    • Keep the individual child in mind when deciding what foods to try. If the child doesn't tolerate softer foods, wait a while to move on to foods that require more chewing. Some 1-year-olds don't have teeth, so any foods that require teeth to chew without causing a choking hazard are not safe.

    Misconceptions

    • Dietary allergies do not always present as severe reactions. Every time a parent introduces a new food to a 1-year-old, it is necessary to make sure a reaction doesn't occur. Sometimes, the signs are very subtle, such as a skin rash or upset stomach. Also, if food allergies run in the family, it's best to put off introducing that food until well after the first birthday.

    Benefits

    • Getting a 1-year-old to eat a variety of foods prepares her to develop better eating habits as she ages. By expanding the number of foods a 1-year-old eats, she is more likely to eat a healthier, balanced diet.

    Warning

    • Never leave a 1-year-old child unattended while he is eating. Choking is a major hazard for children at this age, even in the case of foods they have eaten before with no trouble. Certain foods are still off-limits for 1-year-olds due to health issues. These foods include: soft cheeses or any other non-pasteurized dairy products; seafood, such as shrimp; and any uncooked or undercooked meats. Other foods are major choking hazards, including popcorn, uncut hot dogs, nuts, hard candy, whole grapes, hard fruits or vegetables or thick-spread peanut butter.

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