Simple biscuits and milk along with some random food items won’t be the favourite snacks for the 18-month-old toddler in your home anymore. He is growing up, and so are his tastes and preferences. Therefore, a little variety in his meal plan can go a long way in ensuring he meets his nutritional requirements as well as looks forward to his food once again.
While putting together some awesome lunch ideas to hook your 18-month-old on to, here the nutrients that need to be in them.
The quantity of food a toddler eats around this age is comparatively less than what he would have been earlier. Therefore, it is necessary to match a calorie intake of about 1.2 kilocalories than looking at a quantity of food.
Figuring out the right food items for your little toddler might present some obstacles, as your dinner ideas might not fit well with his requirements. Here are some foods you can include in the meal plans.
If your child is still on breastmilk, it would be great if you can alternate it with a little full milk once in a while. Apart from the nutritional benefit, it is necessary to teach your kid to start drinking milk as well as water from a cup instead of a bottle.
It is best to keep away from juicing the fruits or pureeing them since it robs your kids of the fibrous benefits they provide. Mix up different fruits to keep a balance of tastes.
Various recipes can make even the hated vegetables pretty interesting to eat along. Using coloured vegetables as raw alternatives in small pieces can be easy finger food, too.
While this combination might seem weird, pairing both these foods together packs quite a ‘protein’ punch! Supplement portions of chicken or fish with soy chunks, sprouted beans, cashews, and so on. You don’t have to do this every day; having this combination every alternate day of the week should still provide you with the benefits you’re looking for. However, discontinue having portions of meat and nuts together if you notice any signs of a food allergy.
Avoid choosing white bread for your kid as much as you can. Whole wheat bread should be your go-to option for any sandwiches you make. To meet the grain requirement, you can even go with dry cereal or crackers instead of bread.
When making sandwiches, make sure you butter the bread lavishly for your child. Even when preparing meals you can use a good dollop of ghee to go along with it. These tiny measures will ensure a good fat intake by your child and keep him healthy.
Most of the processed and refined sugar in the market don’t pose any direct, using jaggery instead as a sweetener comes as a recommendation from the old ages. Not only is this more natural and healthy, but the sweetness is quite controlled as well.
Even if your child is consuming milk daily, supplementary dairy products are necessary to go along with it. Different varieties of cheese along with yoghurt provide probiotics and other nutrients that simple whole milk may not always do.
Use raw salads or other vegetables in a tasty salad or in a baked recipe to entice them and keep their diet plan going.
Before you even think that your kid has enough water, it is important to note that juices and liquid foods are not an equivalent for drinking plain good water. There are chances of your kid suffering from digestive issues and health problems if his water intake is not up to the mark.
A food chart that establishes some general meals for each week can assist you in creating your own.
Day | Breakfast | Snack | Lunch | Snack | Dinner |
Monday | Cheddar Cheese and tomato sandwich | Banana pieces | Chicken Shawarma wrap with hummus | Glass of milk | Pasta Bolognese |
Tuesday | French Toast with blueberries and strawberries | Orange chunks | Peas and cauliflower with rice | Glass of milk with almonds | Eggs on toast |
Wednesday | Peanut butter and jam sandwich | Guava bites | Lentil and rice Koshari with boiled pasta | Orange smoothie | Greek Salad with feta cheese and crackers |
Thursday | Oats porridge with apple pieces | Kiwi chunks | Spagetti with meatballs | Hummus and bread sticks | French Toast |
Friday | Pancakes and milkshake | Strawberry chunks | Steamed fish and veggies with brown rice | Mini pizza | Cottage cheese sandwich |
Saturday | Banana Waffles | Watermelon pieces | Creamy mushroom chicken with rice | Berry Milkshake | Broccoli and cheese baked in the oven |
Sunday | Egg and cheese sandwich | Papaya chunks | Spinach & cheese quiche | Glass of milk with almonds | Banana and Berry pancake |
Your kid should also have at least half a glass of milk every day.
Coming up with new breakfast ideas or novel plans for dinner can be made easier if you have a few recipes at your disposal that you can get started with right away.
Bring together the goodness of soya chunks with the tasty preparation of cutlets made from it.
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This hearty, healthy and delicious meal will not only waw your toddler but will keep him full and well nourisdhed too!
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We were just as surprised to read the title as you are. But once we tasted it, there was no going back.
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This breakfast recipe can be made for the entire family in a single go.
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Avocadoes and eggs are an excellent combination and a great source of good fats and proteins for your toddler and he will love this quick and easy preparation!
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Here are a few tips to make your meal times better.
With the recipes mentioned above and the diet chart as a benchmark, you would have a good answer to your question around what to feed my 18-month old for his meals. Tweak them to your liking and keep track of his behaviour over the months.
Also Read: 15 Healthy and Tempting Finger Foods for Toddlers