5 expert tips to help your toddler get recommended nutrients | Health and Wellness Online Features

Tips for ensuring toddlers eat a nutritious diet

Langley recommends persistence, plus trying several approaches, from modeling healthy behavior to offering nutritious — but limited — choices. “Toddlers can be overwhelmed by too many choices,” said Langley. “Provide a few healthy options to give them a sense of control.”

Try these tactics to help keep your toddlers developing as they should.

Toddlers watch what you do more than they listen to what you say. Fill your own plate with the same healthy foods you want them to eat, including a variety of fruits, vegetables, dairy, proteins and whole grains.

From growing food in your garden to preparing food together, inspire curiosity about where food comes from and how it’s prepared. Take kids to a farmers market or pick-your-own farm. Let kids help wash fresh fruits and veggies, then measure or mix ingredients. Limit tasks to safe and easy things to do — adding to what they can handle as they get older. They’ll be more likely to try food they helped make.

Introduce small amounts of new items alongside familiar foods. Choose or cut food to the appropriate size for toddlers to avoid choking hazards. Don’t stress if they won’t eat new food right away, but keep trying. Over time they may become curious about it.