Q&A: Nutrition Advice for Children Between the Ages of 18-23 Months
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As a parent, you know that nutrition is the cornerstone of your child's development in all areas – physical growth, language acquisition and more – but sometimes the answers are not always easy to find. That's why Juicy Juice has assembled a panel of experts to give you the inside scoop, as well as tips and trends, to help every step of the way. For more questions and answers, visit our Expert Advice page.
Q: My son loves packaged snacks. I've offered them as rewards for eating healthy choices, and now they're all he wants! Is he missing important nutrients?
A: If he really is eating mostly chips and cookies, he is certainly missing out. He should be consuming fresh, healthful food, such as fruit, vegetables, high-quality proteins and items made from whole grains. You have to nip this problem in the bud, since the more processed foods your son eats, the more he'll want. Kids quickly develop a taste for all the fat, sugar and salt in snack foods.
The first things you should do is stop using unhealthy food as a reward. Doing so signals to your child that nutritious choices are not as tasty or as fun to eat as junk good-a message that I'm sure you didn't intend to send.
At mealtime sever a variety of wholesome dishes, and when your child is ready for a snack, offer a 100% juice, yogurt, whole-grain crackers and breads, slices of soft, ripe frit, small chunks of cheese and the like. Click here to find some easy ways to add fun to servings of all kinds of foods.
Finally, don't pressure your son to eat the healthy choices. Just offer them to him, and let him pick among them. Sometimes ignoring what children are doing is the best way to encourage them to do just what you want.
Q: My daughter is now eating a wide variety of foods. Does this mean I should be aware of new choking hazards?
A: Although toddlers face new choking hazards at this stage, there is also plenty a parent can do to prevent them. Most important, don't serve foods that are hard for 18- to 23-month-olds to hold between their teeth and chew thoroughly; these items may slip down the trachea, or windpipe. The foods to avoid include nuts, popcorn, seeds, corn nuts, whole grapes, hard or sticky candy, jellybeans, hot dogs (unless they've been sliced and the slices have been quartered), hard raw vegetables or fruit, lumps of peanut butter and large chunks of meat or cheese.
Toddlers may also choke when they are running, laughing or playing while eating. Reduce the possibility of an incident by discouraging these activities during meals or snack time and by never letting a toddler eat unattended.
Despite your best intentions, your child may experience choking; be prepared by taking child-specific CPR classes, which teach particular techniques that should be applied to young children. Your pediatrician can help you find a course in your area.