When it comes to our precious little ones, We as parents do not wish to compromise on anything. Food is an area of the biggest concern. This Indian diet plan for toddlers (1 to 3 years of age) will help you in decoding most of the questions that might cloud your mind and hearts. What food to feed? How much food to give at one time? When to stop? How to be sure that your kid is not allergic to the food you are giving him ? and more such questions that cross your mind will all be answered below in this article about the Indian diet plan for toddlers.
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“Bablu makes a bad face and takes his face away when I try to push a lump of rice down his throat”. “Pinky makes me run around the house at mealtimes”. “Tabbu picks up foods from his plate and throws it on me”. “Guddi is not growing well and she appears quite thin and weak compared to girls of her age”. “I wish my baby could put on a little more weight by now”. These are the complaints that we hear from most Indian moms.
We often forget that toddlers do not have that much of consciousness to think “healthy” and all that they need is variety. Give your toddler variety in terms of colors, shape, size, and taste and he/ she will make mealtimes enjoyable for both you and him/her.
Importance of Number of Meals :
When your child turns 1, you can give him anything except spicy, salty, and deep-fried foods. And secondly, you need to remember that your toddler needs little amounts of a variety of “interesting” foods to be given to him at various times of the day. So it is not a good idea to stuff him/her with food as a one-time option. When it comes to Kids, you should not follow the 3 meal patterns like us adults.
He/she is most likely to reject this option and stay hungry. A toddler has very little stomach capacity and he/ she cannot take 3 big meals a day. He/ she will typically need 6 small meals a day to fulfill his/ her body’s energy requirements. The best part about feeding your kid frequently is that you don’t need to worry much about his quantity of intake. Even if the kid eats 3-4 biscuits, he will be good for the next 1-2 hours… A little effort from your side will help him/her stay satiated and disturb you less during meal times.
Did You know –
We know that planning a menu for these little brats is difficult. Especially when they are to be fed with a time interval of every 2-3 hours and they demand variety. Here we present an interesting Indian diet plan for toddlers that will help you become a smart mommy instantly. But before we move on to the actual diet plan, here are some basic thumb rules you need to understand as a mother. The basic rules of food planning. Which foods to select and on what basis. After all its about meeting your toddler’s nutritional need to make him physically and mentally strong and compatible with the world outside.
Menu planning for Diet of Indian Toddlers :
In the above-given chart, the outer 6 boxes represent the different food groups. This chart will help you in planning your own menu based on your convenience and timing for your baby. follow the following tips for planning a healthy menu for your toddler.
Add 1 item from each food group:
The trick is to simply add at least 1 item from each group throughout the day. Of course, you can use a particular group more than 2 times too. However, in order to maintain variety in terms of taste and nutrition, its important to plan from each group. Ex – you can plan for rice in the afternoon and oats in the evening menu. both the items belong to the cereal group and are equally healthy.
Variety in terms of taste:
Make your choices of food from the given food group more interesting for the kid. Ex – instead of feeding your baby with rice and milk every day, introduce variety. Plan for rice and curd, or lightly lemon flavored rice, mix rice with mung dal from pulses group to add protein and variety to your kid’s menu.
Mixing of 2 Food groups:
After your kid turns 15 – 16 months old, you can mix up 2 or more food groups together. Ex – Oats porridge with apple. Here Oats cover the cereal group, Milk will cover up for protein and apple will cover the fruits group. some kids with good digestibility can tolerate the mixed groups’ concept right from 12 months onwards.
Cereal Group:
This group includes cereals like Rawa (semolina), Ragi, Rice, Oats, wheat and its products like brown bread, wheat-based biscuits. These cereals are easy to digest. Initially, its best to grind the food product, or mash it well to avoid choking. some kids take time to learn to chew.
Milk and Milk Products Group:
As the name suggests this group includes all varieties with milk. Cows milk has the best digestibility. Hence it is preferable to give you kids cow’s milk. You can later introduce him with milk products like cheese, curd, buttermilk, and paneer. Cheese on brown bread is a good snacking option for your 2+ years old toddler. They relish it.
Non – Vegetarian Protein Group:
This group includes chicken, eggs, and fish. I would really recommend you to start your kid a little late with fish. Maybe after he is 2 +. This will ensure his digestion capacity. It is not that kids do not eat fish before this age. There are individual differences and food preferences. All you need to do is ensure your kids’ digestion capacity and allergic reactions to these foods.
Dals And Pulses Group:
Start with easily digestible dals like mung dal. once they are tolerated well by the kid, you can then move forward to slowly introduce her with all the other varieties of dals, and pulses. make sure the first time you try any new pulse, it should be diluted enough. If your baby has any sign of intolerance towards these foods, like change in color of stool, hard stool or watery stool or gases or stomach ache after the intake, reintroduce the food after a week in a diluted form
Fruits and vegetables:
The fruits and vegetables that are mentioned under the groups in the above infographic diagram, can be used in any form. you can mash the fruits, make juice out of it, pressure cook the fruit for 1 whistle and then mash it (apple). or you can hand over them as slices to your kids. So they also learn to eat on their own. you can use vegetables in soup forms or cooked vegetable form, just the way you consume it at home. make sure you add little or no spices to the preparation. You can introduce the spices and masala for the baby after she is 2.5 + years of age.
Fats and Sugars:
This group is placed in the center on purpose. although you need to use a very little amount of fats and sugar for your toddler, please do not ignore this group. Your baby really needs good fats for better digestion. don’t forget that these little ones also require tasty foods just like us. you can add sugar or jaggery to their food preparations.
Note :
Indian Diet Plan For Toddlers :
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Here is an Indian Diet plan for toddlers for your reference.
| Time | Menu |
|---|---|
| 7.00 AM (After waking up ) | 1 glass milk + 4 soaked almonds |
| 9.00 AM Breakfast | Choose any 1 from the below-mentioned options
|
| 11.00 AM | 2-4 slices of apple / orange / watermelon /musk melon / pomegranate / Papaya / 2 wheat-based biscuits / ragi flakes (handful) (any seasonal fruit) |
| 1.00 PM Lunch | Choose any 1 from the below-mentioned options
|
| 2.30 PM | Buttermilk (optional ) / Ragi kanji |
| 4.00 PM | Choose any 1 from the below-mentioned options
|
| 6.00 PM | Spinach Soup / Carrot soup / Tomato soup / Mix Vegetable Soup / Corn soup (grind corn kernel in a mixer) / Fruit juice during warm climate |
| 8.00 PM Dinner | Choose any suitable option from Breakfast or Lunch Menu |
| 10.00 PM Bedtime | 1 glass Milk + 4 Soaked Almonds |
Note:
Important Tips to consider while following this Indian diet plan for toddlers
• Milk Intake :
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Give your toddler the regular milk when he wakes up in the morning. Give him 100 to 200 ml of milk in the morning and in case he/she is allergic to milk and milk products, you can replace milk with whole fruit, almond milk, or soya milk. If your child has crossed 2 years of age, you may consider adding health drinks such as Pediasure to his milk. Make sure to give your toddler full cream milk and he/ she requires milk energy to support his body’s functions and to grow into a powerful adult with time. In the evening, give your toddler 100-50 ml of milk depending on his preference. Yes, do value his preference as many toddlers simply hate the taste of milk. You can’t help as I’m sure many of you also hated milk in your childhood. Use your imaginations, make them tasty smoothies or milkshakes
• Water Intake:
A toddler’s daily water intake may typically consist of at least 5 glasses of water. This includes the juices, milk, and other fluids that your toddler consumes throughout the day.
• Bread:
Make sure you give your toddler wholewheat or brown bread or bread that is fortified with vitamins and minerals.
• Fruits And Vegetables:
You may opt for cooked or pureed food. Cooked or pureed vegetables with bland flavors are the best options for toddlers. These may include vegetables such as pumpkin, potato, sweet potato, squash, carrots, and butternut. Try with mashed food items. It’s better to feed your toddler steamed vegetables and pulses
• Homemade Food:
Today’s nuclear family setups coupled with an increase in the opportunities for women employment, the time has become a scarce resource for today’s families. It is always better to avoid tinned and packaged foods as they contain preservatives that may be detrimental to your child’s health. Make sure you invest some time to secure your child’s health and prepare meals at home. We are sure that love will help you find that time!
• Oatmeal Cereals:
It is a good idea to help your child build healthy eating habits at a very young age. You may introduce oatmeal cereals at a very early stage as they are healthy breakfast options and your child is most likely to develop an acceptance for oatmeal cereals as well as other complex carbohydrates.
• Portion Intake:
1 tablespoon of each food: The Rule of Thumb. At one time, a one-year-old child should be fed 1 tbsp of cooked cereal, pureed fruit, pureed cereal, cooked meat, cooked vegetable, one egg, and a ½ cup of milk and dairy products. On a similar line, a 2-year old child should be given 2 tablespoons of different foods at a time. And as you can already guess, 3 tablespoons of different foods at a time constitute the perfect dietary portions for a 3-year old child.
• Nutritious Snacks:
Your kid will eat when he/she is hungry and will stop when he/ she feels full. Sometimes, you may consider providing nutritious snacks to your kid. This does not mean that you have to put a lot of extra effort into preparing healthy snacks as a lot of healthy yet no-hassle snacks are available in the market. Prepare some finger-friendly, bite-size foods and your toddler will take the responsibility of feeding himself/ herself:
• Thinly-sliced fresh fruit
• Low-sugar breakfast cereals
• Mini muffins with whole-grain crackers
• Shredded cheese
• 2-4 ounces of pure fruit juice, with one part juice being mixed with two parts of water.
• Tart with pureed or strained vegetables such as green beans, squash, or carrots.
Image : Copyright: kostman / 123RF Stock Photo
You can find some amazing recipes for your kid’s meal here at our Healthy recipe section.
Some Common Mistakes that You Should Avoid:
• Making your child drink more than 16-24 ounces of milk per day.
• Forcing them to eat when they are not hungry.
• Allowing your child to eat sugary snacks
EndNote :
Don’t get into a habit of worrying about your kid’s food. The only thing that you should observe is whether your child is gaining weight with time and whether he is remaining active throughout the day. Too many restrictions in his/ her diet or too much of a ‘çarefree’ attitude may actually harm your child’s health. Refer to this Indian diet plan for toddlers and enjoy your child’s mealtimes, be a little creative, and allow him to enjoy his/ her creative side as well. Who knows? Your child may grow up to suggest your meal plans one day!
Indian Version of Atkins Diet (High Protein Diet)
Hi Paul, My 1 year 2 months baby boy is just 7 kg in weight. He is so active, eats well. But I think he is not up-to-date in weight. May you please suggest me a daily diet routine for him please.
you can use the diet chart given above
Hi!! My son is 13 months. I give him prunes,apple, pear etc juices.. Also give him wheat chapati , khichdi…etc but he is having constipation problem..very hard stool and also having trouble to pass stool…he cries alottt. can u help me..m I doing anything wrong?
Hi Jaanvi , are you using fat in terms of oil and ghee in rice / hichadi and chapati , and butter in terms of soups and juices ? if you are doing it and its still not working , then please add 1 tsp ghee in his bet time milk and check the motion next day morning … do it for atleast 4-5 days to see if this is working for him.
My baby is 22 months old.his current weight is 9.2 kg. and last 4 months it’s not increasing.he was born in 8 months.he doesn’t like anything.neither he likes any fruits nor any veggies roti nth.he only drinks milk then to only 100 to 150ml…I consulted with pediatrician he says ki “sabhi baChe aisa karte hai” I am really worried for him what to do….to maKe him feed with any kind of solid is like a big challenge for me…what to do kindly advice.he doesn’t even like any kind of fruit juice.
Hi Shweta ,
what your doc said is very much right .. there is a phase when every child starts being so cranky about foods , but the key is your patience . well im not just saying it . i know how it feels i have a 15 month old baby myself who is going through the same phase. so here are the things that i am practically using to make her comfortable with the food …
1] my elder daughter whom the little one really adores tries to make her smile and do all silly things so she smiles and open her mouth to kake bites / sips . and because her entire attention is towards something else , she eats … i give her a bottle of plain water after every 5 bites , so this changes the monotony .
2] switch on the tv and let it take her attention . or put on a soothing music …
3] observe what the baby likes and for the next week , just feed him with his favorite food , dont force feed him with things he dont like , or he will make the meal times even more challenging. 1 week monotonous diet will not deprive him from the needed nutrition , dont worry .
4] you got to see if he likes salty or sweet and accordingly make food for him . dont give too much quantity at once .
5] give it some time . be patient and stop worrying so much .. he will be a different eater all toghter in the next few days .. its just a phase .
Namaste Payal ji,
Meri beti 15 months ki hai, wt hai 9.5 kg, use anemia hai hb 8 hai, bar bar bimar hoti hai, milk pori tarahse band kar diya hai, subah use 2 boiled eggs/ 2 eggs ka omelet deti hu, 11 am ko rice with ghee, 2 pm ko kheer, aur fir chicken soup etc deti hu, lekin wo beet root, carrot khna pasand nahi karti to kya ye sab uske liye sufficient hai ?
you can also give her annar ka juice . mix a little beetroot juice in it , or extract some beetroot jucie and make a chapati or add in her dal .
My baby girl is 20month old and she is very active but she looks very thin compared to other child of her age. I am giving her following foods daily, please advice what changes i need to do to fulfill her health requirement
8:30am milk with small wheat bhakhri
About 9 to 11am she sleeps
11am i give her ragi milk or mango juice
1:30pm 1 roti 1tbsp khichdi with buttermilk
2 to 4 she sleeps
4pm i give her mosambi juice or banana juice
6:30 pm she eats little snack like kurmure
8:30 pm khichdi or dalrice with sabji 1 roti and buttermilk
She sleeps at 9pm and wakes up at 7:30 or 8 in the morning
I many time tried to wakeup her in midnight for milk but she want breastfeeding only.
Please advice
her food is ok .. what is her weight ? if her height and weight math the growth chart standards , then dont worry about looking thin .
Hii . My son is 13 months old. He is a very fussy eater. I give him different kinds of foods like vegetable daliya, khichdi, roti,diff fruit shakes,curd banana ;idli,rajma rice….literally everything. But it takes around half an hour to complete his meal . I m too tensed. How many meals he should have in a day???
N How much milk??
you need to feed him every 2- 2.5 hours .. you can calculate no. of feeds based on his wake up and sleep timings . he is only 13 months , so he will take time … dont worry patience is the key . milk you mean breast feed wise or top ?
Hi Payal,
* My daughter is 27 months old. She wakes up at 9 o’clock daily. Should I give her milk (at 9 am) or directly breakfast?
* She eats well i.e. chapati, vegitables, milk, fruits, mix veg soup, rice etc. but she does not gain weight. Her weight is 10.5 kgs. but she is very active.
* She does not eat sweet food like laddus ,shira, khir etc. what should i do? Please guide me.
Hi Neeta ,
dont worry , if she eats well and is active , you dont need to worry about her weight , she will gradually gain . its ok if she doesnt linke much sweet . ou can ask your pediatrician to prescribe her protein powder for weight .
Hello ma’am this is another mother seeking advice from you for a three year old girl. Ma’am my daughter is only 10 kg and she doesn’t eat much shes Moody sometimes doesn’t eat at all. She alergic to milk and consumed onlly isomil pls help me in her weight gain and her calcium deficiency and her health
Hi Meenaksh i ,
dont worry check this – https://www.dietburrp.com/indian-weight-gain-diet-plan-for-lactose-intolerance/ though this plan is not specially planned for toddlers , but she is 3 year old and will be able todigest food mentioned here ..
Hi, my daughter is 2.8 months old. She weighs only 11kgs. Needless to say she is a fussy eater, have tried introducing healthy food in all possible recipes, shapes and kinds but she only likes to eat eggs, cheese, chicken and pasta. I give her wheat pasta with spinach but can’t give her everything and everyday. She is mostly constipated as there is no roughage in her food. We stopped her bottle feeds 5,months back as she was only surviving on 750 – 1litre of milk. She stopped taking milk also after that and no shakes, flavors could get her drinking milk again. She eats only one meal properly with me at the time of diner. She needs to eat properly, regularly and healthy, please help!
Hi Pratichi ,
for constipation you can try giving her milk with 1 tsp ghee .. you said she doesn take milk …. have you tried giving her chocolate flavored milk as in adding bournvita or other pediatric supplement ? try with that . is she fond of stories ? have your tried associating food with stories ? does she watch tv and cartoons ? like you can relate her fav cartoon characters with food and try to see if she eats it.
Hello. I have 18 months baby. She would eat well. But from two weeks she doesnt eat at all. She prefers only milk. If given any food she only takes 2bites n then refuses to eat. She is only 9 kgs now. Her birth weight was 2kgs( preterm) . Please suggest
Hi Prarthana , is she teething ? if any new teaath is erupting , kids get a little cranky and moody over food . but that is temporary and will get bettr in a week
Hello
My lo is 15 months old. She is having vsd .She needs lots of protein. Kindly help me with a food chart full of fats and protein .
Hi payal tysm for your rpy
I feed her every 2 3 hour gap. Three times bottle (175 ML) and 4 time breastfeed in a day.is this sufficient for her?????she is weigh about 9.2 kg (1 year old)
Hi Payal
I have a 1 year daughter last week se she doesn’t eat properly n she also loved blended food bt nw m trying to give her mashed food sometimes she eat half n bowl nd sometimes 6 7 spoons I am very tensed suggest me what to do here I give her foodchart
Mrng bottle milk 10.00am suji kheer with apple/custard/daliya 1.00 roti with milk/Cerelac/veg khichdi 4.00 pm banana with milk 7.30 pm rice /khichdi
Hi Nidhi ,
please dont get tensed , its not that she doesnt eat at all . when we change anything about foods , kids take some time to adapt the change , she is reacting similar for change from blended to mashed food . dont worry , just feed her at lesser time interval , she will oon adapt
Hi,
My two year seven month old son is allergic to dairy. He has cows milk protein allergy. He is not gaining weight as he should .he can’t have soya also. Can you please suggest a healthy diet plan for him.
dont have anything ready for him , will have to plan .. will let you know
My child refuses to eat anything I make be it sugary (Kheer, halwa) or salty (chela, dosa, pizza or Mac n cheese ). Please suggest how can I make him try different food.
have yu tried the colour and shape experiments ? i mean making a green chilla with spinach if he likes green, making a pink chilla with bet root if he likes pink or red with carrot if he likes that .. and then making these in different shapes ..
please let me knw what food items he likes in general ..
Hi
My 2.8 years old son has reflux,so he can’t drink milk and he will eat yogurts fine
But problem is he won’t chew foods like rice,eggs,chicken ,fish.he wants everything like paste
Some foods he will chew like chapathi,bread,dosa but it will take 1.30 hour for single chapathi
His weight is 14.5 kgs and he is not gaining from the past 6 months he will throw food easily and I am giving reflux medicine but still same
I want to know what is the problem?why he is unable to chew some foods and what can I give to meet nutritional values
Waiting for ur reply
Thank u so much
Hi Anu , nutrition can be taken care of by giving him thin consistency foods like soups and juices … you can add veggies to his khichadi or daliya and grind them together …
as far as reflux is considered , the diagnosis will require a physical examination , and i am not the right person for it .. what does his peadiatrician say ?
Hi payal
Thank for the above food chart. I have 17 months twins boy n girl. My daughter weight is 9 kg n sons weight is10.60kg.they are so moody to eat I follow the diet chart but wo kabhi kabhi bahut jyada khate hai aur kabhi kabhi bahut thoda wo full night kabhi nahi sote uthakar milk mangate hai unhe force karne se wo bahut irritate hote hai m very frustrated about their feeding n they only wants to play so please suggest me some ideas to put them for ideal weight
Hi Priya ,
normally what time do they go to bed ? and what time do you feed the m ? i want to know the last 3 feeds ka timing and gap and items you give to them . i will be able to help you better with this information
My son is 2year 6montgs. He didn’t eat too much his weight is 11.8 -12 kg . He like chocolate pancake , chocolate biscuits.
Before 2 year he was drinking milk but after 2 year he stop to drink milk. He like only 2 fruit bannana and strawberries only he can’t eat any other fruit.
Please help me how to introduce new fruit and veg . For my toddler.
Hi Anita ,
introducing foods take a lot of patience and time .. it sure does get irritating to us but it is crucialas we are fornming their eating habits right from now. basicaly does he like juice and milkshakes ? if he does then you can add different fruits and make juice to him .. you said he doesnt drink milk .. try variations like cold and hot , flavours like chocolate will attract his likes as he likes the , then try milkshakes with fruits . if he likes cake , bake a home made cake or tart and fill it up with fruits with home made chocolate sauce and toppings … make the food interesting , he will eat them all..
Hi Payal,
I have 2 and half years son….he is very fussy about his food. all he likes is milk …and the only thing he eats is chappati soaked in milk. my concern is he doesnt know to chew his food…he prefers only soft food…he is afriad of seeing rice …or any other food. if i offer him some finger food , he only licks it and throws it down.
Earlier i use to force him to have his meal, but when everyone said not to force him, i have stopped forcing him now,,, its been 2 months now…still he doesnt have his meal.He eats only if i offer chappati soaked in milk or bread saoked in milk.
I am a working lady, the baby sitter says he eats with her, but with me he runs away if i try offering him dal rice.
Please advice!!
Asma,
i can understand you worries , some kids do like that , but dont worry , firsty , its nit complete aversion of food , he is eating chapati and milk , so his needs are being satisfied … now the point of concern is to introduce variations , fruits and vegeggies in his diet .. does he like soup ? fruit juices ? even if he likes readymade ones , you can buy a real fruit jjuice pack ,make fresh juice at home , and fill it in the container and hand it over to him , this way he would feel it is readymade and will drink ..
another psychological obesrvation is that that the kids who get less time to spen with mummas, due to office or house hold work , trouble more during meal times , as they somehow now that the mum will pay more attention to them if they run away from food , they like the attention of a worried mom (refering to your maids story that he eats with her and not with you ) … so you need to handle it accordingly .
Hii Mam
Meri baby 15 months old hai aur wo khichdi dailya aesa khana pasand nahi karti but wo chapati 1 & half le leti hai kya wo uske lunch or Dinner ke liye sufficient hai but wo Bhi butter roti only no vegetables with roti Pls suggest any idea ……
Weight : 9.7kg now
Thanks ☺
yes sufficient he .. but vegetables can be introduced .. your daughter is very small now , but going further , veggies will be required.
Hi Payal,
My son is Two and half year old but his weight is 10 kg which is not right for his age. His ideal weight should be 12kg. He doesn’t like homemade food. He prefers junk food.
What can i do to help him increase his weight? Please suggest some tips and foods or anything that will help me achieve it. please advice… Thank you :)
Hi Anita ,
i may sound crazy , but deceive your kid . buy outside food wrappers , and cartons and refill them with home made food …
ex – order for a pan size dominos pizza if he likes , save the bo , make chapati pizza at home , just make it look good and servethe box to him .. refill the real fruit juice cartons with home made fresh juices … use the macdonald , mac flurry glasses and serbe him home made milkshakes . :P i know its deceptive , but within a month he wil develop taste for home made foods and will start eating at home .
Hi.. my baby is 1 year 7 months old.. her weight is 10.6kg…. she usually vomits once or twice in a week.. is there any problem in feeding her ?? Her weight is ok???
Hi ,I guess a peadeatrician wil help you better
Hi
My baby is 15 months old and I am tired of making him eat. Can u pls suggest something
I HV stopped bf completely and made him drink cow’s milk but now the situation is that he only drinks milk wether day or night. He cries for it when he is hungry. I keep trying to mk him eat at least a small portion of food BT he refuses. He only likes milk.
Wt to do?
not even fruit juices or soups ?
hello…can you please share the diet plan for 5yr old, as my daughter is 5yr old & is gaining weight. Am really worried about it, she is a real fusser when comes to food. please help!!!
Hi Neha ,
I dont have anything ready to suit your requirement . but i have put this on my list .. will work on it soon and get back to you
Helo dear payal,
my baby is two years old main apne baby ko jo b khilati hu wo sab kha leta tha lekin wo abhi kuch nhi dino so kuch b like nyi kar rha main bhut jyada preshan hu.mje kuch liquid ba kar jabrdasti use khilana padta hai agr kuch solid deti hu like roti,egg ,milk etc sab bahr nikal deta hai plz suggest me what i do?
Hi Yamini ,
how is his weight ? if it has not decresed and he is active and doing everything he did earlier , then dont worry . its just a phase and it will pass .. just give him what he likes to eat and dont force him on eating . but if he has lost weight or become weak , then please see a doctor . when was the last time you dewormed him ?
Hi Payal, my daughter is 15months and still she is in breastfeed . tried to induce cow’s milk by changing flavour by she doesn’t like tat. Think I need to stop breastfeed immediately . Suggestions pls
Hi Priy ,
dont stop the breastfeeding imediately .. if you are feeding both suring day and night , change it for night first . if she doesnt co – operate , change it for day and get back to feeding her at night . step by step will be better and acceptable . rduce the number of feeds .
Hi Payal., my baby is 25 months n weighs 14kg, she runs away from food. 4 all food she has to be forced. Drinking milk is also her problem. What quantity of food shud be given and in how much gap. She doesn’t like biting any solid too. Feeding food is like tension 4 her and us. She is not gaining from last 4/5 mnts. Please suggest.
Hi Shama,
dont worry , with 14 kgs , she is in her ideal growth weight. quantity and food gaps are mentioned above in the diet plan
Plz suggest a diet chart for a 15 month old… he eats everything. Bt i need a chart as to knw what to feed and when. Thanx
Hi Aksa ,
every thing is mentioned in details in the diet plan above .. you can follow the same diet plan for your kid.
Hi my daughter is two years old… But she didn’t take fruits still now ..she started to cry if we spoke about fruits.. Please help me to do any ideas…
hmm start giving her fruits in changed form. try with juices , make shapes , make a fruit cake , once she likes the tatse she wil accept it .
Hi Payal. My daughter is 2 years old and weighs 15 kgs. She has stopped eating since last two months. she drinks milk throughout the night (about 250 ml twice) and the day too. I know i need to lessen her milk intake but am unable to do so. She keeps fussing for the milk and cries if not given. She takes only pasta (Maggi pasta) and eggs nothing other than that. She goes to a daycare for 4 hours where her caretaker says she has some rice dal etc. But she does not eat at home. Please help me I am a working woman so don’t get much time to prepare food at many times.
Hi Sana ,
Alo oftimes many toddlers face this problem , where they develop aversions from everything and they stick by only 2-3 items … i Know its a little worrysome for you as a mom .. but think of it as a changing phase . Your daughter is entering in a phase where she will look at food and their taste with a different perspective .. make this transition easy for her .. if you make things and force her to eat these things she will relate that food with bad memories or wrong things , and she will further run away from it .. so dont worry, ou are a working mom , if you get time for cooking dinner or lunch or breakfast .. any 1 meal of the day , you make variations with the things she likes to eat and present it in a way that it appeals your daughter … say for ex .. you said she likes pasta .. if she is leraning colours at her kindergarden make pasta in diff colours , or put it in her plat in a different shape … get whole wheat pasta from super maerket , add chopped veggies like carrots , palak in little little quantity .. same with omlette .. make that 1 meal a happy meal for her , siut down with her , make stories , laugh with her , let her eat as much as she wants ,, she will again get to a good routine of eating everything …
Hi,
I have a kid. He is four years old.He is bit underweight. Could you please suggest a diet plan for him. He prefers South Indian dishes. Thank you!
will plan and post here
Hello payal gi…
Mera ek 3 saal ka beta hai or ek 2 saal ka hai..khana like nahi krte or na hi fruits..milk achha lgta hai..lekin milk se to kuch nhi hoga so now you suggest me ki dono beto ko pure din me kitna milk de skti hu
3 glass of milk is ok to give .. more than that is not good , then they will not be hungry to eat other foods
Hi
My daughter is 2.8 years now, she refuses milk…only half cup dat to is sleep. And she eats a lot of chocolates. Lot means lot of around 9-10 per day. She eats chocolates Cadbury lolypop if she doesn’t get any of dis she asks for sugar. Pls help me and suggest sumthing to get rid of dis bad habit. She is getting cranky stubborn and slim day by day. She weights 12 kgs
Hi ,
actually its hard to get the kid out of the chocolate eating habit for sure … it is only councelling and mom to kid heart to heart talk that will help … you have to make your daughter understand that it is wrong … explain to her wby getting down to her levels … for eg , if your daughter likes playing with barbie and dolls , tell her that these dolls dont eat chocolate , reduce the quantity to 5 a day , then 2 a day .. and then 1 a day .
Hi payalji,
My name is vibha, I have son 32 months old,actually I always be in a tension that my son is not eating properly.He just hated milk and milk products.Please u help me by suggesting some tasty and healthy foods for him and easly digestable please.
if he likes sweets , you can try various sheera / halwa and kheers , or bake cake and biscuits with wheat flour at home ..
If he likes savoury , you can give him popped cereals , or make chiwda out of it , if he likes pizza / burger , make healthier versions of them at home ..
basically focus on what he likes , and do accordingly
Hi Paula,
My son is 20 months old and has got to the habit of sleeping by 11.30-12 in the night and gets up only by 10 am in the morning. This primarily being due to my working hours before, but now I am at home, but have still not been able to alter his body clock. Due to this he pretty has been on 3 big meals in a day along with breastfeeding for afternoon naps and night sleep. I already use pretty much all items from the different groups that you have suggested …but I don’t know how to break them into smaller meals…breakfast is usually at 10,followed by lunch at 2pm..post which he naps… evening by 5.30-6 he has 200ml milk followed by dinner at around 9.30pm. He is not a fussy eater and does not usually prefer anything sweet too much especially fruits except pomegranates. Your thoughts of what should I be doing differently.
Thanks in advance.
what his his weight ? if he is good and is achieveing his milestones , then you dont need to worry , every kid has a different cycle … if he is not gaining any weight then may be you need to change , but otherwise its fine .. so stop worrying sweetz
Hi Payal ji meri beti 1 & half year ki hai wo humesa khana mouth rakhti hai jaldi nhi khati hai or khana dekhte hei rona chalu kardyeti every food she will eat only carrying I’m very disappointed please help me what I give food so she will like please help me….
Hi Mohini ,
let her free.. let her fel hungry and then you feed her .. if she feels hunry , she will hersel demand for food … do this and see … nothing really happens if the kid goes without food for a little time , coz the result is when they get ungry they cry for food .. if hunger is not a problem , then try to find her area of interest and feed her like wise .. say for ex if she is fond of princess , make a doll shaped roti for her .. or get her pricess plate and spoons ..
Hi Payal,
My LO is 16months old i need a proper diet chart for her. She is fussy eater, she doesnt like anything sweet (kheer, ladoo nothing)
I am working, so really need your help to understand what all i can cook and how can i gain her weight. She is just 10kgs her birth weight was 3.25kgs.
she sleeps at 10.30pm and wakes up post 9am between that period she drink buffalo milk thrice. I give her pediasure at times.
Hi Mona ,
it is ok if she doesnt like sweet , you can give her savoury items . really donr worry about this . her weight is less, and hence pedia ure is a good thing. give her more protens . you can refer the above food chart , it will definitely helo her ain some weijt
Hello Payal
I have twin boys who are 16 months old. Although they are eating good. But I am worried they are taking less meals. Like their daily meals schedule is:
Milk 7.30 am
Banana or other like snacks 10.30 am after that they take nap
Halwa of suji/besan/flour at 2.00 pm each of them eat approx half katori sometimes more than that
Omellette or boiled egg 5.00 pm
Khichdi or chapati 8.30 pm chapati they have around half chapati sometimes little more than half
Milk 10.30 pm
Please suggest me if they are having sufficient meals or where can I add something more. I tried my best to add some snacks in between but they refuse to have.
In the night they have mother feed around 2-3 times. Please suggest.
Hi , you can add 1 more fruit or vegetable soup. it will be beneficial .. and dont worry they are eating well ..
hello payal, thanku for ur response, yes today only my son was showing his gums paining wen he had his breakfast, help me what cud b reasons?? shal i take him to doc
Hi Anita ,
if you see redness, swelling and bleeding issues then a doc will help you better
Hi dear my baby boy 2 yeare old his weight onlyrics 10 know I made very worried about hi weight his very active he never eat spicy food and vegetables tells me what I do thanku
Hi Vandana ,
if he doesnt like veggies , ive hime more fruit to cope up with nutritional requirements its basocally abou making meal times more gfun , that way he would eat every thing you make. spicy food is anyway not healthy so its ok if he avoid t
Hi payal…
Nice blog… my daughter is 13 months old but she cannot take solid food… we have to give her liquid…. and she cries when we give her liquid food…. what should i do….
Hi Poonam ,
This is a common problem with a lot of 12 – 15 month old babies . but dont worry , it gets better with time . if she takes only liquids , then you can use the mixer to grind every thing and feed her . the most important thing to see is if she is meeting th growth milestones on time . if yes then dont panic . if not then you must see the doctor . you can try feeding her little quantity at one time .
hello payal, my son is 2 yrs 3 months nw, he donot chew the food, we r trying hard to make him learn in many ways bt all in vain. he will play with the meal but not put a single spoon in mouth, it takes more than an hr to feed hm, he likes differnt taste, he wants everything we eat and wen we give hm bt he dont eat as he cant chew, he throws everything. he is underweight as well
Hi Anita ,
Firstly we need to check if he feels pain in gums while chewing . if he is physically alright and still not chewing then we need to play some tricks , for ex one way can be you can use some animated video that you feel he may enjoy and slowly learn from .
You have written “Give him 100 to 200 litres of milk in the morning”. Whose baby drink 100 liters? Even elephant baby drink 50 liters in a day? I’m shock. :)
Hi Ashwini ,
Thanks for pointing out . it was a typo which i have now corrected.
Hi Payal mam, I have just read your blog & how creatively each and every piece of information is presented. Everything is there at one place and the sample diet plan is also an awesome gift for a mom like me who always finds variety of solutions to feed my little one.
Actually I am a working mom of 2.10 year old cute girl so my mother-in-law stays with us to take care of her. Her weight is only 11kgs and is very active but she doesn’t like to eat, hardly eats anything. Can you please guide me how can I provide her all nutrients she requires? Also is it fine if I can make 2-3 items for her complete day need in the morning itself, I mean to ask the food cooked in the morning will lose it’s nutrient values in 8-10 hrs?
Many thanks in Advance.
– Ashvini
Hi Ashwini ,
Thank a ton for your kind words. yes you can cook 2-3 item in the morning to be used for that day . there wont be much difference in quality of nutrition based on the food dish . for ex . any dish with vit c if cooked before hand loses all vit c . so what you can do is add lemon while eating (if the recipe calls for). this way you can ensure that certain nutrient are intact.
for her underweight issue , you can give her pediasure or any other pediatric protein powder. if she is very active , ive hher more of finger foods. active kids get easily distracted at meal times as they do not want to sit in a place for ong . these kids need finger foods that they can hold in their hand whilel on the run :P
Hi Payal,
I have a 2 1/2 yr old girl child. She used to take food well and her weight was also normal. (11.4Kgs). She suffered from cold n fever last week. After this, she is hesitating to take food. Now, though cold is reduced and she is active, she is not at all taking food. I tried making different varieties of dishes but she is refusing everything. Am very much worried. Could you please help me in this regard.
Hi Pavithra ,
i can understand your plight . but you really dont need to worry , all the kids have a tendency of food aversion in general after suffering from any short term illness. dont panic , its a phas and it will get over in a week. dont force her to eat , leave her free , she will come to you and ask for food herself when hungry . do this for a day , you will see the difference .
Hi Payal, very simple and beautiful blog. I have a 3 years old child, quite active but only 12 kgs. He easily gags on food so seems like a picky eater.he doesn’t deviate from his normal schedule.i have never seen a kid not even asking for Maggie, chow mien, pasta, pizza etc.what to do?
Hi Shivani ,
Thanks for you kind words . coming to your question , you are out of those rare moms who is worried for her toddler not asking junck food :P . Lol , dobt worry dear , do one thing – take a dairy and try to note his 2-3 days food intake and choices of his food. we can actually doscuss about this after know what he likes and what he eats in the quantity of same. donyt worry , ill do my bit to help you . :)
Hi payal,
My 3 yr old kid doesn’t chew the food..she will directly swallow the food and she will choke each and every time..i am fed up with her..how to train her to chew the food..she is a fussy eater..she will take more than a hour to complete one section..and very frequently she will be sick..every time with flu and continuing flu with fever..she wants all the food with porridge consistency..we cant give each and every food like porridge..pls help me how to train her to chew the food..i tried with finger food items also..but no use..
Hi Pushpa ,
dealin with kids and their food habits is really tough at times .but the key is to remain calm and patient . wait for the kid to get really hungry . she is 3 year old and she can tell you that she is hungry , and then you introduce food to her. some time it is about texture . if she refuses to chew on chapati, give her rice and see if she can chew that , or give her a banana an see . may be she has issue with textured food . most kids have .
one of the best way to get a 3 year old to eat food is to eat infront of the kid. if you give pleasant expressions and tell the kid tht whatever you are eating is super tasty , the kid will demand to eat the same , this is the time you can show her how to chew properly . make sure you chew on your food and eat in front of her so that she learns.
a 3 year old kid would be very fond pf stories . yiu can make up a story with her favrite cartoon character of disney character and explain about chewing food . thhhhhhis is the best way to make a kid understand.
Hello payal, very good article. My
daughter is 3.6 year old n weight is 13.5 n 93 cm height. She very slow eater (like 1hr to finish 1 roti) and she has milk intolerance. Please suggest some diet plan for her to increase her weight n height. Waiting for reply. Thanks.
Hey rachana , is she lactose intolerant , and to what degree ? or is she just milk intolerant ? does curd / paneer / cheese / soya milk suit her ?
Ya, generally i give her amul gold milk about 1 cup , half cup curd n 2 slice cheese sometimes but she cannt take more quantity.
Nice healthy, Diet chart for toddlers ,this one looks very helpful for mothers .A lot of times,kids get fed up from the regular food which they get daily ,this will help us to give them a change.
:)
Hi Payal
Very beautifully you have described the diet for toddlers..
My son is four and half years old who loves to eat all home cooked food..but his tastes keep changing he like some dishes later again after few days if I make him to eat he starts hating that I wonder how.
And I never knew that we can give oats to kids because some where in my mind it’s fixed that oats is only for adults those who wants to reduce weight;-)
Other thing is my son will never drink plain milk he want flavoured milk like complain is that healthy to give twice or thrice flavoured milk?
Waiting for your reply
Thank you.
Hi Rashmi ,
thanks :) kids actually need a lot of variety and they really get fed up with same food again and again . so keeping a good distance between repeated recipes is actualy a good idea. for ex – if you made palak dosa and he liked it . you do not need to make palak dosa again to make him eat palak, try palak sandwich and praise it in front of him while eating it . Kids pick up eating habits from us . may be it would not work the first time , but it will work in the long run for sure.
about flavoured milk – it is ok to give flavoured milk. atually no kids today go for plain milk. its a universal problem . so instead of giving him 1 particular powder every time , its better to give it once a day , and other 2 times give him a milkshake , fruit shake , almond or any other nut flavoured milk . that more healthier . these kids flavouring powder contain a lot of sugar. you can balance it out by not adding sugar over the top . but this habit has to be generated from the very beginning , its hard for a 4-5 year old to pick up on such a drastic taste change . but you can try . :)