Your Child’s Diet Changes After Two Years

A 2-year-old should already get much of his nutrition from meat, fruits and vegetables, breads, and grains. To learn more about the diet, read on!

This is the time to teach your child to eat everything. Do you want a child with good eating habits? So remember that it is taught by example: your baby’s food consumption will be increasingly influenced by the diet habits of his family and those around him.

At each age, a different diet

Providing a varied diet of foods will help ensure that your child is getting enough vitamins and minerals.

Remember that young children do not grow as fast as babies, so their nutritional needs related to height decrease during the second year of life and, although they continue to gain weight, they do not double as they do when they are babies.

Flavor and protein

At that age, explains Daniel Campos, a nutritionist doctor, it is good to encourage the consumption of protein in your diet.

Your child will most likely ask for carbohydrates such as pasta and rice; But you have to encourage them to consume protein, as this  helps them to strengthen and develop the muscular system.

“He prepares food creatively because children scrutinize food a lot, and what doesn’t seem like they just don’t eat it,” advises the Venezuelan nutritionist.

If you are going to give fish – a food they are usually very reluctant to eat –  you can start giving white fish in small quantities. 

There is a recipe called pulpetas de carne. It looks like a hamburger, but with meat caps. In the middle it is filled with cheese.

The meat must be seasoned, you must also add two beaten eggs and the ¾ cup of the ground bread until it has consistency and, the kind of hamburger must be closed.

The accompaniments in addition to rice or potatoes can be pumpkin and zucchini puree.

Colors on the table

Salads have to be eye-catching, full of colors;  you can include carrots or beets, for example. When children are two years old they pay a lot of attention to colors.

You should also encourage the consumption of natural fruits. Be careful with citrus; don’t exclude them, just give them to try in moderation.

Remember that at two years of age they still have a lot of sensitivity in their taste buds. Campos recommends giving them one or two different fruits each week, because they are still getting to know many flavors.

According to their reaction, you can vary the fruit you give them to eat, whether it is cut into small pieces or blended into juices.

Try playing with the color of the fruits  to catch your baby’s attention.

Healthy tips

• Water can be offered to the baby between meals.
• Offering sweets or sweetened beverages is not recommended, as they make you lose your appetite and contribute to tooth decay.
• Avoid adding salt, sugar, or strong seasonings to foods.
• Products containing caffeine (soda, coffee, tea, or chocolate) are not recommended.
• A hyperactive or fussy baby may need attention, rather than food.
• It is good that the bread is wholemeal and / or rich in cereals.
• The cereals must not be too sugary or contain chocolate.