Childhood Nutrition

• Offer only breast milk, formula, or small amounts of water in bottles.
• Do not put you baby down to sleep with a bottle as this can promote tooth decay, disrupted sleep patterns (for both the baby and parents) and makes it harder to wean off the bottle when you are ready.
• Weaning off the bottle is recommended at 12-15 months of age.
• Do not put juice in a bottle as it can lead to malnutrition or inappropriate weight gain and tooth decay. Wait to introduce juice until your child is able to drink from a cup -- usually by 5-6 months old.
• Avoid giving your baby the following items until they are at least 1 year old: honey, chocolate and eggs. Honey can contain bacteria that are dangerous to an infant's digestive system and chocolate and eggs are common allergens.
• Chips, popcorn, hot dogs, raw carrots, grapes, nuts and peanut butter are foods that often cause choking. A general rule is to wait to give these foods until your child is 2 years old. Be sure to cut them into small pieces and always stay with your child when they are eating. Be prepared for the worst by taking a class in CPR.

Be a good role model - kids watch everything you do and will want to do it too.

Let yourchildren decide how much they will eat - they are more likely to try new things if there is no pressure to eat a specified amount.

Offer and eat a variety of foods - try a new recipe once a week.

Offer new foods with ones they already like and are comfortable with.

Buy healthful foods - whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meats and low-fat dairy products after age 2. Offer whole milk dairy products between ages 1 and 2.

Limit the use of sodas, candy and empty calorie foods like chips in your household.

Keep mealtimes pleasant - avoid food struggles and short-order cook syndrome. If you know that the main entree will not appeal to your child, make sure there will be plenty of bread or potatoes or pasta and milk. They can fill up on these foods at an occasional meal and can skip the " eggplant hot-dish" without any ill effects.

Serve regular meals and snacks - children have small stomachs and need to eat three meals and 2-3 snacks per day. It is a good idea to wait 1 1/2 to 2 hours between meals and snacks in order to promote a good appetite for meals.

Snacks should resemble small meals and include foods from 2-3 food groups. Some examples are:

• crackers with cheese and 100% juice
• yogurt with added fruit and granola cereal topping
• apple wedges with peanut butter dip and chocolate milk
• whole grain crackers, baby carrots, cauliflower and broccoli with dip
• fruit and cheese kabobs using pretzel sticks

Encourage kids to get involved with food choices and food preparation - limit the number of items they will choose from, for example: "Would you like a red or green apple?" carrots or green beans? rice or pasta? Smaller children can help set the table, wash produce, pick the color of food items or count out ingredients. Older children can follow simple recipes and measure ingredients. Letting kids make some of the decisions and enlisting their help with food preparation lets them get used to those foods and can boost their confidence when trying unfamiliar foods.