Babies need a different kind of diet
- Babies are not mini adults; they are growing rapidly and need lots of energy (calories) and nutrients to sustain
their growth and development
- As they become more mobile they need calories to fuel their activity
- A typical one year old needs on average just under 1000 kcal per day which is approximately half the requirements for an adult woman
Considering the relatively small size of their tummies (about ten times smaller), you can understand that the foods that they eat need to be packed full of calories and nutrients. A typical healthy adult low fat/high fibre diet would be too bulky and would not enable them to meet their energy requirements
The importance of fat
- Fat contains more calories per gram than either protein or carbohydrate and therefore plays an important role in providing calories for your baby
- This doesn’t mean that your baby should be eating lots of fried foods or fatty snacks but it is why it’s important to always offer full-fat dairy products to your baby
- Other healthy sources of fat for your baby include avocado, seeds and oily fish
Be wary of too much fibre
- Fibre is bulky and can therefore be very filling
- If your baby has too many high-fibre foods they run the risk of filling themselves up and not leaving enough room for other nutritious and energy-packed foods
- Fibre can also trap vitamins and minerals in the gut, making it harder for the body to absorb them.
Variety is the spice of life
- Different foods contain different nutrients and this is why it is really important for your baby to eat as many different types of foods as possible
- From breakfasts through to main meals and desserts, try to offer them lots of different alternatives over a week
- Variety is also important as food preferences are being formed over the first year. The more different foods your baby learns to like in this first year, then the more they will continue to enjoy into childhood