Feeding a One Year Old Baby

Give about 2 to 3 cups of milk daily with a variety of other foods from the food groups listed below.

Most health authorities recommend that a baby should be at least 1 year old before regular whole milk is given. Until your baby is a year old, breast milk or iron-fortified formula is the most appropriate milk for your baby.

The chart below gives the suggested daily intake of foods your baby should be eating at this time.

Your baby doesn’t have to eat something from every food group at every meal. He may eat well at one meal, not so well at the next, and refuse the third. One hearty meal a day plus four foods from the above food groups are about average at this age. Forcing your baby to eat can work in reverse and make him refuse any food. Or, he may continue to eat just to get your approval.

Offering food to your baby when he is upset may quiet him for a few moments, but it also teaches him to use food as a solution to problems. Find the cause of the problem and solve it without using food as the pacifier.

Whole Milk and Milk Products: 16-24 ounces. Offer cheese, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Your baby probably will not need more now that he’s eating a variety of foods.

Breads and Cereals: 6-12 tablespoons, 1 slice bread Whole grains such as whole wheat toast, rice, and pasta may be offered.

Vegetables: 6-8 tablespoons. Serve plain cooked vegetables, mashed or finely chopped.

Fruits: 6-8 tablespoons. Peel and mash bananas, peaches, and pears or cook and mash apples.

Juice: 4-6 ounces. Use juices high in vitamin C (orange or grapefruit). Do not use fruit drinks or sweetened beverages like sodas.

Meats and Other Protein Foods: 2 tablespoons. Serve finely chopped meats, chicken, and fish, mashed cooked dry beans, whole egg if cooked well done.