Foods you should avoid feeding your toddler
Feeding kids demand your attention to a lot of detail. Feeding toddlers can become less complex when adults know what nutrients children need to grow well and healthy. While some foods pose a choking hazard, others are not suitable for babies. Here are a few food items that should stay off the menu for your sensitive little ones.
Cow's milk
An infant needs only its mother's milk; cow's milk can be hard for them to digest. Cow's milk also doesn't have all the nutrients, such as iron and vitamin E, a baby needs to grow and develop during its initial years. Once your baby is past the one-year mark, you can feed them whole cow's milk but in moderation.
Sweet items
Avoid adding processed sweetness to your kid's food. Giving honey in any form to your toddler could cause infant botulism. You can feed naturally sweet baby favorites like bananas since they are rich in nutrients. Keep sugary treats off the menu until at least the baby's first birthday, especially chocolate, which also contains caffeine, and hard candies which pose a choking hazard.
Pasteurized fruit juice
Fruit juices can cut down your baby's appetite for breast milk which should be their main diet in the first year of life. Too much juice can also cause tooth decay, diarrhea, and other chronic tummy troubles. However, freshly squeezed juice or unpasteurized fruit juice and cider brought to a rolling boil and cooled can be given to one-year-olds.
Refined grains
Eating too many foods containing refined grains can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and high levels of blood fats called triglycerides. This is why whole grains are great for kids, but refined grains like white rice should be avoided. Complex carbs provide naturally-occurring nutrients that are stripped during the refining process. Whole grains are also rich in fiber, which helps keep blood sugar steady.
Foods with choking hazards
It would be best if you were on the lookout for foods your child could choke on. These are foods that are difficult for children to bite through and chew enough to swallow safely. They can get stuck in their airways. Avoid giving them whole nuts, large seeds, hard-dried fruits, whole grapes, and peas. Instead, give them chopped and peeled grapes and smashed peas.
