After your child turns 1 year old, you may notice a rapid decrease in his appetite. The child suddenly became picky about food, losing his appetite after eating only a few bites at a time, and even refused to come to the table. The child becomes more active during this stage, so it may seem appropriate to eat more. In fact, a child's growth rate has slowed down at this age and he does not need as much food now.
After the child is 1 year old, he needs about 1,000 kcal per day to meet his growth and development, energy and nutritional needs. A food containing 1000 kcal is not a lot for an adult, but it is enough for a child. You can divide these meals into 3 meals and 2 snacks for your child. However, don't expect your child to maintain this eating habit forever, as eating habits in children this age are changeable and unpredictable. He may eat all the food in front of him at breakfast but refuse to eat any food at other times; or he may eat only his favorite food for several days and then suddenly refuse to eat that food at all, or on one day he may A meal containing 1,000 calories, but eating significantly too much or too little over the next day or two. Changes in a child's caloric needs mainly depend on his activity, growth rate and metabolism.
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Eating should not become a trigger of war between you and your child. When your child refuses to eat, he is not rejecting you, so don’t take it personally. In addition, the more you let your child eat, the more likely your child will be to eat. The less likely you are to want to eat it. You should provide your child with options at each meal and let him choose what to eat. You should try your best to change the taste of the meal.
If your child refuses all food, you may want to save the meal and give it to him when he is hungry. However, when the child refuses to eat, do not give him cookies or candies, because this will make the child like to eat these non-nutritious (high in calories but low in nutrients) foods. Although it's hard to believe, it's proven that if you offer your child many healthy options at every meal and don't force your child to eat specific foods, your child's diet will be balanced within a few days. When parents try to control how much their children eat by asking them to finish their bowls, the child may not learn to self-regulate eating. This may cause the child to overeat regardless of hunger and fullness, eventually leading to obesity; it may also cause the child to refuse to eat, causing the child to fail to gain weight normally.
Children's dietary preferences begin to move closer to those of adults. Children, like you, also need the following four basic types of nutritious foods.
Meat, fish, poultry, eggs.
Calcium-rich foods (dairy products, beans, green vegetables, seed foods, tofu, etc.).
fruits and vegetables.
Rice noodles, bread, noodles, potatoes and rice.
When you are designing a diet for a 1-year-old child, remember that cholesterol and some other fats are very important for the child's normal growth and development, so these substances should not be off limits at this stage. After the child is 2 years old, you can gradually reduce the fat intake of the child (when the child is 4 to 5 years old, about 1/3 of his daily calories come from fat). Although childhood obesity is a growing health problem, children this age still have a strong need for dietary fat. However, not all fats are good. Some are healthy fats and some are not. Healthy fats, like those found in avocados, olive oil, fish, nut butters and dairy products, are good for you and your kids. Unhealthy fats, found mostly in fried foods, fast food and many packaged foods, are harmful to people of any age. If you ensure that your child's daily food intake is around 1,000 kcal, you don't have to worry about your child overeating and becoming overweight.
After your child is 1 year old, he can eat most of the foods you prepare for other family members, but you should pay attention to the following points. First, make sure the food is at the right temperature and won’t burn your child. You'll want to test the temperature of the food yourself, as your child may swallow the food without taking the temperature into consideration. Secondly, do not feed your children food that is too spicy, too salty, too greasy or too sweet. Too many condiments will mask the original taste of food, which will be harmful to health in the long run. Children are often more sensitive to these flavors than adults and may strongly refuse to eat foods that are too spicy or overcooked.