Toddlers this age are moving from the eating habits they had as
infants toward a diet more like your own. Your job is to keep
introducing new flavors and textures. Food preferences are set
early in life, so help your child develop a taste for healthy
foods now. Toddlers have little tummies, so serve foods that are
packed with the nutrients they need to grow healthy and strong,
and limit the sweets and empty calories. Your toddler will
continue to explore self-feeding, first with fingers and then
with utensils at around 15 to 18 months of age. Give your child
many opportunities to practice these skills, but lend a hand
when frustrations arise. As skills develop, step back and let
your little one take over. Toddlers also like to assert their
independence, and the table is one place where you should give
yours some sense of control. Allow your toddler to respond to
internal cues for hunger and fullness but set the boundaries.
Remember: You decide what variety of healthy foods to offer at a
meal and your child de