After their first birthday, children can share the family’s meals — simply make them softer, cut into small pieces and lower in salt and spice. Small stomachs mean toddlers do best on 3 meals and 2 snacks daily. Milk turns into a drink served with meals instead of the main source of food.
Age
Approx. energy
Milk
Portions
12–23 months
700–1,000 kcal
300–400 ml (500 ml at most)
1–2 tablespoons of each food at a meal
2–3 years
1,000–1,400 kcal
Around 2 cups of dairy daily
2–3 tablespoons of each food at a meal
It is normal for appetite to vary from one day to the next. You provide the food; your child chooses how much of it to eat.
Example day: Indian vegetarian toddler (18 months)
Time
Menu
Breakfast
Mashed banana with ragi porridge cooked in milk
Mid-morning
Soft pieces of pear or papaya
Lunch
Dal-rice khichdi with mashed vegetables and ghee
Evening
Fruit with homemade curd
Dinner
Soft roti pieces dipped in dal
Preventing choking
Avoid hard raw carrot, popcorn, whole grapes and whole nuts until at least 4–5 years — powder nuts and quarter grapes instead.
Make sure your child is seated while eating and that an adult stays nearby.
Slice round foods like cherry tomatoes and grapes lengthwise.
Is your toddler drinking too much milk?
Over about 500 ml a day leaves toddlers too full for other food and often leads to iron-deficiency anaemia. Give milk after meals and in a cup, not a bottle.
What does a typical day of food look like for a 1-year-old?
Roughly 3 small meals and 2 snacks, each with a few tablespoons of different foods, along with around 300–400 ml of milk. Follow your child’s appetite for quantities.
How do I handle a fussy toddler at mealtimes?
Keep putting a range of foods on the plate without pushing. A child may need 10–15 tries before accepting a new food. Eat as a family, and don’t swap a refused meal for milk or snacks.
Which spices are fine for toddlers?
Gentle spices such as haldi, jeera and a little ginger are fine. Go easy on salt and chilli and build up slowly.
Checked against the sources listed above. This is general health information and not medical advice — please ask your doctor or a registered dietitian what suits you.