What should you feed an 18 month old toddler? Here are some realistic meal and snack ideas and a sample 18 month meal plan to give you some ideas!
Several months ago I shared a post with meal ideas for 8-10 month olds because Danny was exactly that age at the time. Now, he’s 17 months old and staring down a year and a half. (Wow, time is flying!)
Obviously, as he continues to grow I will not continue to share meal ideas for every age (that would get a bit redundant haha.) However, since he’s approaching 18 months old I thought it might be helpful to share one more similar post, this time with realistic meal ideas for an 18 month old toddler. These ideas are great for a two year old as well.
To start, we’ll take a quick look at the baby and toddler eating stages. Then I’ll share some meal and snack ideas for 18-24 month olds, and finally I’ll share a sample meal plan.
Developmental Stages in Baby and Toddler Eating
6 – 8 months
Many babies have their first taste of solid food around six months old. Some of my children have taken to baby food right away at six months (usually a bit of infant cereal mixed with breast milk to start) but a few others haven’t really been interested until seven months. Either way, they typically only enjoy puréed foods for those first couple months.
8-12 months
From 8 months to around a year old babies are learning to explore and try out new foods and flavors and textures. They can pick up small pieces of food at this point and can enjoy a variety of finger foods along with their purées. I share more about this stage along with a sample meal plan and eating schedule here.
12- 18 months
From 12 to 18 months I’ve typically found that my babies enjoy a variety of foods and will try just about anything that I give them (still generally in small pieces.) They’re growing quickly and at this age they typically aren’t too picky. They want it all! (As an example, at 14 months old Danny would often eat more than my three year old.)
Feeding Your Growing Toddler: 18 – 24 Months
And now for today’s topic: feeding an 18 month old!
Before we get into specifics, let’s address a few commonly asked questions.
Does an 18 month old still need breast milk or infant formula?
It’s typically recommended to stop bottles and infant formula at around 12 months old. However, if you are breastfeeding you may choose to nurse your baby for longer. I’ve typically weaned my children between a year and 18 months, but the World Health Organization recommends breast milk for the first two years of life if possible.
Regardless of whether your child is still nursing or not, at 18 months they should be drinking water from a straw cup or sippy cup. Cow’s milk (whole milk is best) is a good option as well. Fruit juice is of course an option as well but shouldn’t be the main drink for your child because of the sugar content.
How do I know if my 18 month old is eating enough?
I’ve read that typically a toddler’s portion should be about one-third of an adult’s portion. However, remember that a toddler’s appetite will vary from day to day and even meal to meal. They still have little tummies.
If your 18 month old is eating consistently over all, has plenty of energy, and is gaining weight appropriately, you don’t need to worry. (Of course, please speak with your pediatrician if you have any concerns.)
What should you feed an 18 month old?
Young toddlers will typically eat five times a day – usually three meals and two snacks. Obviously all the food items that worked well at 8 and 12 months are still on the table (pun intended) but at 18 months old more options open up.
At this age your toddler can try just about everything that you’re having. In fact, the more that you serve your 18 month old the same food that you’re having, the better.
Let your child try a variety of healthy foods, including dairy products, whole grains, good healthy fats, and iron-rich foods. Some toddlers will love all kinds of foods while others will be more picky. I’ve personally found that my kids start getting a little pickier about their food at this age. But keep offering to let them try things.
And of course be sure to offer water with every meal and snack.
If you’re looking for some examples of specific meals to serve your 18 month old, keep reading and we’ll get to that in a minute!
Snack ideas for an 18 month old
Young children at this age can try a large variety of food. Instead of only doing snacks like plain crackers and pretzels, try to regularly offer healthy snacks from all the food groups. I like doing finger foods as they are obviously convenient for a busy mama.
As always, follow the advice of your pediatrician if your child has food allergies.
Easy snack ideas:
- Peanut butter crackers (or substitute peanut butter with other nut butters)
- Whole grain toast
- Veggies like peas, green beans, corn, etc.
- Fresh fruits (cut in small pieces, or offer a whole fruit like an apple)
- Slices of tomato, or halved cherry tomatoes (always cut these, as well as grapes)
- Cucumber sticks or carrot sticks (with supervision)
- Cottage cheese
- Cooked pasta – different shapes are fun
- Cheese sticks
- Pretzel sticks
- Energy balls
- Granola or fruit bars
- Muffins
Example Meal Plan for 18-24 Month Olds (Toddlers)
Okay, let’s talk about easy toddler meals! While I’m specifically talking about meals for an 18 month old, most of these ideas would work well for anywhere from 12 months and on.
Like I already mentioned, your toddler should be able to enjoy much of what the rest of the family is eating, but I know that sometimes it’s nice to see some specific meal ideas, so here’s a sample three day meal plan.
- Breakfast – Scrambled egg, toast
- Morning snack – Yogurt and banana smoothie
- Lunch – Lunch meat and cheese, thin cut carrot sticks
- Afternoon snack – Goldfish crackers
- Dinner – Macaroni and cheese, green beans
- Breakfast – Oatmeal with blueberries
- Morning snack – Cheese stick
- Lunch – Peanut butter sandwich, thin cucumber slices
- Afternoon snack – Orange slices
- Dinner – Buttered pasta, rotisserie chicken, peas
- Breakfast – Fried egg, banana
- Morning snack – Peanut butter on crackers
- Lunch – Quesadilla, thin apple slices
- Snack – Cottage cheese
- Dinner – Black beans, cooked rice, and corn
And finally, don’t forget that water is important at this age and be sure to offer it often. Limit juice (or avoid all together) because it has a lot of sugar and isn’t great for your child’s teeth.
What would you add to these meal ideas for 18 month olds? Let me know in the comments!
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