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138 5.1 Preschool Children 1–4 Years
Fizzy drinks and squashes containing added hours before another nutritious meal or snack will
sugar are not necessary in a young child’s diet as be offered. If a toddler does not eat well at a meal
they add calories without providing nutrients and parents often give snacks or an extra milk drink
can contribute to dental caries and obesity. just to make sure the toddler has at least eaten
something. However, toddlers often prefer the
‘No added sugar’ drinks may contain natural snack foods given at these times and may refuse to
sugars and/or acids and can therefore still eat meals in order to have the snack or drink that
contribute to tooth decay. These include ‘baby’ they prefer.
juices, natural fruit juices, fruit juice drinks and
sugar-free squashes and fizzy drinks. At meal and snack times:
Tea and coffee are not recommended for young ●● children should be sitting comfortably with
children because the tannins and polyphenols in their feet on the floor or supported on a foot rest
them bind with iron, reducing the availability of
iron to the body. They also contain caffeine. ●● offer finger foods often to make self-feeding
easier
Children sucking drinks from bottles or cups
with teats or valved spouts have the sugar and acid ●● if used, give cutlery and utensils that are
in contact with the teeth for longer. Hence sweet appropriate to the child’s age and feeding skills
and/or acidic drinks, if offered, should be given in
open cups or glasses or those with free-flowing ●● toddlers up to about 3 years may still need help
spouts that require the toddler to sip, not suck. to eat
Meal and Snack Routines ●● offer small portions as more can be offered if the
first portion is finished quickly
With their small stomachs but high energy and
nutrient needs, it is preferable to offer toddlers ●● accept mess as a normal part of the feeding
nutritious food about 5 or 6 times a day – that is process
3 meals and 2–3 nutritious planned snacks. They
would not satisfy their calorie and nutrient ●● avoid distractions like the TV and games so that
requirements with just three meals if they eat small toddlers can concentrate on eating and
meals. Ideally, a daily routine is planned with meals drinking.
and snacks at regular times evenly spaced
throughout the day around any daytime sleeps. Ideally, two courses should be offered at each
main meal – a savoury course followed by fruit or
A daily meal and snack routine: a small nutritious pudding. This provides a wider
range of nutrients to be eaten and makes the
●● prevents toddlers becoming over hungry or thirsty mealtime more of an occasion. The second course
by going too long between eating occasions should not be used as a bribe or reward for eating
the first course.
●● avoids attempts to feed toddlers when they are
ready to sleep and too tired to eat A positive eating environment helps toddlers to
enjoy mealtimes, stay engaged and eat well.
●● prevents grazing on less nutritious food Elements of a positive eating environment include:
throughout the day
●● making mealtimes happy, social occasions with
●● prevents toddlers not being hungry at mealtimes parents or carers eating with the children
because they have just eaten snacks or had large
sweet drinks just before the meal. ●● making eye contact and interacting with the
children in a positive way
If a child has not eaten well at a meal a parent can
be reassured that it will only be about two or three ●● making positive comments about the food being
offered
