Feeding the one year old (1056)

When children approach one year of age their appetites usually decrease and their growth rate slows. They are very interested in the world around them and not as interested in food. Children this age are exploring their independence. Sometimes they refuse food to assert themselves.

Many toddlers don’t like new foods at first and often spit them out. This is all part of the learning process. Most children learn to like these same foods over time. It’s important to give children a chance to try new foods. If they don’t want to try the new food, that’s OK. Wait a week or two and then serve the food again. A child often needs to taste a new food many times before he eats it.

Never force a child to try a new food. If you have a "one bite" rule in your house, remember to make it for tasting a new food, not eating it. Sometimes children will test a new food by putting it in their mouth and spitting it out. This is normal behavior for this age. This kind of taste-testing helps children learn to eat new foods.

Don’t "reward" a child with a favorite food for trying a new food. Food "rewards" make children want the reward, not the new food. Snack time is a good time for trying new foods. Serve something the children like with something new. One of the best ways to get children to try new foods is to allow them to help make the food. Children want to try foods that they help prepare.

Sometimes children won’t eat because they aren’t hungry or because they want to be in control. Children at this age also enjoy touching or playing with their food. This is a normal part of learning. Serve only small amounts of food to children so it isn’t so messy.

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

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