Stage 4

Forget about ‘Big Brother’ if you’re the mum or the dad of a toddler. What you can be sure of is that it’s your ‘toddler’ that’s watching your every move and, not only does he or she miss very little, they may take many of their food cues and preferences from what they observe.

Meal times are the one time when, as a parent, you may feel the most helpless because you can take a toddler to the food, but you know that getting him to eat is a whole different ball game, particularly if it seems that he is a fussy eater.

New Zealand registered dietitian, director of Nutrition Connection and expert in infant, child and adult nutrition, Anna Sloan, says that cultivating an awareness of your behaviour and your toddler’s behaviour can make healthy eating an enjoyable activity for the whole family.

Top Tips Once your Baby is on Solids:

• To help your baby stay healthy over the colder months, a balanced diet is important. Continue to offer iron-rich foods, and vitamin C rich fruit and veggies right through the first year and beyond.
• Including high vitamin C fruit and veggies at meal times help your baby absorb more iron.

Warm summer weather means it’s easier for babies to become dehydrated.