RD, LDN, CBS
Certified in Maternal and Infant Nutrition from Cornell, Angela’s mission is to help people reach their wellness goals. She also helps run a program that teaches pregnant women about how a healthy lifestyle optimizes prenatal and postnatal care.
Your baby is now well on his way to mastering this eating thing. By 9 months, your baby should be ready for 3 full meals and even 1-2 planned snacks daily, and, soon after you may be wondering, “what should my 12 month baby eat?” By their first birthday, expect your baby to be eating 3 balanced meals with 2-3 snacks each day.
You may have also noticed that as your baby begins to eat more and more solids, he is relying less on breast milk and/or formula. Between ages 1-2, toddlers have a great need for fat (which includes the all important DHA), protein and other nutrients such as iron, calcium and choline to support rapid development. Liquid milk makes up a large part of their daily nutrition. Formula fed babies are encouraged to transition to whole milk or toddler milk at the one-year mark, while breastfed babies can continue to drink breast milk. If you’re making the switch to whole milk, the American Academy of Pediatrics agrees that 18-24 ounces of whole milk daily is adequate, and breastfeeding moms can continue to do so as mom and baby desire.
Some important nutrients for this age (but remember that all vitamins and minerals are important for your growing toddler and variety in the diet is key!) are protein, DHA, iron, calcium, and choline.
The below 12 month baby meal plan, snack and recipe ideas will help you provide your baby with nutritious choices that will continue to influence his taste development and food preferences. They include foods such as good sources of protein (yogurt, lean animal sources like poultry and fish, eggs, soy, lentils, beans and quinoa), DHA (fatty fish which feed off algae and a small amount in eggs and poultry), iron (beans, tofu, dark green veggies, beef, chicken and fortified breakfast cereals and grains), calcium ( dairy such as yogurt, milk and cheese and plants such as kale and broccoli) and choline (eggs, meat and fortified foods) and other important nutrients.
By 12 months, your baby will be eating more and more of the foods you are. The best way to encourage healthy eating and appropriate mealtime behaviors is through modeled meals. Babies and children who are part of regular family meals are often more accepting and willing to try new foods and may be less “picky.” If you have questions on how to prevent picky eating, reach out to our team of registered dietitians for free! They’re here to help on our free to live chat from Mon-Fri 8am-8pm (EST), and Sat-Sun 8am-4pm (EST).
Our meal plans offer recipe and meal suggestions for your child. They are not designed to replace your doctor’s recommendations, nor do they take into account special nutritional needs, including allergies and intolerances. The meal plans suggest serving sizes that may or may not be appropriate for your child. Please consult your doctor to determine what is best for your child.
We know parenting often means sleepless nights, stressful days, and countless questions and confusion, and we want to support you in your feeding journey and beyond. Our Happy Mama Mentors are a team of lactation consultants and registered dietitians certified in infant and maternal nutrition – and they’re all moms, too, which means they’ve been there and seen that. They’re here to help on our free, live chat platform Mon-Fri 8am-8pm (EST), and Sat-Sun 8am-4pm (EST). Chat Now!
Sample menu for a One-Year-Old. HealthyChildren.org. Date accessed 22 May 2020.
Recipes & Meal Plans | 7+ Months
Recipes & Meal Plans | Little Ones
Starting Solids | Little Ones
Our Happy Family Organic Superfoods Cookbook for Baby & Toddler is chock-full of yummy, easy-to-prepare meals your whole family will love.