Good Nutrition Starts Early: Feeding Babies and Toddlers from 6 Months to 5 Years

What children eat when they are very young does more than fuel their growth and brain development. Early eating experiences can shape how people eat as they get older — which is why it matters to introduce young children to healthy foods, including many different vegetables and fruits.

First foods, from about 6 months

At about 6 months old, children can start having foods and drinks other than breast milk and infant formula. These are sometimes called complementary foods, because they add to the breast milk or formula a child keeps having. For most children, foods do not need to be introduced in any particular order. By 7 or 8 months, children can eat a variety of foods from different food groups, and they need a variety of vitamins and minerals to grow healthy and strong. Some foods and drinks should be avoided before 12 months.

Vegetables and fruits every day

Children need vegetables and fruits daily. Include them with meals and snacks; fresh, frozen and canned are all fine. Choose low-sodium canned vegetables, and canned or frozen fruit with no added sugars. Keeping vegetables and fruit ready in single-serving containers means a healthy snack is on hand when children are hungry.

How much a child needs depends on age and activity. As a general guide:

A CDC report on a 2021 survey found that many young children did not eat a fruit or vegetable every day, and had at least one sugary drink in the week before the survey.

Serve a rainbow

Put a variety of colors on the plate, in small, bite-sized pieces, along with other nutrient-dense foods:

• Vegetables: cooked spinach, carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, beets.
• Fruits: bananas, strawberries, pears, oranges, melons, avocados.
• Protein foods: beef, lamb, chicken, deboned fish or turkey (soft, small pieces for children 6 to 12 months); beans, peas and lentils; nuts, seeds and soy products.
• Dairy with no added sugars: pasteurized yogurts and cheeses, or lactose-free versions and fortified dairy alternatives.
• Whole grains: whole grain breads, crackers and pastas.

Picky eating is normal

Between their first and second birthdays, children develop the skills to join in family meals, and by 2 they can eat most of what the rest of the family eats. That is also when many start refusing foods they used to like. Favoring just a couple of foods, or not wanting foods to touch on the plate, is normal, and usually passes by about age 5. Children may need to try a food many times before they like it, so keep offering it.

Playful activities can help picky eaters try new tastes and textures.

Drinks

CDC advises that children younger than 11 should have no added sugars at all; the Nutrition Facts label shows which foods have none. The best drinks have no added sugars: water, unsweetened milk, low-lactose or lactose-free milk, and unsweetened fortified dairy alternatives. The same goes for teenagers and adults.

Be their role model

From 12 months, children eat more and more of what you eat. Healthy eating patterns — built on vegetables, fruits, protein, dairy, healthy fats and whole grains, and limiting foods high in sodium and added sugars — set a good example. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans can help you choose foods and drinks for the whole family.

Sources

Based on "Good Nutrition Starts Early," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a work of the United States government in the public domain. It cites the American Academy of Pediatrics on fruit juice.