Two years is an important milestone when it comes to your child’s eating habits and the food they consume. At the age of two, your child needs a lot of nutrients in their body and not enough milk to meet the needs of their growing bodies. So while it is always important to feed them healthy baby food, baby food for 2 year olds is a particularly critical topic. In fact, at this age, your child is outgrown with food and should eat three main meals a day with one or two snacks.
They can eat whatever you eat, but their food obviously shouldn’t be spicy, ever. It is important to prepare food for a 2-year-old and to follow a set schedule for your toddler. To help make assembling one easier, you can refer to the following pointers for a 2-year-old baby food schedule. But also remember to follow your baby’s cues and adapt his interest according to his tastes and preferences.
Ideal food for a two year old in the early morning:
1 cup of milk
2-3 almonds, soaked in water
For breakfast they can eat:
1 small parantha + half a cup of curd
2 idlis with sambar plate
A slice of brown bread + cucumber / tomato sandwich
oatmeal
1 cup vegetable poha
1 cup upma
1 Raji Dosa / Sheela
hungry again? Give them some late morning snacks:
1 fruit cut into cubes
1 cup of vegetable soup
Lunch time? Here are the healthy food options for a 2-year-old:
2 teaspoons of healthy seasonal vegetables with 1 roti or ½ cup rice and ¼ cup dal
1/2 cup of baked vegetables such as carrots, beans and/or potatoes
A quarter cup of rice with kadi / rajma / chana
½ cup khichdi with seasonal vegetables
Evening snacks that can double as food for two-year-olds:
A quarter cup of milk with chocolate/banana cake
1 cup of fruit juice
1 piece of paneer/vegetable cutlet
Half a cup of chaat fruits
Corn flakes with half a cup of milk
Half a cup of fruit yogurt
Dinner options for a 2-year-old healthy food for the baby:
1 roti + ½ cup seasonal vegetables
1 cup vegetable pulao
1 vegetable parantha with chutney
1 small parantha with paneer curry
Half a cup of rice with soy granules
All the food items mentioned above are healthy food choices for 2-year-olds which are also easy to digest. However, these are just a few examples of baby food for 2 years old and you can always experiment with what your child likes. So, mix and match these options to create a baby food schedule for your two-year-old.
Parents should also keep the following pointers in mind while compiling a 2-year-old baby food schedule:
1. Offer plenty of water to your baby
2. Avoid serving sugary and fizzy drinks and fast foods
3. Do not give at least two servings of green vegetables
4. Get them used to eating fruit
5. Use honey as a sweetener whenever you can
6. Eat healthy because your kids learn by watching you
7. Make desserts an occasional affair