Common deficiencies
Vitamin C: Despite fruit and vegetable intake being the highest in toddlers, 4 per cent of Australian toddlers are not getting enough vitamin C, says the Australian Children's National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey. Early symptoms of vitamin C deficiency include oor wound healing, easy bruising, gum disease and lethargy. Increase your child's vitamin C intake by including plenty of fruit and veg in their deits. For fussy eaters add tomatoes, carrots and capsicum to spaghetti bolognaise, finely chop broccoli or spinach through their casserole, or feed them mashed sweet potato.
Calcium: Although the Australian Children's National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey reports that most 2-3 year olds consume adequate calcium - 1 percent of all children in this age group do not. Adequate calcium, in the form of milk, yoghurt, cheese and tinned salmon is essentional for developing strong and healthy bones in kids, and preventing osteoporosis in their older years.
Iodine: An inadequate intake of iodine can affect a child's development, giving rise to cretinism (severely stunted physical and mental growth). Iodine is found in seafood and seaweed, while small amounts are found in milk and yoghurt. It will also be added to bread from October this year.
Iron: Iron deficinecy in toddlers can be particularly damaging, leading to you guessed it, iron defiency but also iron deficiency anaemia. Both are detrimental to development, however iron deficiency anaemia is more serious with side effects ranging from delays in crawling age to disinterest in their social environment and being harder to comfort when stressed. The importance of iron in our kids' diet can not be underestimated; they need the same amount as a fully-grown man! The best sources of iron are red meats, such as beef and lamb.
An ideal food day for 1- 3 year olds.
There are currently no Australian dietary guidelines recommending specific servings of foods for children aged 1-3 years of age. There are however, American guidelines which will be presented here.
As food requirements will vary for each child, depending on their rate of growth and activity levels, th ere is a range for the recommended number of serves for this age group. Generally speaking, children 1-3 years of age should aim to consume the following each day:
Fruit: 1- 1.5 serves (1 serve = 1 piece of fruit, 2 tablespoons dried fruit)
Vegetables: 1 - 1.5 serves (1 serve = 2 tablespoons of cooked vegies)
Breads and cereals: 3 - 4 serves (1 serve = 1 slice of bread, 2/4 c7up breakfast cereal, 1 wheat cereal biscuit, 1/2 cup cooked pasta or rice, 4 small dry biscuits.
Meat and meat alternatives: 1/2 serve (1 serfve = 30g of cooked meat/ chicken/ fish, 1 egg, 1/2 cup cooked legumes)
Dairy Products: 2-3 serves (1 serve = 250ml of milk, 200g tub of yoghurt, 40g cheese)
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Below is a sample menu for children aged 1-3 years. Please note this is only a one-day sample, as a child's diet should be regularly varied in order to ensure good health.
Good snacks for toddlers
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