One-year-olds should eat adult food

Infant nutrition: eat with adults from the age of one year

28.12.2012

Toddlers can eat their parents' food from the age of one. Special children's food is no longer necessary for them, only in the selection of food and the use of spices, a little sensitivity is required.

The nutrition of infants requires a bit of tact. When did the time come to switch to complementary food? When can the children eat the food of their parents? Which foods are suitable and which ones are not? These are questions that all parents at least ask the first child. The Healthy Living Network promoted by the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection offers useful information on the nutrition of toddlers in their first year of life. Towards the end of the first year of life, the little ones should then eat with their parents, explained Prof. Michael Krawinkel, pediatrician in the network opposite the news agency „dpa“.

Fruit, vegetables, potatoes and noodles for toddlers from one year old
According to the expert, one-year-olds can confidently eat the food of adults, although the basic rules for a healthy balanced diet must be adhered to. Accordingly, fruit, vegetables, potatoes, wholemeal bread and pasta should form the basis of the diet. Milk and dairy products may also be on the menu three times a day. However, animal foods such as meat, fish or eggs should be consumed less and consumed only once a day. Sweets and sugary lemonade should be avoided if possible. They are only allowed in exceptional cases. According to Prof. Krawinkel: „What comes on the plate, as colorful as possible and versatile and of course prepared child-friendly“ his.

Special children's food is not required
The widely offered food for children is not required, according to the expert for a healthy diet of children. „Special products such as children's food are not necessary“, emphasized Prof. Krawinkel. The food for the little ones often already contained a lot of sugar and fat, which in the long run was not recommended. In addition, the special children's food is usually overpriced. The shared food also has a positive effect on the sense of community. The sociability of the food strengthens the togetherness in the family. It also trained by absorbing different foods, the taste of children. The little ones are usually open-minded to the new foods because they are curious from the ground up and like to try new things, explained the expert. (Fp)

Picture: Rudolf Ortner