At 1-2 years, toddlers need a wide variety of healthy foods. You decide what your child eats from the 5 food groups. Your child decides whether to eat and how much. Think about what your child eats over a week, rather than a day.

You can keep breastfeeding for as long as it suits you both. Your child doesn’t need formula after 12 months.

Toddler appetites vary from day to day. Suggested daily serves are ½ serve of fruit; 2-3 serves of vegies; 1-1½ serves of dairy; 4 serves of grains; and 1 serve of lean meats, eggs, nut or seed pastes (like peanut butter, almond butter or tahini), or legumes.

Toddlers need 4 cups (1 L) of fluid a day. Water is the best drink for toddlers. They can also have up to 500 ml of pasteurised, full-fat cow’s milk a day.

Toddlers should avoid soft drinks, fruit juices, flavoured milk or water, sports drinks and energy drinks.

Fruit: 1 serve = 1 medium apple, banana, orange or pear; or 2 small plums, kiwi fruits or apricots; or 1 cup diced or canned fruit drained (no added sugar). Offer ½ serve a day.

Vegetables: 1 serve = ½ medium potato (or sweet potato or corn); or ½ cup cooked vegies (like broccoli, spinach, carrots, pumpkin); or 1 cup green leafy or raw salad vegies; or ½ cup cooked, dried or canned beans or lentils. Offer 2-3 serves a day.

Cereal and grains: 1 serve = 1 slice of bread; or ½ cup cooked rice, pasta, noodles, quinoa or polenta; or ½ cup porridge; or ⅔ cup wheat cereal flakes; or ¼ cup muesli; or 1 crumpet or small English muffin. Wholegrain is best. Offer 4 serves a day.

Dairy: 1 serve = 1 cup (250 ml) pasteurised cow’s milk; or 1 cup dairy alternative like soy or rice milk with at least 100 mg of added calcium per 100 ml; or 2 slices cheese; or ¾ cup (200 gm) yoghurt; or ½ cup ricotta cheese. Choose full-fat dairy. Offer 1-1½ serves a day.

Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, seeds, legumes: 1 serve = 65 gm cooked lean beef, lamb, veal or pork; or 80 gm cooked lean chicken or turkey; or 100 gm cooked fish fillet; or 170 gm cooked tofu; or 2 large eggs; or 1 cup cooked lentils, chickpeas or canned beans; or 1½ tablespoons nut or seed pastes (whole nuts are a choking risk). Offer 1 serve a day.

Healthy fats: you can include 1 serve of unsaturated fat per day in cooking, baking, pastes or dressings. 1 serve = 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 gm) of olive, canola and rice bran oil or margarine made from these oils; or 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 gm) of nut or seed pastes; or 1 tablespoon (20 gm) of avocado.

Avoid foods like chips, cakes, biscuits, lollies, processed meats, and fried or takeaway foods. They’re high in saturated fat, sugar and salt.