It’s really a hard work to make supplementary food for children. Some mothers say that they worked hard in the kitchen for two hours, but the children only take few bites. This frustration is very great. So many mothers look forward to when their children can eat adult meals with them.

The World Health Organization suggests that children can try to eat adult food after they are one year old.

But this is only theoretical. Whether a child can eat adult food after one year old depends on whether the child meets the below condition.

1st condition: chewing ability

Adults’ food is often in large shape and hard and uncut vegetables, or add some hard coarse grains.

The child’s teeth can’t chew this kind of food well. They will take just few bites then swallow the food. Once the food without chewing well, it will cause a burden on the child’s stomach and intestines.

2nd condition: whether the food nutrition of adults is comprehensive

There must be four categories of food in children’s daily meals: staple food, vegetables and fruits, meat and eggs, milk and nuts.

3rd condition: whether the adult diet is light

Children are four times more sensitive to saltiness than adults. Adults think it is appropriate to put 4G of salt in a dish, but for children, it is enough to put 1g of salt.

4th condition: separate use of tableware

Adult carry all kinds of germs and the tableware used for eating will be covered with various germs, which will remain in the dishes when they are mixed. Adults with strong resistance may not be a problem, but children with weak resistance will be affected their health if they eat with adult germs. Food grade silicone feeding sets is the best choice.

How much should the baby’s daily demand for all kinds of food reasonable?

Children aged 13-24 months need to consume about 800-900 kcal of total energy per day, while the energy from complementary foods is about 550 kcal, accounting for more than 60% of the total energy. The diet structure and collocation are quite similar to that of adults, but the demand for calcium accounts for a higher proportion than that of adults.

Carbs

Starch foods mainly provide carbohydrates, which are among the three major productivity nutrients, mainly from grains and potatoes, and a small amount from nuts and beans.

Recommended daily intake: 50-100g (3-5 servings per day, about 20g)
Food types: rice, pasta, coarse cereals, potatoes, etc. Don’t just eat a single carbohydrate. It’s better to have some coarse cereals and potato foods.

Proteins

Children after 1 year old need about 25 grams of protein every day, mainly from fish, poultry, meat and eggs, and a small amount from milk and legumes. The daily diet is dominated by animal proteins such as fish, poultry, meat and eggs, in which the amino acid composition is more in line with the needs of children.

Recommended daily intake:1 egg +50-75g fish and poultry meat (2 portions, about 30-40g each). If you do not eat eggs, add 25-30g (1 portion) meat appropriately.

Fish, shrimp and shellfish 2-3 times a week, preferably marine fish.
Food types: eggs, fish, chicken, pork, beef, liver, tofu, soybeans, etc.

Vegetables and Fruits

It is rich in vitamins, minerals and cellulose.
Recommended daily intake: 4-5 servings of vegetables, preferably dark green vegetables. 2-3 portions of fruit.

Bean / Nut / Milk
The milk volume shall be 350-500ml per day, including fresh milk, formula milk and yogurt. A small piece of cheese can also be arranged to be eaten directly or as a supplementary food.

About 5-10 grams of nuts and beans. Children under 3 years old are advised to break them before eating them to avoid choking small nuts and beans into the trachea.

Oil / Salt / Sugar

When cooking, use oil appropriately, no more than 15g per day, mainly vegetable oil, including olive oil, walnut oil, flaxseed oil, corn oil, etc., and reduce the use of butter, lard and other animal fats.

You can take about 1g of edible salt every day, and try to take it from light family food. Try not to add sugar.

Such quantities and examples are a general reference quantity. Children’s growth and development will vary, and their food intake will also vary. Babies who eat a little more may exceed the maximum quantity, and babies who have a little less appetite may barely reach the minimum quantity. As long as the proportion of all kinds of food is relatively appropriate, everything should take the child’s growth curve and development as the primary reference.

As caregivers, we only need to be responsible for cooking delicious and safe food, creating a comfortable dining environment, and leaving how much to eat to the children to decide.

Such dietary structure reference does not require us to strictly prepare food in such proportion and in such amount every day. We can lengthen the time line to about one week, so that children can eat food of various colors (red, purple, white, green, yellow) every week, and do not eat too much of single favorite food.

Easy to operate version

If the caregiver prepares food by weighing every meal or every day, it is actually very troublesome and time-consuming. It is a simpler, more intuitive and easier to operate method. Proportion diagram of meal plate.

Use a compartment plate, for example, Food Grade Silicone Suction Plate 3-compartment.
According to the following meal proportion chart, the meals prepared for the child can roughly meet the proportion of the plate.