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1.01.2025

Healthy Eating for Infants and Toddlers: Tips from MyPlate.gov

Healthy Eating for Women Who Are Pregnant or Breastfeeding

Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified soy alternatives. When deciding what to eat or drink, choose options that are full of nutrients and limited in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium. Start with these tips:

• Eat a variety of healthy foods

It’s important to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified soy alternatives. Choose options for meals, beverages, and snacks that have limited added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium (salt).

• Get your plan

Calorie and nutrient needs are different during pregnancy and when you are breastfeeding. Get your MyPlate Plan to learn your estimated calorie needs and how to meet your food group goals.

• Make smart seafood choices

Eating seafood during pregnancy may benefit your baby’s growth and is a healthy protein source for you during both pregnancy and breastfeeding. Choose options lower in methylmercury, like cod, salmon, or tilapia. Learn more at FDA’s Advice About Eating Fish webpage.

• Ask about supplements

In addition to a healthy diet, your doctor may recommend a prenatal vitamin and mineral supplement to help you meet your needs. After pregnancy, your doctor may recommend switching from a prenatal to a multivitamin supplement during breastfeeding.

• Keep food safe

You and your baby are at higher risk for foodborne illness. Only eat foods that have been cooked to the proper temperature and avoid unpasteurized (raw) milk or juice, raw sprouts, unwashed produce, cold deli meats, or soft cheese made from unpasteurized milk. See FoodSafety.gov for more information.

• Avoid all alcohol

Women who are or may become pregnant should not drink any alcohol. Talk with your doctor before considering drinking alcohol while you are breastfeeding – though not drinking alcohol is the safest option.

• Healthy Eating for Infants

When it’s time for solid foods, offer babies a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified soy alternatives. When deciding on foods and beverages, choose options that are full of nutrients and lower in sodium and avoid added sugars. Start with these tips:

• Feeding your young baby

If possible, feed your baby only breast milk from birth to about 6 months of age, and continue through at least the first year of life—longer if desired. If breast milk is unavailable, feed your baby iron-fortified infant formula. Talk to your healthcare provider about vitamin D supplements for your baby.

• Look for cues

When your baby is hungry, he or she usually lets you know. But fullness cues are not as obvious. A child may be full if he or she closes their mouth, turns their head away from the breast or bottle, or relaxes their hands. Recognizing and responding to these cues helps children learn how to self-regulate their intake.

• Starting solid foods

At about 6 months, infants may show signs that they’re ready for solid foods, such as bringing objects to the mouth or swallowing food rather than pushing it out. Do not put infant cereal or other solid foods in an infant’s bottle, but small amounts of water may also be introduced when your baby starts solid foods.

• Serving first foods

Introduce a variety of foods, flavors, and textures from all food groups. Include foods rich in iron and zinc, particularly for breastfed infants. Examples include lean meats, fortified infant cereals, and beans.

• Preventing choking

Make sure your baby is sitting in a highchair or other safe, supervised place for meals and snacks. Offer foods that are the appropriate size, consistency, and shape for your child’s age and eating skills.

• Serving safe foods

Avoid feeding your baby any foods that contain raw or cooked honey. Honey can contain bacteria that could cause serious illness or death among infants. Also avoid unpasteurized foods or beverages, such as juices, milk, yogurt, or cheeses, as they could contain harmful bacteria.

Healthy Eating for Toddlers

Offer toddlers a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified soy alternatives. When deciding on foods and beverages, choose options that are full of nutrients and lower in sodium and avoid added sugars. Start with these tips:

• Provide foods full of nutrients

Offer your toddler a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified soy alternatives. Avoid foods and beverages with added sugars and choose those with lower sodium.

• Look for cues

When your child is hungry, he or she usually lets you know. But fullness cues are not as obvious. A child may be full if he or she pushes food away, closes its mouth, turns its head away from food, or makes sounds to let you know. Recognizing and responding to these cues helps children learn how to self-regulate their intake.

• Prevent choking

Have your toddler sit at a table for meals and snacks and not wander around with food in their mouth. Foods such as hot dogs, candy, nuts and seeds, raw carrots, grapes, popcorn, and chunks of peanut butter can be choking risks. See the USDA Team Nutrition worksheet for more.

• Drinks matter, too!

Did you know the only beverages your toddler needs are water, milk, and, if available, breastmilk? Avoid drinks with added sugars like soda, flavored milks, juice drinks, and sports drinks.

• Try new foods

Try serving a new food alongside a familiar food in the same meal. It may take up to 8-10 tries for a child to accept a new food.

• Serve safe food

Help your child learn to wash their hands before eating. Only serve foods that have been cooked properly and avoid serving your toddler unpasteurized (raw) juice or milk.

Need help with food? See what programs you may qualify for on First 5 Nevada!

Visit MyPlate.gov for more tips, resources, and sample recipes!