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Child
Diet
Here are some essential tips on your child's diet.
| Age |
Food
Recommeded |
General guidelines |
| 0-3 months |
Exclusive breast-feeding. (Give no other fluids
including water) |
*Baby should be put to breast within the first
hour of birth.*Encourage colostrum intake as first and subsequent
feeds.*Discourage prelacteal feeds such as honey, sugar, jaggery
and water.*Breast-feed as often as possible. |
| 4-6 months |
Semi solids; Mashed fruits-Banana, papaya, chikoo,
and mango; Cereals-Wheat flour, suji, ground rice, ragi, millet
in the form of porridge. |
*Mash all foods. *Give semi solid foods; do not
over dilute.*Start with 1-2 teaspoons.*Over 3-4 weeks increase
to 50-60 grams or ½ cup or 1 banana a day.*Introduce one food
at a time for the baby to adapt; continue breast feeding. |
| 6-9 months |
Mashed rice with Dal or Khichri; Mashed vegetables;
Chappathi softened in dal or milk; Green vegetables can be incorporated
in dal, khichri or roti. |
*Same as 4-6 months.*Gradually increase volume
of food. *Feed the baby 4-6 times a day as they have small appetite.*Increase
variety in food items. |
| 9-12 months |
Rice, dal, roti, khichri, idli, upma, curd rice,
vegetables and seasonal fruits. Cooked egg, fish, minced meat,
curd, kheer, dalia, bread. |
*More variety of household food can be added.*Can
eat almost everything cooked at home.*Give softened food without
spices.*Continue breast-feeding. |
| 12-18 months |
Can eat all the food prepared
for the family, but food should be softened and without spices.
Include green leafy vegetables for adequate vitamin A and iron
intake |
*Needs about 1000 calories or roughly about half
the amount that the mother eats.*Continue breast-feeding. |
| 1.5-3 years |
Energy requirement per day-1240 Calories; Protein
requirement per day: 22 gms; to meet the above requirements
the day's diet should include: 3 cups of milk, 1 egg or 1 piece
of fish or chicken.1 slice bread, 3 chapattis or 60 gm rice.
|
*Foods should be mildly flavored and not spicy.*Green
leafy vegetables should be incorporated in Dal, stuffed roti
or in cooked form.*Meals should be colorful and attractive.*Served
food should neither be too hot or cold. |
|
3-4 years
|
½ Cup dal, 2 fruits, 2 cup vegetables, 4 tablespoons
oil, 4 tablespoons sugar |
*Handy finger foods are easy to pick and eat.*Small
pieces of food should be served for easy handling. |
| 4-6 years |
Energy requirement-1690 calories;
Protein requirement-30 gm. To meet the other requirements the
day's diet should include: 3 cups milk, 1 egg or 1 piece of
fish or chicken, 2 cups vegetables, 2 fruits, 1 potato or starchy
vegetables, 3 slices bread, 4 chapatti or 80 gm rice, 5 tablespoons
of oil, 5 tablespoons of sugar. |
*Feed the child 5 times a day.*A good
breakfast is a must.*There may be a dislike for vegetables,
so vegetables should be incorporated in cutlets or roti or cut
in different shapes as salad. *Colorful food adds variety and
stimulates interest. |
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