Lunch ideas for babies

Mealtimes are a great opportunity for the family to come together to share food and enjoy each other’s company. In addition, family mealtimes have benefits beyond happy shared experiences—eating together with family members can teach your toddler healthy eating habits that may last a lifetime.

Healthy eating habits are set early in life

His ability to grasp now means your child will be easily picking up his food with two to three fingers instead of his entire hand.

Good role models at family meals help your developing independent eater

By one year of age, your little one should be eating a variety of foods from the four food groups in Canada's Food Guide. He’s likely discovering new tastes, textures and skills. As he continues to grow, new food challenges may arise. Variety becomes more important and eating as a family takes centre stage.

Does your little one want plain pasta for dinner every night? Or refuse to eat anything green? Here are some ways to make sure your fussy eater is getting enough variety in their diet.

Look back at the healthy habits you’ve encouraged, which have helped your toddler grow so far, and look forward to the exciting developments to come.

Your toddler has come a long way since that first spoonful of puree went in (and probably came straight back out again!). Knowing what to expect from your toddler developmentally can help make family mealtimes more pleasant for the whole family. Here’s how you can help continue their journey towards becoming an independent, healthy eater.

Got a hungry toddler? Here are some hunger and fullness cues to watch out for during your toddler's development.

During your baby’s First 1000 Days you have encouraged many healthy habits, so don't let your guard down now! Here are 10 healthy habits to keep practicing.

Did you know? Being a good role model is the most effective way to get your toddler to try new food.

Many children are afraid to try new foods, preferring to eat foods they are used to!

As you probably already know, toddlers are incredibly active and energetic! For their body size, toddlers need to make every bite count with nutritious meals and snacks.

Looking at your child now, it’s hard to imagine the tiny new born you brought home from the hospital who did little more than feed, sleep, and fill diapers. They’ve come a long way and their second year will be an exciting time of developmental firsts. Get ready to be amazed by new skills that will have you beaming with pride (and reaching for your camera!).

By now your toddler is really getting the hang of self-feeding. And you're probably used to messy mealtimes!

Gone are the days of spoon-feeding them purées, it’s time to roll out the wipeable mat for your independent eater! Let your toddler lead the way on their adventures in food. 

The eating habits your toddler is developing now may stay with them as they get older. It’s as much about the way you offer food as what you offer them. Follow our guide to encouraging healthy-eating habits for a lifetime, with advice from Lisa Fries, PhD, a feeding behavior expert and scientist at the Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences in Switzerland.

From crawling to standing and taking their first steps, your baby is now moving quickly into toddlerhood and becoming more active and mobile all the time. Now that they are developing their imagination, navigation, and spatial awareness, why not try out these five activity ideas, either indoors or out?