The first birthday is a major milestone in our child's life! Many babies become more independent during this period, sleep patterns change, tantrums related to independence become more frequent, and significant changes can occur in our child's eating habits as well. 

By this age, most babies already eat quite variedly and are familiar with many ingredients. It's time to introduce some regularity and security into their diet. What exactly do I mean by this? 

 

A meal schedule. 

 

Why is it important to tie meals to specific times? 

Timing and routine are very important in the life of a one-year-old: familiar things provide a sense of security amidst constant changes. (Which affects the little ones just as much as the parents!)

Meals provide a great framework for a baby's day, helping them better feel and understand the flow of different activities. Although a one-year-old naturally knows nothing about the clock, they quickly understand the daily schedule: “now we wake up, now we eat, now we play, now comes a little snack,” and so on. 

This way, the “all or nothing” pressure is removed from each meal - it's not a problem if the baby doesn't eat everything completely, as they will get food again in a few hours - leaving more room for experimentation and introducing new ingredients. 

 

Children quickly adapt to this daily routine, which provides comfort and opportunities for them to discover their own preferences and limits along these habits, and gives parents more room for experimentation, as they don't have to worry about the baby being hungry all day. 

 

But what about breastfeeding or formula feeding during this transitional period? 

Of course, formula or breast milk cannot be simply eliminated from one day to the next, or replaced with a meal. Nor should it be!

How we incorporate these interim snacks into the daily routine depends mostly on us and our baby. However, it's important to note that these liquids also create a feeling of fullness, so they can detract from real meals, and it's worth timing them instead of or after meals. 

Today, we know well that breastfeeding has many beneficial effects even after the baby is one year old, so I definitely do not recommend stopping it suddenly - unless we or our child decide so! 

The situation is a bit different with formula, which is worth replacing with cow's milk after one year of age. This is a much more cost-effective solution, and most formulas contain added sugar - which can thus be successfully removed from the daily diet. 

Unfortunately, there is no universal recipe for transitioning to cow's milk: we probably know our child best for the right strategy. Some babies do better with gradualness and patience, while others respond better to a sudden change. Either way, be flexible, but persistent and consistent! 

 

So what should a one-year-old's meals look like? 

At this age, our child can already participate in table meals just like the rest of the family. Of course, they still have a lot to learn, and we have to pay attention to many things: due to the risk of choking, several dishes can only be eaten with modified textures, pureed, or cut into very small pieces (you can read about choking hazard ingredients in this article), and when cooking, we must continue to consider which ingredients we have already introduced into the baby's diet and which we have not yet.

 

 

To avoid potential hazards, it is important that our child sits at the table in a proper high chair, and that neither their attention nor ours is distracted by a flashing monitor or other stimuli. If the high chair becomes too small over time, we can use a booster seat or other safe alternatives. The key is that the child continues to sit stably and safely, and does not wander away from the table during meals. 

 

At the age of 1, the baby can already practice eating independently from a plate designed specifically for this age group, and - if we haven't done so already - we can start transitioning from the bottle to various cups. 

 

It is important to offer water or possibly milk to our child for hydration between meals, and to avoid sugary drinks as much as possible! (You can read about what to offer the baby to drink here.) 

 

What foods should be included in the daily diet of a 1-year-old baby? 

Although the goal would be for our child's diet not to differ from ours (and thus not require separate cooking), the most important thing is to cook with ingredients that beneficially support the baby's - still extremely rapid - development and growth at this age. Therefore, it is worth planning each meal to include ingredients from the following 3 categories: 

- Iron-rich ingredients

- High-calorie ingredients

- Vegetables and fruits

 

What happens if my child does not eat the food placed in front of them?

The most important thing is to offer a variety of foods in smaller portions at the dining table! If we always do this, we give our child the opportunity to discover for themselves what they like and what they don't. This can prevent pickiness, and we can be more confident that overall, they are getting enough of all the important ingredients in their diet. 

We don't need to - and shouldn't - panic if every dish doesn't meet with unanimous approval, or if everything doesn't disappear from the plate! If eating turns into nagging, we gain nothing - we only lose. 

However, if we feel that our child is very picky and not eating well, we should definitely consult a professional for advice!