![]() ![]() When providing food and drinks for infants in care it is important to keep the following in mind: What not to include on the menu for infants Low fat and reduced fat milks are not recommended in the first 2 years of life, but are suitable for children over the age of 2 years. Clean and safe tap water should be offered where available. Tap water is an important source of fluoride for young children. From around 6 months, small amounts of cooled, boiled tap water can supplement breast milk or infant formula.Īfter 12 months, water and full cream cow’s milk should be the main drinks offered at long day care. Refer to Table 1 for an example of a menu that caters for each of these stages by adapting the regular menu.ĭrinks for infants – birth to one year and beyondīreast milk or infant formula should be the main drink in the first 12 months of life. By 12 months – offer foods from the regular menu with a variety of tastes and textures in children’s size portions.By 8 months – offer chopped and finger foods to encourage children to start feeding themselves.From around 6 months – offer coarsely pureed/mashed foods, progressing to lumpy and finely chopped options.The following can be used as a guide for preparing foods of appropriate texture for children in care. soft vegetables), they should not be mashed together but should be presented individually either in pieces or on a spoon to encourage infants to taste and accept individual flavours. Infants should be introduced to a variety of foods of different colours and flavours (e.g. This means progressing quickly through the puree/mashed phase and offering foods with varied textures. It is important to always offer foods that are an appropriate texture and consistency for infants’ developmental stages. learning skills required for eating, such as chewing) and to help them accept different food textures. Increasing and varying food texture for infants is essential for their oral motor development (e.g. kidney beans, navy beans, broad beans, azuki beans, mung beans, lima beans, pinto beans).įood textures and consistencies for age and developmental stage ![]() chickpeas, red, green or brown lentils, split peas) and beans (e.g. To prevent iron deficiency, include iron-rich foods in the menu for babies each day, such as: Mashed vegetables are a good source of nutrients for infants, but do not provide the iron that babies need for growth and development. Long day care services should ensure they have sufficient stock of expressed breast milk or infant formula (provided by families) to support infants’ needs. Although cow’s milk products (including full-fat yoghurt, cheese and custard) may be given, cow’s milk should not be provided as a main drink before 12 months.īy 12 months of age infants should be enjoying a variety of nutritious foods from the five food groups, and eating from the regular daily menu.īreast milk or infant formula should be continued while introducing solids. kidney beans, navy beans, broad beans, azuki beans, mung beans, lima beans, pinto beans).Īs long as foods that contain iron are among the first foods introduced, other nutritious foods can be introduced in any order and at any rate that suits the infant. Iron-rich foods include iron-fortified infant cereals, pureed meat, poultry and fish, egg, cooked plain tofu and legumes (e.g. In line with the Infant Feeding Guidelines, to prevent iron deficiency, nutritious foods that contain iron should be among the first foods introduced. The daily menu should offer a variety of age-appropriate nutritious foods each day for adequate energy and nutrients. See ‘Food textures and consistencies for age and developmental stage’ on the next page. Introducing solid food at this age is also important to help children develop skills required for eating such as chewing.įoods provided to infants in long day care should be nutritious and of appropriate textures for their ages and developmental stages. ![]() Early childhood services that provide food and drinks for babies from 6–12 months old should provide nutritious foods and drinks in line with the Australian Government’s Infant Feeding Guidelines and Get Up & Grow: Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for Early Childhood.īy making simple changes to the regular menu, services can provide tasty meals and snacks that meet infants’ nutrition needs which are appropriate for their developmental stages.įrom around six months, babies need solid food in addition to breast milk or formula, for adequate nutrients and energy. ![]()
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