Great ideas for nutritious meals

MENU PLANNING For most toddlers, one good meal (usually breakfast), two smaller meals, and two or three nutritious snacks each day is fine. Need suggestions for that "good" meal? Here are two examples:

Breakfast:
1 cup of fortified cereal

1 cup of whole milk

1/2 banana

1 slice of wholemeal toast with margarine

Dinner:
1 cup of pasta with Parmesan cheese and small amount of pasta sauce - too much sauce could upset your baby's stomach

1/4 to 1/2 cup of white chicken meat, cut up

1/2 cup of whole green beans, cooked

1 cup of whole milk

17 months old....

At this age, your toddler really watches the way people behave and interact. He studies your every move, learns to mimic the way your react to situations and to other people, and generally takes cues from the behaviour of those around him. At the same time, your little one wants to do everything you're doing and be "part of the gang". And he doesn't understand that it's often just not possible or practical. He constantly challenges and tests every aspects of his world.

This is why it's so important to set the right examples from an early age, and remember to remain as calm and patient as possible when dealing with difficult moments. Set the stage now for you child to start learning how to control his emotions and interact nicely with others. Encourage him to develop good eating habits, nice manners, and the idea of sharing. He will appreciate being given clear and consistent examples upon which to model his own behaviour as he takes up his place in the world