Helping Your Baby Grow to be a Healthy Eater

Babies can’t handle certain food in the same way adults can, so it’s important to know what you should and should not offer your child. By establishing a healthy diet for your child from the start, you can minimise the dreaded food battles as they grow older. ABC Parenting shares this list of food and drinks that you should avoid giving your baby early on and the reasons why:

• Juice – juice is usually extremely high in sugar, and often quite expensive. Sticking with water and milk a better option. The important nutrients that are in fruit juice can be found in fruit, which is better for your baby as well.
• Sugary food and drinks – in general, babies simply can’t process foods that are high in sugar. The same goes for salt and caffeine.
• Unpasteurised dairy and honey – babies under one year of age should not have honey or unpasteurised dairy products because they contain bacteria that can be harmful.
• Soy milk, goat’s milk and cow’s milk – During at least the first year, always choose formula or breastmilk over these other types as they don’t contain many of the necessary nutrients.
• Biscuits and junk food – simply, the longer you keep biscuits and sweets out of your child’s diet, the less likely they are to eat – or overeat – them later in life and expect them at every meal.

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