Holiday Eating with Babies and Toddlers!
The holiday season is just around the corner! If it’s your little one’s first Thanksgiving or Christmas, you may be wondering what foods are okay to have on the table. While there are some foods we need to be careful of (hint: choking hazard foods are one of them), you may not need to stress as much as you think! Babies and toddlers can have mostly everything that is served at a traditional holiday dinner, BUT you want to ensure these foods are served in the appropriate shape and consistency for your little ones depending on their age and development.
Things to Keep in Mind:
- Sodium: If you can avoid heavily salting food that is a plus, but if not, that’s okay! It’s just one day of eating and it won’t translate into the norm. The current recommendation for sodium intake between 6-12 months of age is 370mg/day. That being said, an occasional meal in high sodium foods does not have any evidence to be harmful to the child. I encourage the child to be included in the family meal.
- Added Sugars: If you can use fruit as a sweetener in place of refined sugars that is a plus, but like I said above, it’s one meal! So, let them enjoy a bite or two of that pumpkin pie! The current recommendation for added sugars is 0g before the age of 2 years old. That being said, an occasional meal that contains added sugar will not cause a change in taste preference or contribute to health issues. It is all about moderation
- Balance: To avoid large spikes in glucose which can lead to hyperactivity – keep your little’s meals balanced! Place the pumpkin pie on the same plate as the veggies and turkey for steady energy.
- Nutrient Dense: Choose foods that contain beneficial nutrients like iron in turkey, vitamin A in sweet potatoes and pumpkins, antioxidants in cranberry sauce, and when it comes to bread rolls, choose whole grains for B vitamins.
- Food Safety: Make sure all food is cooked to its appropriate internal temperature to avoid foodborne illness and avoid cross-contamination of surfaces when cooking. Make sure you wash your little one’s hands before eating as well!
- Fun: HAVE FUN! Let the holidays be full of excitement – your child gets to try new holiday foods and join the family in celebrating!
So, what foods do our 6-12 month-old need to avoid during the holiday season?
Choking hazard foods
Any food that is considered a choking risk such as peanuts, nuts, cheese cubes, olives, raw veggies, whole grapes, whole cherry tomatoes, dried fruit, etc.
For more info, take a look at my blog post on Choking Hazards When Starting Solids!
Honey should be avoided due to the increased risk of botulism for children under the age of 12 months.
Unpasteurized milk products
The AAP recommends that infants, children, and pregnant women should not drink raw milk or eat products made with raw milk because they can cause illness or death. Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria. It can come from any animal. Raw milk can carry dangerous germs, such as Brucella, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella, which can pose serious health risks to you and your family.
Undercooked or raw meats
Children aged 5 and under are at increased risk for food poisoning and related health complications. This is because their immune system is still developing and they cannot fight off infection as well as adults can. Young children also produce less of the stomach acid that kills harmful bacteria. This makes it easier for them to get food poisoning. All meat and poultry should be cooked to a safe internal temperature.
Remember to:
- Cook food thoroughly – meat, chicken, turkey, seafood, and eggs can carry germs that cause food poisoning. Use a food thermometer to ensure these foods have been cooked to a safe internal temperature.
- After food is cooked, keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Refrigerate or freeze any perishable food within 2 hours. Use pasteurized eggs and dairy products.
- Wash your hands – wash with soap and water, especially during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs.
- Keep foods separated: Keep meat, chicken, turkey, seafood, and eggs separate from all other foods at the grocery store and in the refrigerator.
Safe food options:
- Sweet potatoes
- Mashed potatoes
- Squash (acorn, butternut, etc.)
- Moist turkey
- Broccoli
- Green beans
- Carrots
- Cranberry sauce
- Mac and cheese
- Gravy
- Soft bread or rolls
Foods to avoid:
- Raw veggies
- Cherry tomatoes, grapes, olives
- Dried fruit
- Unpasteurized milk products
- Honey
- Cured meats
- Cubed cheese
- Soft-ripened or mold-ripened cheeses
- Raw nuts and seeds
- Whole cranberries
- Undercooked meats
- Hard candy
- Jelly beans
- Pomegranate seeds
What to bring for baby to holiday meals:
– Extra set of clothes in case baby gets messy during mealtime!
– Wipes
– Wet bag to store dirty clothes or bibs after meals
– Splat-mat to help avoid big messes at other people’s homes!
– Snack for baby in case they are hungry before the meal is ready
– Baby-friendly utensils and suction dishware for easy self-feeding
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Main Takeaway
One meal will not break or make your child’s nutrition intake or dietary pattern. Family meals from the start are considered essential in creating a healthy relationship with food. So, take a deep breath, enjoy the holiday, and allow your child to take part in the traditional holiday meal.
After all, food is meant to be enjoyed, to bring families together, to be used to celebrate special occasions and to bond with those we love. Food is nourishment not only to our bodies but to our hearts and minds.
“Food is nourishment in a lot of different ways. It is actual nourishment for our bodies, but it also nourishes our soul a little bit, and we should be eating foods we like, foods that feel good to us.” —Brigitte Zeitlin, RD
If you want to modify the holiday meal for your little one, I am not judging! Do what you feel is best for you and your little one, but know that one meal higher in sodium or added sugar will not harm them. As long as we are focusing on nutrient-dense foods that adhere to the dietary guidelines for your kiddos the majority of the time, we don’t have to worry about one or two holiday meals. Happy holidays!
Want more? My course is a 100% evidence-based approach to starting solids in a way that encourages a healthy dietary pattern from the start.
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Cinthia Scott is a Registered Dietitian (RD) and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) with over 7 years experience in the field of dietetics. Cinthia focuses on ensuring optimal nutrition in the first 1000 days of life to ensure optimal growth and development as well as set the stage for long-term health. Cindy is an author, starting solids expert, and advocate for caregivers receiving evidence based education and support surrounding breastfeeding and starting solids.
Cinthia is co-author of the 101beforeone Starting Solids Book, “101beforeone -baby-led feeding cookbook,” and is the founder and owner of The Baby Dietitian LLC which is her private practice built to provide virtual 1:1 services for caregivers surrounding infant nutrition, toddler nutrition, and breastfeeding support. Cinthia is also the creator of the Starting Solids 101 Program which provides caregivers 1:1 support from a Pediatric Dietitian on how to provide optimal nutrition from the start and create healthy eating habits that will last their whole lifetime. To work with Cinthia, you can access her services here.
Cinthia provides tons of free information for parents on her social media accounts as well.
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