Your Baby Just Turned One — What Changes Now?
Your baby just turned one—happy birthday! 🎉 This is such an exciting milestone, and it also marks the beginning of new stages in your little one’s growth and nutrition. You may be wondering what’s different now that your baby is officially a toddler. Let’s break down the key nutritional changes and feeding considerations at 12 months to help you feel confident about toddler nutrition after turning one year.
1. Growth Rate Naturally Slows in the Second Year
It’s completely normal for growth and appetite to slow after your child’s first birthday. You may notice smaller portion sizes or decreased appetite—this reflects their new, slower growth rate.
“By the end of the first year, baby’s growth rate will begin to slow. As an infant, they may have gained 4 lbs in four months or less, but during the entire second year, 3 to 5 lbs probably will be their total weight gain.” — American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
As long as your toddler continues following their growth curve, a reduced appetite is not concerning.
2. Calcium Needs Increase
As your toddler grows, calcium becomes especially important for strong bones and teeth.
Calcium Recommendations:
- 7–12 months: 260 mg/day
- 1–3 years: 700 mg/day
Boost calcium intake by offering calcium-rich foods like yogurt, cheese, tofu, almond butter, and leafy greens. You can also incorporate fortified cow’s milk or fortified plant-based milks after one year to help meet calcium and vitamin D needs.
👉 For a deeper dive, check out our blog on meeting your toddler’s calcium needs.
3. Sodium Can Be Less Restricted
Once your child turns one, sodium restrictions can be relaxed a bit.
Sodium Guidelines:
- Upper limit (USDA): 1,500 mg/day (1–3 years)
- Dietary reference intake: 800 mg/day (1–3 years)
While you should still avoid excess high-sodium processed foods, lightly seasoning your toddler’s meals to enhance flavor and variety is not as much of a concern.
👉 Learn more about healthy sodium intake for toddlers in our sodium blog.
4. Iron Needs Decrease After 12 Months
During infancy, iron is critical for brain development. By one year of age, iron needs slightly decrease.
Iron Recommendations:
- 7–12 months: 11 mg/day
- 1–3 years: 7 mg/day
The AAP recommends checking iron levels at 12 months. If results are normal, you can shift focus from iron-heavy foods to a balanced variety. You should continue offering iron-rich sources like meats, beans, and eggs,, but you also need to focus on calcium-rich foods and all food groups for a well-rounded diet and to meet high nutrient needs.
5. Honey and Cow’s Milk Are Now Safe
At 12 months, your toddler’s digestive and immune systems are more mature. This means:
- Honey is now safe, though it’s still considered an added sugar and should be limited until age two (per Dietary Guidelines for Americans).
- Cow’s milk can now be offered as a main beverage. Children under 12 months should not be given cow’s milk as a main beverage. It contains higher levels of protein and minerals than an infant’s kidneys can safely process and lacks the balance of nutrients that babies need for healthy growth and development.
After one, cow’s milk becomes a valuable source of calcium and vitamin D when offered in moderation (typically up to 16–24 oz/day).
👉 Read our full post on sugar guidelines for toddlers here.
6. Offer New Textures and Foods
The one-year mark is an ideal time to expand your toddler’s food textures and variety. You can keep introducing your child to new textures and gradually work up to foods that might have been tricky before. Here are a few ideas to try:
Try offering:
- Untoasted breads – Start with soft, easy-to-chew options.
- Sandwiches (like PB&J) – Use a thin layer of peanut butter or other spreads to make them easier to manage.
- Melted cheese foods – Think quesadillas, grilled cheese, pizza, or casseroles. Start with just a light sprinkle of cheese and continue to encourage small bites.
- Soft-cooked beans – Serve them whole (not flattened) once your child is ready.
- Blueberries and raspberries – Offer them unflattened, but continue cutting larger blueberries in half for safety.
These new textures help your child develop chewing skills and reduce picky eating tendencies.
👉 For more texture progression ideas, explore the 101AfterOne book.
7. Encourage Utensil Use
Finger feeding is still normal and beneficial—it supports sensory exploration and independence. Encourage utensil use gradually by offering preloaded spoons and forks and helping with hand-over-hand guidance.
Research shows that self-feeding helps toddlers become more adventurous eaters and promotes positive mealtime behaviors. Always follow your child’s cues and allow them to decide how much to eat.
👉 Check out our favorite toddler feeding essentials here. This is an Amazon affiliate link and I do receive commission when you shop using my link.
The Bottom Line: Celebrate This New Stage
Turning one is such an exciting milestone—so much growth, learning, and discovery happen at this age! As your little one continues exploring new foods and gaining independence at mealtime, remember: your role is to provide a variety of nutritious options, while your toddler decides how much to eat.For more expert guidance, recipes, and feeding strategies, check out the 101AfterOne book and app, created by pediatric dietitians and physicians to help your toddler thrive through this exciting stage.
Download our Dietitian Approved Packaged Snacks For Babies and Toddlers Ebook here if you are looking for some easy snack ideas on the go with your growing little one!
References
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). (2024). AAP.org
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2011.
- Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board Reports on Micronutrients. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 2001.
- Laux, J., Krupa Playforth MD, Scott, C., Relan, M. MD, & Callahan, C. (2024–2025). Baby Leads the Way; 101AfterOne.
- De Cosmi, V., Scaglioni, S., Agostoni, C. (2017). Early Taste Experiences and Later Food Choices.Nutrients, 9(2):107.
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Cinthia Scott is a Registered Dietitian (RD) and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) with over 10 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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