Feeding Babies and Toddlers by the Food Groups

Infant and toddler nutrition, demystified!

By Dr. Greg Germain, MD

Feeding Babies and Toddlers by the Food Groups

In this article:
Breast Milk & Formula
Cow's Milk
Cereals & Grains
Vegetables
Fruit
Meat/Protein
Water
More Feeding Helpers

You know your child needs a varied diet to grow up strong and healthy—but if you find yourself wondering how and when to vary that diet, use our baby food chart. The nutrition chart by food groups for babies and toddlers will insure your child is getting all its nutrition needs.

Adults have it easy: The USDA put out those nifty MyPyramid food guidelines a few years back, and we had cut-and-dried food groups before that. But for babies and toddlers, the recommendations can be hard to nail down. Here's what you should shoot for when feeding your child through his or her second birthday.

Download this month-by-month nutrition chart to stay on top of Baby's changing needs. And be sure to check back and use our nutrition calculator to see how your baby or toddler is doing.

Breast Milk & Formula

The cornerstone of your baby's nutrition for the first year, breast milk and formula contain all the protein, fat, calcium, vitamins, and minerals Baby needs up to that first birthday. In year two, breast milk provides a nutritional safety net, including bonus protein, calcium, and vitamins A and D necessary for a growing toddler.

How much breastmilk or formula does your child need per day?

0 to 4 months: 21-24 oz (6-12 feedings, about 2-4 oz each)
4 to 6 months: 24-32 oz (4-6 feedings, about 4-8 oz each)
6 to 8 months: 24-32 oz (4-5 feedings, about 5-8 oz each)
8 to 10 months: 24-32 oz (3-4 feedings, about 6-8 oz each)
10 to 12 months: 20-32 oz (3-4 feedings, about 5-8 oz each)
12 to 24 months*: 16-24 oz breastmilk if still nursing, although no formula is necessary (1-4 breastfeedings daily, sometimes more)

*If Mom is still breastfeeding past the first birthday, bravo! That said, formula is not recommended except in rare circumstances. Remember, toddlers past their first birthday are usually drinking whole milk as their main liquid source of nutrition.

More to know about breast milk and formula: