18 Month Baby Food Chart
 Toddler Food Chart (1.5 years)
 Meal Plan for 18 months old baby
Food for 18 months old
Recipes for 1 and half years old
18 months is a tricky age. A baby is now almost definitely a toddler, i.e. she has started to walk with fair bit of comfort.. She is so keen to explore her surroundings that food is most probably the last thing on her mind. She wants to use her new-found independence by rejecting almost all advances to help her in any way. This includes feeding. Most parents face the challenge at this age where their toddlers do not want to be fed and they feel baby is eating almost next to nothing. I and my baby went through this phase too.
Many toddlers start looking skinny at this age which can be quite distressing for parents after having seen the chubby babyhood.
You can make life easier for yourself and your baby by following a few simple tips.
1)Go for finger food
Finger food at this stage can be a life-saver. Toddlers have a natural tendency to defy what others say. They want greater control of their environment and sitting and doing what others tell them to do goes against their grain. Finger food provide perfect way to eat them where they can control what and how much they are eating.
75+ finger foods that you can offer to your toddler and kid
2) Avoid food fights
Most parents get frustrated at this stage because toddlers just wouldn’t listen to what they want to tell them. You try to force-feed the kid and try to offer what you consider is ideal for her growth, but your little devil is having none of it.
The way out is to surrender and accept that you have to find a middle way. Offer food to child when she is hungry but do not fret if she does not finish it.
3) Make meal time fun
Toddlers love playing and are looking for new experiences. Try telling stories, make a game of eating.
My daughter is now 4 years old and I still tell her stories sometimes at mealtime. It doesn’t take much and meal time becomes pleasant. Stories make her even finish her milk which is certainly not a favourite. For a long time, I kept adding other foods to replace milk in her diet as she wouldn’t have any of it. But now, she drinks provided I tell her a story.
How to replace milk your toddler’s diet
4) No rushing mealtimes
You cannot expect an 18 months old to finish food in 10 minutes flat. It just will not happen. ACCEPT IT!! Keep a window of 30-45 minutes for meals at least. Post this, if your toddler is still not eating, just remove the plate. Do not force to finish.
5) Offer variety
Variety is the spice of life even for an 18 months old. Try to offer simple but different items to expand her palate and keep her interested in meals.
6) Eat together as family
This can be one of the best things to follow if you want your child to enjoy meals and have healthy habits in the long run. Children learn by following others and parents are the best role models. When children watch their parents enjoying healthy food they are more probable to try and enjoy them.
7) Praise but do not overdo it
Every one likes to get appreciated,so be lavish with praise but do not overdo it so that the child starts eating just to get praise. Food is essential for us and it should be enjoyed and chosen well for good health.
8) Talk to your kid about Healthy and Junk food
I can personally vouch for this. I was always vocal about what is healthy and what is not. My daughter knows chips and burgers are junk and homemade food is healthy and good for her. I however do not ban all junk completely. She has her occasional donut when we go out.
Idea is not to deprive but to enlighten them! Deprivation will only cause craving.
She knows vegetables are good for her. I get looks of surprises when people at restaurants see her asking for and devouring steamed vegetables and preferring watermelon over ice creams.
9) Be your child’s role model
Parents are their children’s first role models specially mothers. They want to emulate you and be like you. If you have good eating habits and are health-conscious, there is a fair bit of chance that they will be too.
10) Don’t worry about others
You will most probably get a lot of advice as well as comments about how you are feeding your child enough and child is losing weight blah blah. But if you and your child’s doctor are OK with how she is growing, learn to develop a think skin and ignore what they are saying.
You and your child will be better off in the long run.
If you have any doubts about your child’s growth, see Weight and Height Chart calculator
Here is a sample food chart/ meal plan for a 18 months old.
18 month baby food chart
Early Morning |
Breakfast |
Mid Morning |
Lunch |
Evening Snack |
Dinner |
|
Mon | 1/2 to 1 cup milk | Ragi idli with chutney | Papaya pieces | Rice with Okra curry and Dal, cucumber slices | Bread Pizza | Vermicelli upma |
Tue | 2-4 soaked almonds | Dalia Upma | 1 small banana | Moong Masoor Spinach Khichdi | Cheeku shake | Matar Paneer with 1 roti |
Wed | 1/2 cup milk with 1-2 biscuits | Peanut butter Sandwich | Orange wedges | Vegetable Dalia Khichdi
with curd |
1 cup Instant Kesar Almond milk | Ragi missi roti/ Chicken curry with roti |
Thu | 2-4 soaked almonds | Oats apple porridge | Guava slices | Rice, dal and cauliflower peas curry | 1 cup milk | Banana Dosa |
Fri | 1/2 to 1 cup milk | Chocolate pancake with strawberry milkshake | Kiwi slices | Masoor dal khichdi | 1 cup Instant Kesar Almond milk | Paneer parantha |
Sat | 2-4 soaked almonds | Besan cheela | Strawberry quarters | Mixed dal, roti, kheer | Orange strawberry smoothie | Dosa with aloo masala |
Sun | 1/2 to 1 cup milk | Egg & salad sandwich/ Paneer bhurji sandwich | Melon cubes | Methi Parantha | Soya cutlets | Vegetable Khichdi with curd |
More recipes to help you:
- 18 healthy meals for picky eaters
- 50 simple Breakfast recipes for kids
- Top 15 foods to help weight gain in toddlers
Feel free to modify this chart as per your and your toddler’s preference.
Tips to use 18 month baby food chart:
- Remember that these are only guidelines and you should use these as a reference but feel free to tweak as you might like for your baby.
- We try to introduce lot of variety of food to toddlers. This makes them more open to trying newer tastes and will help to ensure they are not picky about food.
- Since 18 months old toddlers may not eat a lot of food at one go, you have to keep offering them something every few hours.
- Your toddler might appear to have lost weight, which is quite normal as toddlers become more active at this stage. Even if your toddler looks skinny, try not to give unhealthy foods like too many sweets and fried items in the hope that she will gain some weight. It doesn’t work, in fact it will only reduce their appetite for healthy food.
See how to plan diet for an underweight toddler for healthy weight gain
We hope this food chart will help you in planning your toddler’s meals. If you like this, do not forget to share it. Please leave a comment to ask a question or let us know your feedback. You can follow us on Youtube, Facebook, twitter and pinterest.
Related:
Daily Routine/ Feeding Schedule of my 5 years old Preschooler
2 year toddler food chart – Veg
2 year toddler food chart – Non veg
Sent of food chart of baby
Hi Anit, How old is your baby?
You have not mentioned any thing about Non Veg. Is there any reason a 18mts can eat chicken or fish or mutton.
You can give non-veg at this age. We have a non-veg food chart for 2 years too.
my daughter is 18 months , at the time of wining she was not st all interested in eating , so i forced her to eat ….. now she is afraid of food , when she sleeps i use to give her 1 bottle of milk ….i have tried many methods but she hardly takes anything except for those cheese balls
my daughter is 18 months old she dont like food at all. only c want is milk. what to do to make her eat solid food
I had 17month baby boy .but he not interesting from eating .please help for my baby starting eating.
Can you please send me diet chart for my baby, my baby boy is 18 months old.
Thanks in advance
Pankaj
We already have an 18 months food chart on the site.
http://www.shishuworld.com/18-month-baby-food-chart-toddler-food-chart-meal-plan-for-18-months-baby/
My 18 month old twin boys keep me running after them for food. Some days they eat..n some days they don’t eat at all..what should be the total amount of milk to be given in a 24 hr day. Kindly suggest me some easy n quick recipes.