Family Nutrition: Feeding Every Age at Your Table

Feeding a family with children of different ages — all with different tastes, needs, and strong opinions about what touches what on their plate — is one of the greatest daily challenges of parenthood. Here's what actually matters for each stage.

Brain-Boosting Foods for Growing Kids

Feeding by Age Group

Introducing Solids (6–12 months)

Start with single-ingredient purees around 6 months. Iron-rich foods are especially important — pureed meats, lentils, and fortified cereals. Introduce one new food every 3–5 days to spot any reactions. Allergens like peanuts and eggs can be introduced early — current research supports this.

Toddlers (1–3 years)

Toddlers are notoriously picky — and that's developmentally normal. Keep offering rejected foods without pressure (it can take 15+ exposures for a child to accept a new food). Make meals fun, involve them in food prep, and never force them to clean their plate.

School-Age Kids (4–12 years)

This is a great age to involve kids in cooking and shopping. Children who help prepare food are significantly more likely to eat it. Focus on variety over perfection — a child who eats 20 different foods is doing well.

Teenagers

Teens need more calories and nutrients than at any other time since infancy — especially iron, calcium, and vitamin D. Avoid commenting on their body or restricting foods, which can trigger disordered eating. Keep nutritious food visible and accessible.

Dealing With Picky Eaters

• Keep offering — research shows it takes up to 15 exposures to accept a new food
• Serve new foods alongside familiar favourites
• Let them serve themselves — control increases willingness
• Eat the same food yourself — modelling is powerful
• Never use food as a reward or punishment