Does This Sound Balanced To You?

[cillybean83]

Does the following diet sound healthy/balanced for a 1 year old (just turned 1 a few days ago)

Breakfast 8am - 8oz bottle of rice milk (he refuses cow's milk, not sure why!) with a dropper of poly vi sol vitamins, a little container of yoplait yogurt for toddlers, a handful of cheerios

Snack - goldfish and a sippy cup of motts for tots

Lunch - a scrambled egg mixed with soymilk, a little rice, and some shredded cheese, with a 4oz bottle of rice milk

Snack - applesauce

Dinner - Stage 3 jar of meat and veggie baby food, sippy cup of water or motts for tots

snack - bottle of soymilk

this is a typical day of food for my kiddo, he hates to self feed and we're working on taking the bottle...I just worry that he isn't getting all the vitamins he needs since he refuses milk, his doctor said enriched rice milk and soymilk are fine replacements as long as i get extra calcium and protein in there somewhere...which is why we try to have an egg 3-4 times per week a yogurt everyday, and some form of cheese everyday

sorry if i sound like a nut, i just want the opinions of other mommy's!

[SandeeAR]

Be sure with pushing the cheese that you watch for consipation. I remember my youngest loved cheese and I had to limit it, b/c she would get constipated. You might consider making sugar free pudding with the rice milk too.

[SilverSabre25]

I think it sounds fine; as long as he's growing and meeting his milestones then he's getting enough to eat. Honestly, I would look into almond, coconut, or hemp milk instead of either rice or especially soy. I do NOT like the implications of some of the studies coming out re: soy and getting too much of it (which is all too easy in our culture.

You could honestly keep him on formula (but in a sippy cup) rather than using a milk substitute if you were really worried about his food intake and vitamins and things.

[marniewon]

I think it sounds fine; as long as he's growing and meeting his milestones then he's getting enough to eat. Honestly, I would look into almond, coconut, or hemp milk instead of either rice or especially soy. I do NOT like the implications of some of the studies coming out re: soy and getting too much of it (which is all too easy in our culture.

You could honestly keep him on formula (but in a sippy cup) rather than using a milk substitute if you were really worried about his food intake and vitamins and things.

I agree regarding soy - I've heard way too many negatives about it to be okay with it. Almond milk is good. Isn't there a toddler formula that you could switch to? And if there's not an allergy to cow's milk, you could try doing mostly formula/almond milk and a little cow's milk, and gradually increase the cow's milk until that's what he's drinking.

[kidkair]

On the food program we have to follow these guidelines for feeding kids:
Breakfast: grain, fruit or veggie, milk
Lunch and dinner: protein, grain, 2 different fruit or veggie, milk
Snacks: pick two groups from the four for lunch and dinner
I too would want to slowly switch him to cow's milk but the kind of milk he's on is ultimately up to his parents.

[cillybean83]

i'm allergic to milk and I use almond breeze or pure almond all the time for myself. I didn't even think about using it for Jack (my son) since it's sweet (i love the vanilla sweetened almond milk!)

I made a batch of rice milk at home last night, and there isn't much to it, which concerns me...and that's why I started adding soy milk today...

What are the negative affects of soy milk? I haven't looked it up, i just went off of what the dr said

I sprinkle shredded cheese on his tray or on his food once a day, hopefully that isn't too much for him to handle...

He's 24 pounds and 31 1/2 inches and he's tripled his birth weight which is what the dr wanted him to do in the first year, I just worry because he seems a little behind other kids when it comes to eating

[MG&Lsmom]

We've been through so much food issues and seen docs and nutritionists at Boston's Childrens Hospital. Having just turned one, food is just starting to be a source for nutrition and vitamins. It's not like age 1 a switch is thrown and every kid is on full solids. My kids were underweight and we were always worried, but the docs never did get worried until 16-18m about the lack of solids they were taking in. Of course mine were still nursing. DS is still nursing at age 23m as the majority of his fluid intake. I was told that rice milk is not an adequate "milk" substitute as it did not have enough of the good fat kids need under age 2, not to mention homemade means there's no vit D. Almond, hemp, soy would be much better. Everything in moderation. Now we got into a very bad habit with DD1 by giving her flavored pediasure and then having to switch to flavored cow's milk. But we limit her sugars in other places so I guess it evens out. Have you had him allergy tested, are you sure he is not allergic or sensitive to milk? Cheese, yogurt and things with hidden milk proteins are not going to have the same punch as a glass of straight cow's milk. DS can handle those things now, but still can't really drink cow's milk. That may be why he's not drinking it.

For protein, try some ground turkey or chicken. It's easier to chew than beef and you can get the 99% fat free which cooks up with almost no grease (read easy clean up!).

I have lots more tricks, but it's bath time and bed time so Santa can get to wrapping.

[kendallina]

I agree with much of what's already been said, especially regarding soy milk. Soy has a chemical in it (naturally) that acts like estrogen. Anytime we do things like adding hormones to our bodies it can REALLY screw us up. There is, of course controversy to this issue and most doctors that I know are still pushing soy for milk intolerant kids (like my daughter).

Also, like others have mentioned, milk substitutes like almond or rice milk don't have enough protein and calcium in them. My doc suggested that DD takes a supplement that has calcium in it. Calcium is actually a mineral (which I now know thanks to my chemist husband) and not in all vitamins, so make sure you check. Also, for protein my daughter eats peanut butter and she LOVES pistachios and edamame. If your son tolerates cheese and yogurt well, then he may be getting enough calcium and protein.

All in all, it really sounds like your LO is getting enough food and mostly enough nutrients. A lot of doctors also say to pay attention to a toddlers entire week of nutrition and average it out, instead of just looking at one day, as any one day might be a little screwy.

[Childminder]

The child at one(1) should be on the same diet as the other children. Food program rules of course. Whole milk, unless a waiver from the child's doctor, 2 fruit and vegetables, one grain and one protein. This is for lunch and dinner. Breakfast is a fruit or veggie, whole milk, and a grain. The entire food plan is available on USDA.gov. Or contact a food program sponsor in your state.(links on the usda site)

By rereading your post I see that you aren't a provider so this doesn't necessarily pertain to you but the web site is a great place to get information on food guidelines.