At 12 months, toddlers will be getting used to solid food, and milk will start to become less essential in meeting their dietary needs, taking a more complementary role instead

From 12 months onwards, toddlers are walking, talking and interacting. As they start to eat family meals, it’s easy to assume that their dietary requirements are simply those of ‘mini adults’. This is not the case. They are still growing and developing rapidly so require more energy and nutrients than adults in relation to their size.

From a child’s first birthday, milk should begin to play a less important role when it comes to meeting an infant’s dietary requirements. However, toddlers aged one to three years still need at least two to three daily servings of milk and dairy foods, such as cheese or yoghurt. The Department of Health recommends the following regarding the introduction of cows’ milk:

• Full-fat cows’ milk can be introduced from one year of age
• Semi-skimmed milk can be introduced after two years of age, as long as the diet is varied and balanced and the child is growing well
• Skimmed milk or 1% fat milk should not be introduced before five years of age because it cannot provide enough nutrients for growth before this age.

At 12 months of age, children should not be drinking more than one pint (500ml) of milk a day (cows’, formula or toddler/ growing up milk) as excessive amounts can:

• Leave little room or appetite for other foods
• Lead to excessive energy (calorie) intake, which may lead to children becoming overweight or obese.

To reduce the volume of milk consumed, parents can:

• Offer water instead of milk for some drinks
• Restrict milk consumption to after meals
• Feed from a cup, not a bottle
• Reduce the amount of milk in the cup or use a smaller cup.