Help Your Baby Develop Healthy Eating Habits By Following A Regular Meal & Snack Schedule

Plan for 3 meals and 1 or 2 snacks each day, once your baby's eating a variety of foods and textures. Babies have small stomachs so need frequent opportunities to eat small amounts.

At meal time, when your baby is no longer interested in food, end the meal.  20 minutes is a reasonable time for a focused meal, and may be longer if your baby’s still having fun with food, or shorter if they’re not.

Schedules are helpful, but it’s also important to take your lead from your baby. If you think they’re hungry, offer a small, healthy snack. Don’t expect them to wait until 7pm for dinner, even if you can!

If you know your baby eats better in the morning, it’s OK to give them dinner food then. You can be flexible!

Your baby is more likely to eat healthy meals and try new foods if snacks are not offered too close to mealtime.

Check KidsHealth's section on healthy eating habits

Check KidsHealth's infant nutrition section