The number of calories that a baby or toddler needs to stay healthy depends on your child's individual metabolism, how active she is, and how quickly she is growing. In general, you can figure out how many calories per day your child should be eating based on either her weight (for less than 12 months) or her height (for ages 1–3 years).

For infants, the basic calorie requirement is about 50 calories per pound. Of course, if your baby is growing particularly fast, he might need more food — some babies need as few as 35 calories per pound or as many as 75 calories per pound. As long as his height and weight are increasing and are following his particular curve on a growth chart, you don't need to worry. Remember that breast milk or iron-fortified formula will remain your child's primary source of nutrition in his first year — solid foods are just a supplement.

The phenomenal growth of your baby's first year will slow down once she hits the toddler years, and her calorie requirements also begin to slow down. The average toddler needs about 40 calories per day for every inch of height. In addition to calories, your child will also need the required amounts of other vitamins and minerals to stay healthy. Providing a multi-vitamin is certainly an option, but most vitamins are absorbed best from natural sources. The following list details the vitamins and other nutrients found in a number of fruits, vegetables, and other foods liked by many babies. Experiment and find your child's favorites!

Acorn Squash

Typical serving size ½ cup

Calories 75

Potassium 450 mg

Vitamin A 450 IU

Vitamin C 12 mg

Dietary Fiber 3.2 g

Apples

Typical serving size ½ medium

Calories 50

Potassium 79 mg

Vitamin A 37 IU

Vitamin C 3 mg

Dietary Fiber 1.7 g

Avocados

Typical serving size ¼ cup

Calories 60

Potassium 110 mg

Vitamin A 25 IU

Vitamin C 1 mg

Dietary Fiber 1.8 g

Brown Rice

Serving size ⅛ cup dry

Calories 85

Potassium 50 mg

Vitamin A 0

Vitamin C 0

Dietary Fiber 1 g

Carrots

Typical serving size ¼ cup cooked

Calories 15

Potassium 115 mg

Vitamin A 7350 IU

Vitamin C 6 mg

Dietary Fiber 1.5 g

Corn

Typical serving size ¼ cup

Calories 45

Potassium 115 mg

Vitamin A 1 IU

Vitamin C 3 mg

Dietary Fiber 1.1 g

Green Beans

Typical serving size ¼ cup cooked

Calories 12

Potassium 65 mg

Vitamin A 200 IU

Vitamin C 3 mg

Dietary Fiber 1 g

Oatmeal

Typical serving size ¼ cup dry

Calories 60

Potassium 50

Vitamin A 0

Vitamin C 0

Dietary Fiber 1 g

Pasta, Enriched

Typical serving size 1/8 cup dry

Calories 55

Potassium 0

Vitamin A 0

Vitamin C 0

Dietary Fiber 0.5 g

Peaches

Typical serving size ½ medium

Calories 25

Potassium 94 mg

Vitamin A 100 IU

Vitamin C 4 mg

Dietary Fiber 1 g

Pearl Barley

Typical serving size 1/8 cup dry

Calories 90

Potassium 36 mg

Vitamin A 0

Vitamin C 0

Dietary Fiber 4 grams

Pears

Typical serving size ½ medium

Calories 48

Potassium 100 mg

Vitamin A 23 IU

Vitamin C 3 mg

Dietary Fiber 2.5 g

Peas

Typical serving size ¼ cup cooked

Calories 11

Potassium 45 mg

Vitamin A 500 IU

Vitamin C 21 mg

Dietary Fiber 1.3 g

Plums

Typical serving size ½ medium

Calories 20

Potassium 90 mg

Vitamin A 350 IU

Vitamin C 4 mg

Dietary Fiber 1 g

Spinach

Typical serving size ¼ cup

Calories 12

Potassium 248 mg

Vitamin A 4710 IU

Vitamin C 4 mg

Dietary Fiber 1.1 g

Sweet Potatoes

Typical serving size ¼ cup

Calories 45

Potassium 190 mg

Vitamin A 8100 IU

Vitamin C 6.1 mg

Dietary Fiber 1.8 g