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

Apples

Avocados

Brown Rice

Carrots

Corn

Green Beans

Oatmeal

Pasta, Enriched

Peaches

Pearl Barley

Pears

Peas

Plums

Spinach

Sweet Potatoes