To think my child's 'healthy' diet really isn't?

[BreadZeppelin]

To think my child's 'healthy' diet really isn't healthy?

My 13-month-old is relatively tall and slim (75th centile height; 55th centile weight) and is always on the go, like the average toddler!
I've tried really hard to give her a varied and healthy diet and she has a mammoth appetite, but the more I think about it the more I worry that her diet is actually not very good.
Here's a standard day's food for her:
Breakfast - 8oz bottle follow-on milk (doesn't like cow's milk!), half a banana and a handful of blueberries.
Lunch - Oven-cooked salmon with sweet potato and courgette; rice. Apricot, 125g plain yoghurt.
Snack - Melon and mango chunks. Another yoghurt.
Dinner - a scrambled egg with grated cheese, sweetcorn and tomato.
And as much water as she wants all day. She probably drinks about half a litre on warmer days.
I think her diet mght be too high in fruit sugar and too low in fat. And probably other bad things that I've not yet noticed! AIBU?

The advice from the British Nutrition Foundation made me realise the importance of carbs for little ones (not that I have trouble getting them into DD, who is a bread monster )

Their 'formula' is very useful.

www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/toddlers/249-feeding-your-toddlerpre-school-child.html?limit=1&start=1

But otherwise it sounds GREAT and I'd like you to do all my baby cooking, please.

What do you do about salmon bones?

Oh, and I'd chuck in a mid morning snack, too. They're too little to keep going from breakfast to lunch like that. I usually rely on my good friend, the banana.

Thanks so much for all the new ideas!

NoCapes, you didn't sound condescending at all. In fact, I think you're quite right - I'm a bit chubby and have been on a half-arsed diet for the last 15 years or so, and that's where most of my ideas about 'healthy' eating come from!

Fucketyfuckety, you probably could have called stealth boast a few months ago (I came at weaning full guns blazing after a disappointing effort with the breast feeding!). But now my daughter is three pounds lighter than is average for her height (which is relatively quite a lot given that she only weighs 20lbs) so I did think I must be missing something. And apparently I was, so I'm very glad to know now!

Make the most of all the healthy things she eats now because she's likely to hate everything you mention come aged 2!

When my ds was a toddler and had to increase fat intake for health reasons, I was baking carrots in the oven with olive oil. Dietitian simply told me to pour olive oil over carrot sticks!.

I know people who would cry with JOY if their child ate all that.

You could switch up some of the snacks to up her carbs? Houmous and pitta strips for dipping which would also up her fats but in a healthy way. Or some cheese and crackers with slices of tomato or cucumber?

I would think about adding some carbs to her breakfast, maybe some porridge and use the follow on milk in that? If you're worried about fats you could put some nut butter in the porridge for extra flavour too. Or a carby snack between breakfast and lunch.

Enjoy this phase, my little boy loved everything until 19m, now it's the land of the beige with hidden fruit and veg :-(

These are always self congratulatory posts. I don't believe anyone posting a diet if a child under 3 that doesn't mention a random bit of food they picked up off the floor/ out of a bin/ from someone elses plate.
Have a round of applause op. Obviously you're in dire need.

Thanks Rain and Viking for the links - they are very useful! It's clear that my poor kid needs a bit more starch in her diet! On the odd occasion she has had pasta for lunch she's hoovered it up and I can see why!

I do know I'm very lucky to have a baby who happily eats healthy food. Goodness knows what state I'd have worked myself up into if that wasn't the case!

I think you have been focusing on adult perception of healthy diet but really a bit of bread is good for her

No, a round of applause for you, DrHorrible. You're so perceptive and wry. You know how to get to the bottom of human nature. Well done, bravo, hurrah.

Bit of cheese alongside her midmorning snack. Her nappies must be "ripe" with all that fruit

Spooky - lovely ideas, they are making me hungry!

I think if they're not mainlaining Haribos, get at least some fruit and veg for vitamins, and fat and carbs for energy, they're fine. The little sods angels turn picky fast enough as they get older! DS would live off sausage rolls and fruit if I let him.

Definitely needs more starchy carbs. A spoonful of rice, a little handful of pasta, a slice of bread, a bit of porridge, some noodles, a wrap, some healthy cereal etc with what you're already giving her will be perfect. As others have said babies growing quickly need these. They need the calories. Adults don't need these in the same way growing bodies do.

Don't worry overly at being a bit under average weight. Obviously you keep an eye on it going down further but if she's chirpy and active don't fret about what she is eating

I think she has an excellent diet.
As long as the yoghurt milk etc is full
fat, add some porridge, wholemeal toast and potatoes (sweet or white) for cabs I think you are doing well. Good on you.

Posted too soon!

Just to say my kids were under average weight but active and healthy. I honestly wouldn't be troubling myself ( and didn't!)

My DD is the same age and loves her food, I think what you've written is a good day of food. I would say that the breakfast could be a bit more substantial - have you tried porridge with fresh fruit? Also maybe try a savory snack sometimes - cucumber and breadsticks with cream cheese for eg. I really wouldn't worry too much though, it looks very balanced to me.

Peanut butter on toast is a firm breakfast favourite with DS. He quite enjoys breadsticks dunked in cream cheese for a snack too. I add butter and olive oil to stuff where possible to get a bit more fat in. I also do roasted veg in the oven with a bit of oil (sweet potato, peppers, butternut squash etc) goes down well with roast chicken and a few new potatoes!

I read this that your daughter was 13! I couldn't understand why she was having follow on milk from a bottle.

You might want to drop the bottle of milk and offer proper food at breakfast. So long as she is having dairy in other forms, cheese, yoghurts etc., she doesn't need a bottle anymore.

Also, here's an average day of food my 13 month old for comparison:

7oz milk
Breakfast: Porridge with cantaloupe melon, strawberries and banana
Lunch: Smooth peanut butter on multi-seeded toast, cucumber sticks, cream cheese, and orange
6oz milk
Dinner: Oven baked chicken and vegetable risotto (butternut squash, sweet corn, peas, courgette, red onion, mushrooms - just whatever I have) with salad. Yoghurt for pudding, I like the little yeo ones that are only sweetened with fruit puree
6oz milk

My dd does still have a lot of milk, but she really seems to want it. She usually has an afternoon snack as well, but not sure if I need to introduce a morning one too. Getting her to drink water is a real struggle though!

Avocado on toast with cheese and tomato mixed through it and toasted is bloody lovely and a very, filling breakfast. I stick a poached egg or two on top sometimes if i'm feeling really peckish.

Avocado as part of the veg, or peanut butter on toast or with fruit are a good way to add good fats

Is it wrong that this thread is making me hungry? I could go some pitta strips and cheese right now =)