What to expect at 13 months
Appetite often drops after the first birthday because growth slows. The AAP describes toddler eating as erratic: a big breakfast and little else, the same food three days running and then refusing it.
Most toddlers do well on three meals and up to two healthy snacks. Snacks are for food, not treats: fruit, vegetable sticks, toast, bread or plain yoghurt.
Milk can be breast milk, or pasteurised whole or semi-skimmed cows' milk. The NHS suggests at least 350ml of milk a day or two servings of dairy foods; water is the best drink between meals.
Your toddler can eat healthy family meals in smaller portions, cut into smaller pieces. They're still learning to chew, so keep preparing food with choking in mind.
When to talk to your health visitor or GP
- Your toddler has fewer wet nappies than usual, seems unwell, or is refusing food and drinks: get an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 (or your local equivalent).
- You're worried about your toddler's weight or growth.
- Your toddler often coughs or gags while eating, has trouble breathing during meals, takes a very long time to eat, or will only eat certain textures.
- Your toddler drinks so much milk that they regularly eat little at meals.
- Signs of an allergic reaction after a food, such as swollen lips or face, a red itchy rash, vomiting or diarrhoea. Call your local emergency number for breathing problems or a swollen throat or tongue.
Why appetite and routines shift now
- Growth slows after the first year, so toddlers need less food than you might expect from how much they ate at 10 or 11 months.
- Drinks between meals, especially milk sipped from a bottle, can leave toddlers less hungry at mealtimes.
- Many toddlers become wary of new foods and textures; it can take repeated tries for a food to be accepted.
- Illness can put toddlers off food for a while; WHO suggests offering more fluids and soft, favourite foods when a child is unwell.
Build a steady routine at 13 months
Keep a regular rhythm
Offer three meals and up to two snacks at roughly the same times each day, with breaks in between so your toddler comes to the table hungry.
Example day (times are illustrative)
7:00 breakfast with milk; 9:30 snack, such as fruit, with water; 12:00 lunch; nap; 15:00 snack, such as toast fingers or plain yoghurt; 17:00 tea; milk before bed if wanted. Shift times around your toddler's nap.
Milk in a cup
Offer milk in a cup with meals or a snack, and water between meals. If you're still using bottles, drop daytime bottles first; the AAP suggests finishing the move to a cup sometime between 12 and 18 months.
A little of each food group
Across the day include fruit and vegetables, starchy foods, dairy, and protein. The NHS suggests at least 1 portion of protein from animal sources (meat, fish, eggs) or 2 from vegetable sources (beans, chickpeas, lentils, tofu) each day, and at least 1 portion of oily fish a week.
Let your toddler decide how much
Serve small portions and offer more if they want it. Encourage, but don't pressure or force; end the meal calmly when they've had enough. Keep offering refused foods alongside ones they like.
Seated, supervised and prepared for safe chewing
Your toddler should sit down to eat with an adult watching. Quarter grapes and cherry tomatoes, cut sausages lengthwise and then into small pieces, spread nut butters thinly and never give whole nuts to under-5s. Call your local emergency number if your child is choking and can't cough, cry or breathe effectively, and start choking first aid straight away.
Vitamins
In the UK, all children aged 1 to 4 years should be given a supplement containing vitamins A, C and D every day. Ask your health visitor or pharmacist which one to use.
