Exciting changes happen when your child is a 1-year-old. Your child will learn many new skills this year. Let’s look at what to expect from this next year with your toddler. 

When your child turns 1-year-old, your benefits will include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, breakfast cereals, eggs, beans, cheese, yogurt, 100% juice, and whole cow’s milk. If your child was receiving infant formula, this benefit will likely stop.

Your health care provider or WIC counselor will guide you in introducing cow's milk.

Continue to offer breastmilk until you and your child decide it is time to stop. Your child may show less interest now that they are eating more table foods. Breastmilk still provides important nutrition and helps to protect your child from getting sick.

Make it a goal to wean your child from the bottle by the age of 15 to 18 months. 

The need to feed on demand will begin to phase out. You may now offer 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks a day. Regular meals and snacks are important for your child. Regular mealtimes allow them to continue to develop a natural cycle of hunger and fullness. 

Explore these new ideas and tools for your 1-year-old:

• Brush their teeth. Continue to brush your child’s teeth. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends helping your child brush their teeth twice a day for 2 minutes. 

• Check your child’s cup. Is your child still using a training cup? If so, now is a great time to introduce an open cup. A training cup is a cup with a lid. It is also known as a sippy cup. 

• Offer child-sized plates, spoons, forks, and cups. Be careful not to offer your child any tools that are sharp. Your child may still be interested in eating with their fingers. This is normal! 

• Encourage self-feeding! When your child learns to self-feed they develop independence and important fine motor skills. Give them time to use their fingers, a spoon or fork, and an open cup. Toddlers are often excited to feed themselves. It is a big step in their development. 

• Introducing new flavors and textures to your child this year. Offer food sizes and textures that are best for their abilities. Make sure foods are soft enough to chew.

• Exploring foods! Your child is developing likes and dislikes. They may ask for specific foods by name or by pointing. Be patient, and keep offering new foods. It may take between 8-15 times for a child to like a new food. 

• Encourage family time. As children grow, they like to join in during family meals. Offer the same food to all family members eating. 

Deeper Dive

Take the lesson Baby’s First Cup to gain more confidence in offering your child a cup.