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2 years 3 years 4-5 years Vegetables 1 cup 1–1½ cups 1½–2 cups Fruits 1 cup 1–1½ cups 1½–2 cups Grains 3 ounces 3–5 ounces 4–5 ounces Protein 3 ounces 2–4 ounces 3–5 ounces Dairy 2 cups 2-2½ cups 2½ cups

0 Days

1 Month

2 Month

3 Month

4+ Month

Fresh eggs in shell

Do Not Freeze

Hot dogs and lunch meat, unopened

1 - 2 months

Hot dogs and lunch meat, opened

1 - 2 months

Ground meat and stew meat

3 - 4 months

Beef, lamb, veal and pork chops

4 - 6 months

Cooked meat, poultry and casseroles

2 - 4 months

Cooked meat and poultry pieces in sauce

2 - 4 months

Whole poultry pieces

9 - 12 months

Pizza, leftover

1 - 2 months

Cheese, hard or grated

6 - 12 months

Milk

3 months

Yogurt

1 - 2 months

0 Days

3 Days

1 Week

2 Weeks

3+ Weeks

Fresh eggs in shell

3-5 weeks

Hot dogs and lunch meat, unopened

2 weeks

Hot dogs and lunch meat, opened

3-7 days

Ground meat and stew meat

1-2 days

Beef, lamb, veal and pork chops

3-5 days

Cooked meat, poultry and casseroles

3-4 days

Cooked meat and poultry pieces in sauce

1-2 days

Whole poultry pieces

1-2 days

Pizza, leftover

3-4 days

Cheese, hard or grated

6-12 weeks

Milk

1 week

Yogurt

1-2 weeks

 Fruit
  • Instead of...
  • If using raw, sub in...
  • If using cooked, sub in...

  • Berries (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries)

  • Cherries, bananas, grapes, stone fruit

  • Cherries, grapes, stone fruit

  • Grapes

  • Cherries, berries, bananas

  • Cherries, berries

  • Stone fruit (peaches, plums, nectarines, and apricots)

  • Bananas, berries

  • Grapes, apples, pears

  • Grapes

  • Cherries, berries, bananas

  • Cherries, berries

  • Stone fruit (peaches, plums, nectarines, and apricots)

  • Bananas, berries

  • Grapes, apples, pears

    • Vegetables
  • Instead of...
  • If using raw, sub in...
  • If using cooked, sub in..
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Cauliflower, spinach, dark leafy greens
  • Carrots
  • Beets, celery root, summer squash, celery
  • Root vegetables, summer squash, celery
  • Dark leafy greens (kale, chard, collards, turnip, beet, and mustard greens)
  • Spinach, lettuce, cabbage
  • Spinach, broccoli, cabbage
  • Eggplant
  • ---
  • Zucchini, yellow squash, sweet peppers
  • Mushrooms
  • Summer squash
  • Snow peas, sugar snap peas, summer squash
  • Potatoes
  • ---
  • Sweet potato, root vegetables, carrots
  • Root vegetables (turnips, beets, rutabaga, celery root)
  • Sweet potatoes, carrots
  • Sweet potatoes, winter squash, carrots, parsnips
  • Spinach
  • Lettuce
  • Dark leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage
  • Summer squash (zucchini, yellow squash)
  • Sweet peppers, carrots
  • Eggplant, sweet peppers
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Cabbage, root vegetables, carrots
  • Root vegetables, carrots, winter squash, parsnips
  • Winter squash
  • Sweet potatoes, root vegetables, parsnips, carrots

    • Foods within the same category can be used in place of each other. For instance, a dark leafy green such as kale can be replaced with any other dark leafy green like chard or collards, whether raw or cooked. The following substitutions will work whether using raw or cooked foods.

    Hot Peppers

    Carrots

    Celery

    Edamame (soy beans)

    Onions

    Tomatos

    Sweet Peppers

    Kids in the Kitchen

    Eating healthier is easier when you do it together. Follow these tips to get everyone in on the fun.

    Teach Kitchen Skills

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    Crawling\Toddling A few teeth

    Older Toddler

    ~18 months

    Walking Molars

    Pre-Schools

    3+ years

    Very active
    Many teeth

    Food Soft, Mashed
    Pureed     1/2 in. for soft
    1/4 in. for firm     1/2 in for all Larger chunks
    Halves     Banana img img img img Bell Pepper img img img img Mandarin img img img img Carrot img img img img Pineapple img img img img Mango img img img img Celery img img img img Broccoli img img img img Blueberry img img img img Grape img img img img To make… Prep Cook Blend Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Wash, peel, and remove any core or seeds. Cook food until tender. Boil in a small amount of water. Or, try steaming or baking. Use a blender, fork, or food grinder to mash the food until it is smooth. Add liquid, such as water, formula, or breast milk, to thin as needed. Canned or Frozen Produce Be sure it has no added salt, sugar, fat, or spices. Meat, Poultry, or Fish Remove bones, skin, and fatty parts.

    Set aside some food for baby before adding sugar, salt, or heavy spices for the rest of the family.

    To save time and money, you can even make baby food from some of the fruits, veggies, and protein foods you are already preparing for your family.

    Keep Baby Food Safe

    Throw these together with some pre-cooked ingredients or leftovers for simple, fast meals.

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    Let food cool so it does not burn your baby’s mouth and throat. Taste-test the temperature before serving.

    Give your baby one new food at a time. Wait a few days before starting a new food. Watch for any allergic reactions. Do not serve any mixed- ingredient foods until you have served each ingredient on its own.

    Refrigerate baby food that is not eaten right away. Use meat, poultry, fish, or egg yolks within 1 day. Use all other baby food within 1–2 days.

    Or, store in the freezer up to 1 month. Freeze in clean ice cube trays. Store frozen cubes in a bag labeled with the date the food was frozen.

    Reheat stored baby food to at least 165°F. Let cool to a safe temperature before serving.

    Reheating on the stove:

    Place a small heat-safe dish in a small pot. Add about an inch of water. Bring water to a simmer. When food is warm, remove from pot. Stir and test for temperature.

    Reheating in the microwave:

    Turn dish often to prevent hot spots. Stir well, let sit for a few minutes, and test for temperature.

    Wheat

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    Soy

    img

    Peanuts

    img

    Treenuts

    (cashews, walnuts, etc.) img

    Fish

    img

    Shellfish

    img

    Eggs

    img

    Swollen tongue or throat

    img

    Difficulty breathing

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    Hives

    img

    Vomiting

    img

    Abdominal cramps

    img

    Diarrhea

    img img

    Wait a few days before offering another new food

    img

    Work with your pediatrician to find out which food(s) caused the allergic reaction

    Shape

    Marble-sized or round foods can get stuck in a child’s throat.

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  • Dried fruit
  • Hot dogs

    • Cut into short strips rather than round pieces.

    Smooth and Slippery

    Smooth foods can slip down a child’s throat before they have a chance to chew.

    img
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Cooked pasta

    • Quarter the food or chop into small pieces.

    Sticky

    Sticky foods can “ball up” in the airway and get stuck.

    img
  • Peanut butter
  • Fruit roll-ups

    • Spread thinly on crackers or bread. Or, cut into small pieces.

    Hard to Chew

    Foods that take a long time to chew or are hard to break down can get stuck.

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  • Bagels
  • Large pieces of meat

    • Cut into small pieces.

    Hard and Crisp

    Foods that break into chunks may slip into the throat before they are chewed.

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  • Pretzels
  • Chips
  • Raw carrots
  • Other raw vegetables

    • Cook until soft enough to pierce with a fork. Or, break into small pieces.

    How to Keep Kids Safe from Choking

    Learn how to keep little ones safe during meal times.

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    Take Small Bites

    Make sure kids eat small amounts, one bite at a time.

    Watch Them Closely

    Stay with your child while they are eating.

    Make Sure They Sit Up

    No eating while lying down, walking, or running.

    Have Them Stay Calm

    No yelling or horseplay while eating.

    Have Them Eat Slowly

    Chew each bite thoroughly without rushing.
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