17 Months Old Baby Food – Ideas, Chart, and Recipes

Feeding a toddler is not an easy job. By the time your toddler turns 17 months, he will throw a lot of tantrums and feeding him will become a challenge for you. If you constantly wonder what to feed to your 17-month-old toddler, then worry no more. You are not alone in this. All new moms face this situation in life as their babies grow. Taking care of a toddler is not an easy task but slowly you will learn to take care of him. Meanwhile, here are a few tricks and interesting recipes that can turn the tables in your favour and maintain your toddler’s health at optimal levels.
Video: Food Ideas For 17 Month Old Baby
Nutrient Requirements of a 17 Months Old Child
While putting together some great breakfast ideas, parents should remember that the nutritional requirements of their 17-month-old child should be met appropriately. Here is what your child requires at the age of 17 months.
- Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates make it possible for the little one to carry out all the activities of a day. Apart from giving energy, carbohydrates also promote brain development in toddlers. A toddler should consume around 135 grams of carbohydrates daily.
- Proteins
Proteins are another essential requirements for a baby. For toddlers, who eat only veg food may not get enough protein. Hence, you need to make sure that your child’s protein intake is not compromised.
- Iron
Once the baby is weaned, his iron consumption may be affected. When a baby is breastfed, he gets enough iron from the breastmilk but later it may be compromised and as a result, it can affect the growth of the baby. Hence, when a baby is 17 months old or above, you should include iron-rich foods in his diet. Around 7mg of iron intake is necessary at this age.
- Sodium
Sodium is rarely considered essential, primarily because most of our salts and other food items do contain sodium in the required quantities. Families that follow a very unique dietary pattern do need to ensure the presence of sodium in their meal choices.
- Calories
The appetite of your child might not be as high as before, but that also poses a risk of them not getting enough calories required to stay active in the day. Maintaining a range of 1000 to 1400 calories on a daily basis is a great way to keep them healthy.
- Dietary fibre
Most parents wonder which food items or vegetables can provide the required amount of fibre to a child. While there are numerous whole wheat food items, choosing some simple fruits that are fibrous in nature can be an easy way to keep your diet balanced.
- Water
You may fail to keep a track of your toddler’s water intake as he runs around the house. But, you must not take it lightly. Make sure that your child drinks enough water during the day.
How Much Food Does a Toddler Need at 17th Month?
The food requirements of a kid vary according to size, weight, metabolism, and many other factors. Some kids may be more active than others and may need more food. However, in general, they may need around 1-1.2 kilocalories on a daily basis.
Best Foods for a Seventeen-month-old Baby
Whether you are putting together some kickass lunch ideas for your toddler the following food products have been known to satisfy substantial nutritional requirements of kids.
1. Eggs
Eggs are the best multipurpose option you can go with at any time of the day. The perfect balance of protein and low cholesterol makes it great for the entire family itself.
2. Milk
The inclusion of milk in a young kid’s life is irreplaceable, be it breastmilk or full-cream milk from the dairy. If your child is lactose intolerant, you can opt for soy milk as an alternative. Ensure that it is fortified with all the necessary nutrients your kid needs.
3. Other Dairy Products
While milk is essential for a child’s development, other products derived from it are just as important. Yoghurt provides probiotics, cheese provides protein, and butter just makes everything tastier than it already is. So, include dairy products in your baby’s daily diet.
4. Seafood
Most parents may not consider seafood as a safe food choice for a 17-month-old baby and they are not wrong. Fish such as shellfish and swordfish should be strictly avoided. Consuming safe fish can provide tons of additional elements like DHA and omega-3 acids to a baby in a healthy proportion.
5. Meat
Avoid giving heavy meat items such as turkey, steak, or mutton to a baby. Instead, stick to poultry items as that meat is easy-to-digest and provides good proteins to the child. Grilled meat that is fresh and organic remains the healthiest choice in this matter.
6. Nuts
While nuts are extremely beneficial for kids, it is essential to check your little one for the presence of any allergy before starting him off with them. If your child has no allergy, you can give him some chopped almonds or walnuts regularly with his meals.
7. Fruits
Choosing fresh and organic fruits over any commercially available juices is always the right decision. Citrus fruits can provide numerous vitamins that a child needs, while some fruits like avocado can provide a good proportion of healthy fat in a single serving.
8. Vegetables
Almost all vegetables are safe to consume for a toddler at this age. If your kid is throwing tantrums and refusing to eat vegetables, get a little creative. You can chop and steam the vegetables and then serve. You can also give vegetables in the form of curry.
9. Grains
Quinoa is quite an interesting choice that should definitely be tried out since it is rich in proteins and iron. Similarly, millets and rice should be included regularly in a child’s diet.
10. Oil
Although oil is not specifically a food item, it is necessary to prepare the meals in healthy oils to ensure that your baby gets enough fats and nutrients from it. While preparing any snacks, use olive oil.
Video: Diet Plan for a 17-Month-Old Baby
17 Month Old Baby Food Chart/Meal Plan
The meal plan mentioned below for a 17-month-old toddler will prove useful if you want to give different foods to your child every other day.
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 1, Day 1
Breakfast | Idli + sambar + milk |
Mid-morning | A few cubes of pineapple or apple |
Lunch | Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of tomato + hand pounded rice |
Evening | Potato and dahi (curd) chaat |
Dinner | Missi roti with chicken or paneer (cottage cheese) curry + vegetable raita |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 1, Day 2
Breakfast | Wheat pancakes + chocolate milk |
Mid-morning | Pear |
Lunch | Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber + hand pounded rice |
Evening | Oats-apple smoothie |
Dinner | Paneer (cottage cheese) paratha with coriander- drumstick soup |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 1, Day 3
Breakfast | Oats chilla + chikoo (sapota) milkshake |
Mid-morning | 1 orange |
Lunch | Chole paratha and pumpkin soup |
Evening | Paneer-date ladoo |
Dinner | Mixed vegetable soup or chicken broth with vegetable paratha and curd or lassi |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 1, Day 4
Breakfast | Boiled egg + 1 glass of banana milkshake |
Mid-morning | Guava juice with chaat masala |
Lunch | Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber + hand pounded rice |
Evening | Paneer and apple mashed |
Dinner | Ragi (finger millet) and tomato soup with rajma (kidney bean) chawal |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 1, Day 5
Breakfast | Banana pancakes + milk |
Mid-morning | Any melon |
Lunch | Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of boiled beetroot + hand pounded rice |
Evening | Pineapple raita |
Dinner | Bajra (pearl millet) roti + brinjal sabzi + dal |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 1, Day 6
Breakfast | Besan (gram flour) paratha + a glass of milk |
Mid-morning | Chikoo (sapota) |
Lunch | Jowar (sorghum)-wheat roti + masoor (red lentil) palak + a few cherry tomatoes |
Evening | Banana-walnut milkshake |
Dinner | Paneer (cottage cheese) cutlets or grilled fish with baked bean soup and grated carrot raita |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 1, Day 7
Breakfast | Sattu (barley)-apple porridge with milk |
Mid-morning | Papaya |
Lunch | Paneer (cottage cheese) pulao with pumpkin soup |
Evening | Besan (gram flour) pakoda with curd dip |
Dinner | Kanji with besan(gram flour)-methi (fenugreek) sabzi |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 2, Day 1
Breakfast | Grated cucumber and oats pancake |
Mid-morning | Date-peanut ladoo |
Lunch | Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of tomato + hand pounded rice |
Evening | Aloo wadi |
Dinner | Paneer (cottage cheese) sandwich with mint sauce + drumstick soup |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 2, Day 2
Breakfast | Vegetable upma made with buttermilk |
Mid-morning | Mixed fruit juice |
Lunch | Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber + hand pounded rice |
Evening | Tomato or coriander soup |
Dinner | Pulao with tomato soup |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 2, Day 3
Breakfast | Omelette with bread or paneer sandwich |
Mid-morning | Guava juice with chaat masala |
Lunch | Chole and paratha with pumpkin soup |
Evening | Paneer and apple mashed |
Dinner | 1 small cup of chole + 2 small puris + 1 small glass lassi |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 2, Day 4
Breakfast | Rajgira (amaranth)-wheat sheera with mashed raisins for sweetness |
Mid-morning | Any melon |
Lunch | Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber + hand pounded rice |
Evening | Phirni |
Dinner | Shahi paneer with paratha and tomato- mushroom soup |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 2, Day 5
Breakfast | Sprouted moong (green gram)-oats cutlet with homemade date-tomato-mint chutney |
Mid-morning | Chikoo (sapota) |
Lunch | Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of boiled beetroot + hand pounded rice |
Evening | Milk + popcorn |
Dinner | Idli with non-spicy sambar and chutney |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 2, Day 6
Breakfast | Milk with ragi (finger millet)-besan (gram flour) ladoo |
Mid-morning | Papaya |
Lunch | Jowar (sorghum)-wheat roti + masoor (red lentil) palak (spinach) + a few cherry tomatoes |
Evening | Fruit yoghurt |
Dinner | Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 2, Day 7
Breakfast | Boiled eggs or besan chilla |
Mid-morning | Khandvi with chutney |
Lunch | Paneer pulao with pumpkin soup |
Evening | Pista (pistachio)-paneer (cottage cheese) pudding |
Dinner | Methi matar malai with paneer (cottage cheese) pulao |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 3, Day 1
Breakfast | Homemade ragi (finger millet) cake with milk |
Mid-morning | Chopped guava |
Lunch | Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of tomato + hand pounded rice |
Evening | Anjeer (fig)-walnut ladoo |
Dinner | Rajma (kidney bean) chawal with tomato soup |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 3, Day 2
Breakfast | Mint parathas with date-tomato chutney + chikoo (sapota) milkshake |
Mid-morning | Boiled chana (chickpea) chaat |
Lunch | Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber + hand pounded rice |
Evening | Plain dahi (curd) with a fruit of choice (except pomegranate and grapes) |
Dinner | Tofu bhurji with jowar (sorghum)-wheat roti and grated carrot raita |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 3, Day 3
Breakfast | Scrambled eggs or paneer (cottage cheese) ladoo + anjeer (fig) milkshake |
Mid-morning | Murmura (puffed rice) sev |
Lunch | Chole paratha and pumpkin soup |
Evening | Chopped mango |
Dinner | Pongal with vegetable soup |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 3, Day 4
Breakfast | Bajra (pearl millet) roti with milk |
Mid-morning | Stewed pear -chopped |
Lunch | Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber + hand pounded rice |
Evening | Crushed khakhara with milk |
Dinner | Thalipeeth with white butter and buttermilk |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 3, Day 5
Breakfast | Apple kheer + carrot paratha |
Mid-morning | 2-3 mathris |
Lunch | Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of boiled beetroot + hand pounded rice |
Evening | Banana milkshake |
Dinner | Bajra (pearl millet)-wheat roti with dal methi |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 3, Day 6
Breakfast | Dalia (broken wheat) |
Mid-morning | Sprouted moong (green gram) chaat |
Lunch | Jowar (sorghum)- wheat roti + masoor (red lentil) palak (spinach) + a few cherry tomatoes |
Evening | Phirni |
Dinner | Pudina (mint) paratha with lauki (bottle gourd) soup |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 3, Day 7
Breakfast | Omelette or besan chilla with bread and butter |
Mid-morning | Papaya |
Lunch | Paneer (cottage cheese) pulao with pumpkin soup |
Evening | Ragi (finger millet) satva |
Dinner | Sabudana (sago) khichdi with cucumber raita |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 4, Day 1
Breakfast | Omelette or besan chilla with bread and butter |
Mid-morning | Any melon |
Lunch | Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of tomatoes + hand pounded rice |
Evening | Date-peanut ladoo |
Dinner | Vegetable soup with grilled chicken / paneer (cottage cheese) and vegetable sandwich |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 4, Day 2
Breakfast | Vegetable upma made with buttermilk |
Mid-morning | Chikoo (sapota) |
Lunch | Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber + hand pounded rice |
Evening | Mixed fruit juice |
Dinner | Palak (spinach)-moong dal (green gram split) muthias |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 4, Day 3
Breakfast | Boiled egg + banana milkshake |
Mid-morning | |
Lunch | Chole and paratha with pumpkin soup |
Evening | Guava juice with chaat masala |
Dinner | Dal khichdi with lotus stem soup |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 4, Day 4
Breakfast | Thalipeeth with white butter and buttermilk |
Mid-morning | Oats muffin |
Lunch | Missi roti with chicken or paneer (cottage cheese) curry and vegetable raita |
Evening | Ragi (finger millet) ladoo |
Dinner | Paneer (cottage cheese) paratha with coriander- drumstick soup |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 4, Day 5
Breakfast | Sprouted moong (green gram)-oats cutlet with homemade date-tomato-mint chutney |
Mid-morning | Fresh coconut barfi |
Lunch | Multigrain roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of boiled beetroot + hand pounded rice |
Evening | Khandvi with chutney |
Dinner | Mixed vegetable soup or chicken broth with vegetable paratha and curd |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 4, Day 6
Breakfast | Homemade ragi (finger millet) cake with milk |
Mid-morning | Pumpkin soup with toast |
Lunch | Jowar (sorghum)-wheat roti + masoor (red lentil) palak (spinach) + a few cherry tomatoes |
Evening | Wheat pancakes with grated carrots |
Dinner | Ragi (finger millet)-tomato soup with rajma (kidney bean) chawal |
Diet for a 17-month-old – Week 4, Day 7
Breakfast | Mint paratha with date-tomato chutney + chikoo (sapota) milkshake |
Mid-morning | Pear and papaya chaat |
Lunch | Paneer (cottage cheese) pulao with pumpkin soup |
Evening | Grilled paneer (cottage cheese) with pudina (mint) chutney |
Dinner | Roti + dal + a sabzi of choice + a few slices of cucumber + hand pounded rice |
Video: 17 Month Old Baby Food Recipes
Food Recipes For 17 Months Old Baby
While dinner ideas amongst many other meal options might be easy to come up with, snacks can get quite tricky and repetitive after a few weeks. Here are a few interesting snacks recipes that you can try for your toddler.
1. Toast with Avocado
Fats are essential for kids and including avocado in his diet through this recipe can make sure he gets the right amount of it. So, try this tasty recipe for your baby.
Ingredients
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cheese
- Whole wheat bread
- Banana
- Avocado
How To Prepare
- Take an avocado and separate the seed. Mash the fruit properly in a bowl so that it forms a creamy paste.
- Add some salt and pepper to it to enhance the flavour.
- Toast the slices of bread and arrange them on a plate. Spread the avocado mashed mix on the slices. Add banana pieces over it and shred some cheese on top.
2. Banana Oatmeal
Breakfast time is the perfect time to ensure that a child gets the most of nutrients. This recipe can provide enough fibre and vitamins in a single go, as well as keep your child satisfied for a long duration.
Ingredients
- Cinnamon
- Bananas, chopped
- Almond milk
- Water
- Oats
How To Prepare
- Cook oats in a pan. Make use of water or even almond milk as a base for it. Stir the oats intermittently so that they are cooked properly.
- Once the oats are softened, add cinnamon powder to enhance its taste.
- Turn off the flame and let it cool.
- Transfer it to a bowl and mix some banana pieces in it and the dish is ready!
3. Mediterranean Salad
A toddler may not show much interest in eating salad but if you garnish it with cheese, he sure will eat it. Try this salad recipe for your baby.
Ingredients
- Cheese
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Coriander
- Black olives
- Tomato
- Bell pepper
- Onion
- Vinegar
- Olive oil
- Quinoa, cooked
How To Prepare
- Dice the vegetables in small pieces and put them in a bowl.
- Take a pan and add olive oil to it. Put onions, bell pepper, tomatoes, and coriander and sauté them.
- Add these vegetables with cooked quinoa in a large bowl and garnish with cheese.
4. Tasty Risotto
When looking for a dish that is light on flavour and heavy on nutrition, go with this choice.
Ingredients
- Cheese
- Lemon juice
- Butter
- Frozen peas
- Carrots
- Vegetable stock
- Rice
- Olive oil
- Spring onion
How To Prepare
- In a pan, add butter and spring onions, and saute them until they soften.
- Add peas and rice and cook it well. Follow up with the vegetable stock, and stir it until it is absorbed fully. Add more stock thereafter till the rice softens. Cover the pan with a lid.
- Once the rice is cooked, grate cheese over it and serve fresh.
5. Pumpkin Dip
Not only will this add great flavour to your snack, but it is a great source of vitamin A as well.
Ingredients
- Lemon
- Pepper
- Salt
- Pumpkin, canned
How To Prepare
- Make pumpkin puree and add pepper, salt to it.
- You can also add a few drops of lemon.
- Serve with digestive cookies or even various fruits.
Feeding Tips
Feeding your toddler won’t be a difficult task anymore if you keep the following tips in mind.
- Let your child handle plastic cutlery by himself.
- Allow judicious meal times for your kid to eat calmly.
- Focus on trying out variety instead of finishing the food.
- Keep the diet balanced at all times.
- Talk to your doctor before introducing a new item.
- Make sure your kid drinks water after a meal.
- Use colourful bowls to make the food look appealing.
- Cut fruits and foods into tiny pieces when giving it to your baby.
- Don’t let your kid eat without your supervision.
- Don’t scold your kid if he spits out any food he doesn’t like.
Meals always constitute a larger portion of your child’s food but snacks for 17-month-old baby are what tend to do the trick many times. Offering a variety can help your kid warm up to food items he hated earlier and you never know he may start eating them.
Disclaimer:
- Each child is different and so use these meal plans as a trusted guide as per your discretion. You can modify the meals according to your child’s preferences / requirements.
- Never force-feed a child.
- While preparing formula, please follow the instructions on the box and use the measuring spoon provided with it.
- While introducing solid food to a baby, initially, one needs to prepare watery gruels/soups. As a child gets older, the caretaker/ mother has to increase the thickness of the liquids slowly according to the child’s capacity to swallow. Foods that are too thick can cause stomach upset/ unnecessary load; while excessively watery food might cause the child to remain hungry.
- Some kids may eat less on some days and that is absolutely alright. However, if a child eats less for more than 3-4 consecutive days, please visit a doctor to guide further.
- A child may eat less during the teething phase or if he/she may not be feeling well. You could increase breast milk /formula feeds on those days. Re-introduce the foods once the child is back to normal.
- Don’t stop feeding if the child is suffering from diarrhoea.
- You can alter the taste of the food by adding some natural flavours like cinnamon, jeera powder, lemon juice, curry leaves etc. if the child doesn’t accept the food initially.
- If your child suffers from an allergy to nuts, gluten or eggs, please consult your doctor before feeding him/her any foods that may contain them.