1 year / 12 month old feeding schedule: Food chart, formula, breastmilk

Happy first birthday! Now that your baby is 12 months, you may be wondering how their eating habits will evolve as solid foods take on a bigger role in meeting their nutritional needs. The good news is that you don’t have to make sudden changes all at once! Keep reading for all you need to know about working through this transition.

1 year old baby sample feeding schedule

Many babies at this age are slowly transitioning from bottles and nursing to additional solid food meals. Additionally, many families choose to incorporate or alternative milks into their child’s diet at this age. 

Sometimes this can make a feeding schedule feel somewhat tricky, but the following example can give you an idea of how an updated eating schedule with an emphasis on solids may look at 12 months. Remember, this is just one example schedule — it’s always important to do what’s best for your family. 

How much to feed a 1 year: Food chart

At 12 months, your toddler can start depending on solid foods to get the nutrition they need to grow. Many families move away from bottles and toward, including roughly and two snacks per day.

12 month sample feeding chart

6 tips for feeding your 1 year old baby

Tip #1: Transition from liquid feeds to solid foods

• Your baby has relied on formula or breast milk for the majority of their nutrition up to this point. However, at 1 year old, solid foods should start making up most of their diet. This often means switching out bottles and nursing sessions for solid food snacks.

• Breastfeeding continues to offer benefits for as long as you and your child wish to continue. That said, expect nursing sessions to slowly decrease as well, with most nutrition coming from solid foods. Follow your little one’s cues and take it slow.

Tip #2: Know your alternatives to milk 

• Many families choose to transition to cow’s milk around this time as it is an easy and affordable source of important nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, and protein. However, you do not need to serve cow’s milk if you do not want to. You can obtain the same nutrients from other foods or non-dairy milk alternatives. 

• When choosing a non-dairy milk alternative check the nutrition label and if possible, choose one that is pasteurized, fortified with calcium and vitamin D, and does not contain added sugars []. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against serving raw milk (especially to children under 5) due to the risk of illness [].

• It’s also important to note that many non-dairy milks are lower in protein and fat than cow’s milk, so these nutrients will need to be obtained elsewhere. For all types of milk, intake should be about 16 oz a day [].

Tip #3: Start to wean from the bottle

• The American Academy of Pediatrics [] recommends beginning to wean your baby off of using a bottle around 12 months for optimal dental health. If you haven’t already, introduce an open cup or a straw cup. 

Tip #4: Respect hunger and fullness cues

• You may start to notice your child is eating less now — and that’s completely normal! Their rate of growth is much slower now than in the first year of life. The best thing you can do is to respect their hunger and fullness cues.

• Your child will likely now express their hunger and fullness with sounds and gestures like pointing to food when hungry or throwing food off of their tray when they are full. 

Tip #5: Continue to offer a variety of foods

• While you may be pretty settled into a feeding routine now, and your little one may already have some favorite foods, continue to offer a range of foods (more on here). This helps ensure they are meeting their nutritional needs and variety can help prevent some picky eating tendencies. 

Tip #6: Encourage utensil use.

• Around 12 months of age is a great time to start incorporating utensils into your little one’s mealtimes if you haven’t already. Don’t be surprised if your 12 month old insists on doing it themselves right from the start, complete with a side of giggles and a little mess. 

Night feedings at 1 year old

By the time your little one turns one, night feedings are typically no longer necessary. Setting your child up for a full night of sleep starts during the day:

• Make sure they’re getting sufficient calories from solid foods and milk.

• Give them lots of opportunities to move, explore, and play in ways that match their .

• Consistent help your child transition more smoothly from play to sleep

Common feeding challenges for 1 year olds

Mealtimes at one can feel like a circus of independence. Your child is learning they have a say in what goes in their mouth, when, and how, which can make feeding a thrilling mix of curiosity and chaos.

Common twists you might see:

• Appetite swings that seem to follow no rhyme or reason

• Fierce loyalty to one favorite food one day, then dramatic rejection the next

• Tiny hands experimenting with spoons, forks, and finger foods

• Short attention spans that send them exploring or trying to stand mid-bite

• Insistence on doing it themselves, even when help is needed

• Resistance to transitioning away from bottles or nursing sessions

Some toddlers cling to the familiarity of bottles or nursing, and that’s completely normal. Reassure your little one about the transition by offering a variety of cup options, involving your toddler in choosing their “big kid” cup, and gradually replacing one bottle or nursing session at a time with a snack or solid meal. Patience is key!

Takeaway

• It's a time of transition: Feeding a 12 month old is exciting and full of changes for your newly minted one year old.

• Solid foods become primary nutrition source: Children at this age are adjusting to less liquid feeding and continue to experiment with new foods, flavors, and textures. Aim to gradually shift toward meeting your child’s nutritional needs primarily through solid foods.  

• It's collaborative: You're learning to respect your child’s appetite and doing your best to offer balanced meals featuring a variety of foods. It's not always easy, but it's helping your little one learn healthy eating habits.

If you’re curious about what lies ahead when it comes to feeding, check out a . Take a look back at how far you’ve come by revisiting a .