13 - 18 month old baby feeding schedule: How much should they eat?

After your baby’s first birthday, it’s full speed ahead into toddlerhood! And with that, may come rapidly developing eating skills. Your child can likely now eat most foods, experiment more with utensils and open cups, and make their likes and dislikes known. Keep reading for all you need to know about feeding your 13 - 18 month old toddler.

13 - 18 month old sample feeding schedule

Around 13 months old, your toddler may still be in transition from liquid feedings to more solid food meals. Keep at it! By about 15 months, your child may be eating three meals and two snacks on most days. You may continue to nurse if you wish, but the goal is still for nutrition to come mostly from food, so consider limiting nursing sessions if they are interfering with your little one wanting solids. If your child is drinking cow's or other non-dairy milk, they should drink about 16 oz a day. 

Below are example schedules based on how often your toddler naps (once or twice a day). can go hand-in-hand, so it’s important to make your family rhythm work for you! Consider this feeding schedule a friendly suggestion. Mix it, match it, or mold it to fit your little one’s needs.

Sample feeding schedule for a 1-nap schedule

Sample feeding schedule for a 2-nap schedule

How much to feed a 13 - 18 month old: Food chart

Toddlers at this age typically rely on solid foods to get the nutrition they need to grow. It’s recommended to gradually move away from bottles and toward and snacks, usually and two snacks per day. 

13 - 18 month feeding chart 

5 tips for feeding your 13 - 18 month old toddler

Tip #1: Be aware of appetite changes

• Your child’s rate of growth slows by a lot after they turn one year old. This means they need less energy (food) overall to support growth and development.

• So while it may feel like your child is eating way less than normal (and maybe they are!), it’s usually OK. They are just adjusting their intake according to their body’s needs. (However, if you are concerned about your child’s eating, check in with their healthcare provider.)

Tip #2: Learn to deal with picky eating

• Most toddlers will go through some sort of phase and that’s perfectly normal! Taking it in stride will help ensure your kiddo grows out of this phase. Overall, keep serving foods even if they don’t eat them and avoid becoming a short-order cook as much as possible to encourage long-term healthy eating habits.

• When possible, serve a “safe” food (one they like and are familiar with) at every meal alongside newer foods. Trust your child to eat when they are ready. 

Tip #3: Follow the division of responsibility

• Toddlers love to make their opinions known. This can lead to power struggles at mealtime. Defuse them quickly with the words: “You don’t have to eat it if you don’t want to.” This simple phrase follows the division of responsibility, a practice that gives mealtime “jobs” to the parent/caregiver and to the child.

• The parent/caregiver decides what is being served, when it will be served, and where it will be served. The child decides if they will eat it and how much. Plus, that predictability is helpful for their development! []

Tip #4: Practice utensils and cup use 

• Many kids eat with their hands well into the toddler years, especially for foods that are more difficult to eat with a utensil.

• It's a good habit to provide a utensil and cup for meals and snacks so they can practice. Model how to use them and praise them for trying. 

Tip #5: Be conscious of beverage choices

• Along with plain water, 13 - 18 month olds can drink cow’s milk or unsweetened milk alternatives, at around 16 oz per day []. These drinks provide the hydration and nutrition toddlers need.

• It's worth mentioning that many non-dairy milk alternatives contain less protein and fat compared to cow's milk, which means you'll have to source these nutrients from other food sources if you offer non-dairy milk alternatives [].

• If serving fruit juice, limit to 4 oz of 100% fruit juice a day []. 

Night feedings at 13 - 18 months old

Night feedings are typically not needed for 13 - 18 months olds. To support restful sleep, focus on offering sufficient calories during the day and offering plenty of opportunities for physical activity. If dinner is served early or you find your child is genuinely hungry at bedtime (not just stalling!), a small bedtime snack about 30 minutes before bed may help. Aim for a mix of protein and carbohydrates, such as crackers with peanut butter, fruit and cheese sticks, or yogurt. 

If your child begins waking more frequently at night at this age, it may help to know that some children experience a period of sudden disrupted sleep at this age, often referred to as the.” These changes aren’t usually a sign that feedings are needed again. Instead, this period of bumpy sleep is usually due to increased mobility, new independence or other development.

Common feeding challenges at 13 to 18 months old

Between 13 to 18 months, little ones are culinary adventurers with strong opinions and even stronger curiosity. Meals become an experimentation stage: peas might be inspected, then launched across the high chair tray, while bites of bread are nibbled. The world beyond the plate (siblings, pets, toys, the floor) often seems more compelling than the fork in their hand. Yesterday’s favorite snack can suddenly become today’s enemy. And can lead to laughter during mealtimes and scrubbing the floors afterwards. While frustrating, this messy exploration is part of typical toddler development. Offering choices without pressure and tapping into your goofy side, too, can help ease the stress that may come alongside the mess.

Takeaway

• Daily intake: At 13 - 18 months, it's recommended to move toward and snacks each day, which may look like and two snacks per day. 

• Appetite changes are normal: Your little one may eat less now and that's OK. They’re adjusting their intake to match their body’s needs. This is a great thing! They are leaning into trusting their hunger and fullness cues – a wonderful skill to have as they grow.

• Power struggles may pop up at meal times: As your child enters toddlerhood, they may be more eager to exert their newfound independence when it comes to what they eat. This is frustrating but normal. Know you’re not alone in this!

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 .