12 Months+ 24-Hour Feeding Schedule
🕒 24-Hour Feeding Schedule for 12 Months+
Guiding Your Toddler’s Transition to Family Foods
At 12 months, your baby is officially a toddler! They can now enjoy more textured family foods, drink from a cup, and explore a wide variety of flavors. This stage is about building healthy habits, encouraging independence, and ensuring they get the right nutrients for continued growth and development.
✅ Feeding Guidelines (12–24 Months)
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Serve 3 balanced meals and 2–3 snacks daily
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Offer 2–3 servings of milk/dairy (or alternatives) per day
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Encourage self-feeding with fingers or child-safe utensils
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Provide a variety of foods: carbs, protein, fruits, vegetables, fats
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Keep meals consistent and predictable to build a routine
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Offer water regularly throughout the day
📅 Sample 24-Hour Feeding Schedule (12+ Months)
| Time | Activity | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 6:30 AM | Wake Up & Water | Offer water to start the day |
| 7:00 AM | Breakfast | Mashed or chopped bread + peanut butter, or oats porridge + banana slices + cup of milk (120–180 ml) |
| 9:30 AM | Snack | Ripe pawpaw, mango, or soft fruit + water |
| 12:00 PM | Lunch | Rice or mashed yam + kontomire stew with flaked fish or beans + vegetables + water |
| 1:00 PM | Nap Time | 1–2 hours of sleep |
| 3:00 PM | Snack | Small yoghurt or boiled ripe plantain + groundnut paste |
| 5:30 PM | Dinner | Banku + okro stew (mild), or soft eba with garden egg stew + avocado slice |
| 6:30 PM | Bath & Bedtime Routine | Wind-down activities with caregiver |
| 7:30 PM | Bedtime Milk Feed | ½–1 cup of warm milk (breastmilk, formula, or whole milk if approved) |
| 8:00 PM – 6:30 AM | Night Sleep | Toddlers may sleep through the night or wake once. Milk feeds at night can be gradually reduced. |
🥗 Portion Suggestions (Per Meal)
| Food Group | Toddler Portion |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | ¼ – ½ cup (e.g., rice, yam, oats) |
| Protein | 2–3 tablespoons (e.g., beans, egg, meat, fish) |
| Vegetables | 2–3 tablespoons (soft-cooked) |
| Fruits | 2–3 tablespoons or small slices |
| Milk/Dairy | ½–1 cup per serving (2–3 times daily) |
| Healthy fats | 1 tsp added oil, avocado, or nut butter |
👩👧 Tips for 12–24 Months:
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Offer a mix of finger foods and spoon-fed meals
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Introduce family meals with less salt, no spice
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Let your toddler practice using a spoon and drinking from a cup
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Stay consistent, but don’t worry if appetite varies — toddlers self-regulate well
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Avoid choking hazards (whole nuts, popcorn, hard raw veggies)