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Healthy Eating & Nutrition Allergies

Nutrition for Toddlers with Food Allergies

About the Author
by Gerber Baby Experts

3 min read
Toddler (12+ months)

About 8% of children (1-18 years old) have a food allergy. The most common food allergies are milk, eggs, peanut, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish and sesame. The only treatment approach for food allergies is to avoid the food altogether.

When a toddler is allergic to a food, such as cow’s milk, it must be removed from their diet. This means no milk or any food made with milk. Some toddlers are allergic to more than one food allergen. This can make choosing foods to offer to your toddler more challenging. Removing certain foods from their diet can raise the risk of them not getting enough nutrients. Thankfully, this can be prevented with careful planning and the help of a Registered Dietitian.

When your toddler has food allergies, it’s important to plan for safe foods containing key nutrients for growth. The table below shows some of these key nutrients for toddlers and gives ideas for other ways to get these nutrients into your child’s diet. Remember to prepare them in a way that is appropriate for your Toddler’s development.

 

If you're avoiding.. Make sure your toddler gets enough.. Try these instead:
Cow's Milk

Calcium

 

Vitamin D

 

Protein

 

 

Fortified soymilk and alternative milks. Calcium fortified orange juice, tofu, salmon, kale, bok choy, broccoli, ready-to-eat cereals.

Salmon, tuna, Vitamin D-fortified orange juice and milk alternatives like soymilk, ready-to-eat cereals, regular and Vitamin D-fortified eggs. Ask your doctor about a vitamin D dietary supplement.

Plant-based milk alternatives like oat, soy, rice, coconut and almond. Look for unsweetened versions that are fortified with calcium and vitamin D. Ask your doctor or a registered dietitian if you have questions about finding a nutritious plant-based milk for your child.

 
Eggs Protein

Yogurt, milk and other dairy products, lean meats, beans, soy products.
Peanuts and Tree Nuts

Vitamin E and healthy fats

 

Protein

Plant oils, sunflower seeds, ready-to-eat cereals, boiled spinach, avocado, broccoli.

 

 

Egg, milk, cheese, yogurt, lean meats, beats, tofu, seeds.
Wheat

B Vitamins, Magnesium

 

Iron

 

Zinc

Other wheat-free grains such as amaranth, buckwheat, millet, oats, teff, quinoa, fortified rice based cereals, enriched rice.

 

Beef, poultry, tofu, lentils, beans, spinach, molasses.

 

Beans, lean meats, shellfish, yogurt, milk.

Parents of toddlers with food allergies should get nutritional counseling from a Registered Dietitian to help with meal planning, dining out, reading labels and vitamin or mineral supplements. The child’s growth should also be monitored regularly as children with an allergy to cow’s milk or multiple food allergies are at higher risk for growth problems.

The ingredient list on the food label is your best bet for determining foods that are safe for your child. If there isn’t a food label, you should ask the company who makes the food about ingredients directly. Manufacturers are required to list the top nine food allergens—milk, soy, eggs, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, and sesame—on package labels in the ingredient statement. Manufacturers may add a qualifying statement on the product package warning you of the possibility that it may have come in contact with other allergens, such as “this product was made in a facility that also produces peanuts.” In this case, or when in doubt about any ingredient, avoid serving your toddler the food, as there is a real risk for an allergic reaction. Discuss their diet with a Registered Dietitian if you have any questions on what foods are appropriate for your child to eat.

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