Child Nutrition
Toddler Nutrition
What 1 to 4 year olds need, based on the Children's Food Pyramid: portion sizes, iron-rich meals, milk and drinks and vitamin D drops.
€17.99Buy
Child nutrition courses for busy Irish families
From toddler plates to school lunchboxes: practical courses that follow the Children's Food Pyramid and HSE advice for feeding children well.
- 5 courses
- Tools in every course
- Certificate included
Ireland has its own Children's Food Pyramid and Healthy Eating Guidelines for 1 to 4 year olds. Small tummies need small servings, so the HSE suggests 3 small meals and 2 to 3 healthy snacks a day. Children aged 1 to 2 need about 3 to 4 servings of cereals, breads and potatoes, 2 to 3 of vegetables, salad and fruit, 3 of milk, yogurt and cheese and 2 of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts; children aged 3 to 4 need a little more. Treat foods are for tiny amounts, once a week.
Iron needs attention. The HSE says about half of Irish 2-year-olds have low iron levels, and suggests red meat 3 times a week, an iron-fortified breakfast cereal most days and vitamin C foods alongside. For drinks, children under 2 should have full-fat milk, low-fat milk is fine from 2, and skimmed milk is not suitable under 5. Children aged 1 to 4 should have 5 micrograms of vitamin D a day from Halloween to St Patrick's Day.
Our child nutrition courses turn that advice into family meal plans, toddler portion guides, a new-food ladder for fussy eaters, an allergy-aware routine and a lunchbox builder. Since September 2025, hot school meals are offered in all primary schools, so the lunchbox course also helps with days when your child brings food from home.
All child nutrition courses
Child Nutrition
Healthy Lunchbox Planning
School lunches sorted four weeks at a time, with a mix-and-match builder, a shopping list and a check against your school's food rules.
€14.99Buy
Child Nutrition
Fussy Eating Strategies
No-pressure ways to widen what your child eats, with a new-food ladder, mealtime rules cards and a 7-day plan, in line with HSE advice.
€17.99Buy
Child Nutrition
Food Allergy Awareness for Parents
Calm allergy know-how for Irish families: label checks, written allergen info when eating out, creche and school forms and an emergency sheet.
€17.99Buy
Child Nutrition
Family Meal Planning
One week of family meals planned, shopped and batch-cooked, with one-meal-for-all tweaks for children of different ages and Food Pyramid balance.
€17.99Buy
Find the course for your child's age and need
- Toddler, 1 to 4: Toddler Nutrition covers servings, milk and drinks, iron, vitamin D and a daily meals and snacks planner.
- Fussy eater: Fussy Eating Strategies uses repeated tasting, a new-food ladder and calm mealtime rules.
- Feeding the whole family: Family Meal Planning shows how to adapt one meal for every age at the table.
- School days: Healthy Lunchbox Planning has a mix-and-match builder and a 4-week planner.
- Food allergy: Food Allergy Awareness for Parents covers the 14 allergens, reading labels, eating out and sharing information with the creche or school.
What the child nutrition tools do
- Toddler portion guide and daily planner: servings by shelf for small appetites, laid out across 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks.
- Food exposure tracker and new-food ladder: record each taste of a new food, because many children need repeated tries before they accept it.
- Lunchbox builder and 4-week planner: pick a starchy food, a protein, fruit or vegetables and a dairy food, then plan a month without repeats.
- Allergy tools: a 14 allergens checklist, label checking card, eating-out card and an information sheet for the creche or school.
- Family meal planner and shopping list: one plan and one list for the whole household.
When you eat out in Ireland, food businesses must give allergen information in writing. If a menu does not show it, ask to see the written allergen information before you order.
When to talk to your GP or public health nurse
Talk to your GP or public health nurse if your child:
- is losing weight, not growing as expected, or seems very tired or pale
- eats a very small range of foods and the list is getting shorter
- coughs, gags or chokes often when eating
- has a rash, swelling, vomiting or tummy pain after a particular food
Call 112 or 999 if your child has swelling of the lips, face or tongue, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or becomes floppy or pale after eating. Children under 8 can see a GP free of charge with a GP visit card.
Child nutrition courses: your questions
How much milk does a toddler need?
The Children's Food Pyramid suggests 3 servings a day from the milk, yogurt and cheese shelf for children aged 1 to 4. A serving of milk is 200ml. Too much milk can fill children up and leave less room for iron-rich foods.
Does my child need vitamin D drops?
The HSE recommends 5 micrograms a day for children aged 1 to 4 from Halloween to St Patrick's Day, and 10 micrograms a day for children aged 5 to 12 over the same months, or all year for children with darker skin or who get little sun.
Are plant drinks suitable for young children?
Oat, almond, coconut and rice drinks are not recommended as a main drink for young children. Unsweetened, calcium-fortified soya is only suggested for a diagnosed cow's milk allergy, with advice from your GP.
How many times should I offer a new food?
Keep offering it calmly alongside foods your child already likes. Many children need many tries, sometimes up to 15, before they accept a new food, which is why the courses use an exposure tracker.
Do children still need a lunchbox now that schools serve hot meals?
Hot school meals are available in all primary schools from September 2025, but not in secondary schools, and some children bring food on certain days. The lunchbox course helps whenever you pack one.
Are child health checks free?
Yes. Your public health nurse, GP or practice nurse carries out free health and development checks at set ages from birth to 5 years, and the GP visit card for children under 8 covers GP visits.
Official sources
One calmer mealtime this week
Pick the course for your child's age and try one planner or tracker at the next family meal.