Question – Constipation and increasing fibre in the diet My three-year-old son Jordan eats well but he is prone to constipation. He eats the recommended amounts of fruit and vegetables, and we encourage wholegrain bread and breakfast cereal. We are not keen on brown rice or pasta. We would like to try more beans and lentils but they seem like a lot of work – any easy ideas for these or other high-fibre foods I haven’t thought of? Answer: Some children are more prone to constipation, just as some adults are, and this is certainly not an unusual problem for young children. You are obviously encouraging a healthy diet for…

Question – How to make the most of snacking I am not really a huge fan of snacking but here in the US it is virtually a national pastime. Isobel rarely looks for snacks but if she does I do give her something. However, I have recently noticed that when she has no snack, she tends to go nuts as soon as I start her tea or lunch. Should I be offering her a set snack at a set time? Answer: As with many adults, it usually depends on how long the break is between meals – most youngsters will need some food every few hours to keep them as…

Question – Safety of alcohol in cooking I am planning to cook a stew for the family and the recipe calls for half a bottle of red wine – is this safe for my 11-month-old daughter (of course the stew would be mashed or chopped) or will the alcohol be a problem? Answer: It is commonly thought that all the alcohol ‘burns off’ or evaporates if it is added while food is being cooked, leaving just the flavour, but a study by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Nutrient Data Laboratory found that this is not the case – the amount of alcohol remaining in the food varied from 5%…

Question – How to add variety in my fussy son’s diet? My son, age 11 months, has turned out to be a bit of a fussy eater. For instance, one taste of a meal with garlic in it and he spits it up and he is not that keen on tomato based dishes… this is annoying to say the least, as a lot of our favourite meals include garlic and tomatoes. However, he does love potatoes, meat and most vegetables… just plain, plain, plain. He’s not a fan of cheese either (a bit grated mixed in he’ll eat). He does like barley e.g. the beef and barley pot supper or…

Question – Advice for an anaemic toddler? My son turned two last month and I just got the shock of my life last week as I’ve been told he’s slightly anaemic. He usually eats quite well but has seemed extra tired lately and is getting colds all the time, so I took him to the doctor. The doctor gave him a supplement and said to give him less milk (he does drink a lot) and plenty of red meat and bring him back for another test in a month or so. And now a friend has told me that being low in other vitamins and minerals can also make people…

Question – How much protein for a 9-12-month-old I know I seem to be so obsessed about this issue, but I’d like to find out how much protein a baby should take daily. I am getting a bit confused, because suggested amounts vary significantly between different sources. For example, Gina suggests 50 g meat a day to meet a 9-12-month-old baby’s daily protein needs in The Contented Little Baby Book of Weaning (p102), but in The Contented Child’s Food Bible it says babies between 7 mths and 3 yrs should take 5 portions (each 3 g) of protein, milk included. So, total daily amount is 15 g, and if baby…