What to look out for as they grow!
By Jo Lenz (V&Me's paediatric dietitian)
&
Mulu (founder of V&Me)
Jo and I have worked together for over 4 years now and have 6 young children between us. We hope to offer you some evidence-based advice combined with "real world" experience with our little ones!
Click below to go to your tailored age specific advice!
...Or get specific support and advice from our team via:
The very first stage of weaning can be exciting and confusing in equal parts. They will be making a glorious mess and that's such a good thing! Learning to eat is no small task, they need to learn to control their hands, mouth, to move food around and to swallow...
So try not to worry too much if they are "slower" than you'd like to take to food! If you are still working on allergen introduction and simple flavours, you may benefit from using the final weeks of our weaning kit!
Ps. You can start offering water in open cups at meal time now.
My advice:
🥛 Solids vs Milk
Start off with 1 meal first (lunch) and smoothly move on to at least 2 meals a day to help them establish a good mealtime routine.
Milk is still important, but solids are now playing a bigger role in providing certain nutrients (think iron, iodine) they can't get from milk.
🥜 Allergens
If you’ve introduced the major allergens - great!
Keep including them regularly to build and maintain tolerance (especially nuts - as they are not served in the V&Me menu).
🍽 Texture
Begin with Smooth if you and your baby are still gaining confidence.
Once confident, move swiftly to our Lumpy meals and offer soft finger foods such as vegetable fingers or pieces of meat /fish alongside to encourage chewing skills and self feeding. Try to stay away from the "melts" and "straws" in supermarkets as they don't promote essential feeding skills and babies don't need those snacks at this age.
🧠 Learning Phase
It’s messy. It’s inconsistent. That’s normal. Let them explore, these skills come with time and repetition.
We’re not aiming for perfection. We’re helping them practise being a good eater.
Still not sure about something? Get specific support and advice from our team via:
At this stage, your baby’s starting to want more control. It will be tempting to only serve them finger foods as those are easier to eat (and clean up) but don't give into the temptation - now is the perfect time to start introducing cutlery! Also, remember babies under 10/12 months typically don't need any snacks despite what the supermarket shelves tell you!
"Texture texture texture" is my motto during this period. Think soup dipped with crusty bread, rice with curry... the more variety and the messier the better!
My advice:
🥄 Honing in self-feeding skills
They will probably be using their fists first, fingers later when self feeding. Messy, playful eating helps reduce fussiness later on. This is a great time to introduce cutleries if you haven't already. Pre-loaded spoons for those independent ones wanting more control, or just let them pick up the pieces from plate / table - what better exercise is there for pincer grip?!
🍗 No teeth? No problem.
Their gums are strong. Soft chicken chunks, flaked fish, tender veg are all fair game at this point.
😬 Not eating much? Don’t stress.
Babies are excellent at self-regulating over the course of a week.
Try cutting back on milk if meals feel skipped. Babies under 10 months rarely need snacks (milk is their snack).
🪑 Setup check:
Are they tired? Sick? Feet unsupported / dangling?
Small tweaks (like a rolled towel under the feet so they are supported) can make a big difference!
🔁 Routine changes matter
Starting nursery, travel, or teething can disrupt appetite for longer than you may think.
Try to stick with familiar mealtime rituals at home when possible - they really help!
Above all: keep offering without pressure.
Repetition matters and practice makes progress!
Still not sure about something? Get specific support and advice from our team via:
You're in toddler territory now. That means: more opinions and a few curve-balls coming your way!
If you are not sure about anything (texutre, portion, fussy eating -whatever it is!), don't be afraid to lean on the bespoke support we offer at V&Me. Hit us up on help@vandme.co.uk! (No such thing as stupid questions here)
My advice:
🧠 Separation of responsibilities
Let them decide. You choose what and when to feed them, they choose how much. Keep it low pressure.
🥕 Snack Smart
Snacks = mini meals. Think fruit + protein, not just puffs. Try toast + hummus, cheese + veg sticks, or a V&Me bake with fruit/veg. But keep the portions small and gaps consistent - if they graze throughout the day, they won't be hungry for main meals.
🥛 What About Milk?
From 12 months, you can offer ~350–400ml whole cow’s milk (or equivalent).
Be aware that too much can reduce appetite or cause constipation.
🍴 Transition to Fully Bite-Sized Food
Move on from mashed or lumpy textures to soft bite-sized meals by 12 months or so.
Chewing helps strengthen jaw muscles, which are important not just for eating but for speech development later on.
Typically children move on to the toddler portions around 12 months, but each child is different and we have seen people upgrade anywhere between 10-15 months.
Still not sure about something? Get specific support and advice from our team via:
This is the dreaded "fussy eating" phase! It is totally common for some toddlers to start dropping food they liked before.
But you can come out of this phase faster with this proven method! I've gone through this with my own children with Jo's tips and I hope this helps you too.
If you are just starting with us, it may be easier to choose different days each week so you get some "firm favourites" to ease them into the new routine. Just email help@vandme.co.uk and watch out for the weekly "Chef's recommendatoin" emails!
My advice:
🍲 Keep the portions small
70% of parents overestimate how much their toddlers need to eat! Just like their weight, children's appetite don't grow exponentially during toddlerhood. Always start with a small serving (1 tablespoons of each food group) and adjust accordingly.
🌈 Keep the Variety Alive and Pressure Low
Even if they fixate on a few favourites (dare I guess they are beige), keep offering different foods: vegetables, pulses, meat, fish - with spices and "green bits"... Exposure without pressure is what builds lasting habits.
💬 Try to keep the pressure at bay, talk about anything but food at dinner table and try not to stare at them and count every bite they've eaten! Children are very good at picking up our emotions and the pressure may only make things worse!
Most children won't starve themselves so keep an eye on the overall intake of the week - they are probably eating more than you think!
If you are staring with us during this phase, switch to a baby bite-sized portion and pair them with their liked foods. That way you can ensure they eat something while keeping up the exposure to variety.
Still not sure about something? Get specific support and advice from our team via:
However old your baby is - whether they’re just starting solids or asserting full on toddler opinions... some things stay the same!
🍽 You decide what and when, they decide if and how much
This is the golden rule. You provide the structure and the food.
They learn to listen to their own hunger and fullness.
Bear in mind young children get a lot of opportunities to eat throughout the day and they can easily fill up on milk and snack!
🧠 Repetition builds trust
Babies and toddlers need to see a food again and again (and again) before they might accept it.
Don’t give up after a few tries.
👀 Eat together when you can
They learn by watching you - what you eat, how you eat, how you react.
Shared mealtimes build skills and connection.
⏳ It’s a long game
Progress won’t always be linear. They might love broccoli one week, reject it the next.
What matters is showing up with good food, consistently and without pressure.
If you focus on variety, structure, and trust, the rest really does follow.
Still not sure about something? Get specific support and advice from our team via:
With all the recent news about high sugar in pouches, we know many of you are keen to make a change. Our paediatric dietitian Jo has shared some straightforward advice below to help you wean your little one off pouches. Trust us, it’s well worth it for their future health!
🌟 Why It’s Hard to Transition
Babies are born with a preference for sweet tastes, which makes sweet pouches naturally appealing. On top of that, pouches are ultra-smooth and easy to swallow, unlike the more varied textures found in homemade or V&Me meals.
📈 Start with Smooth
Start with V&Me’s smooth texture meals for an easier transition.
🏡 Side of Familiar: When offering something new, add a little bit of a tried-and-tested favourite on the side to help your baby feel secure.
💪 You’re Doing the Right Thing
Transitioning away from pouches is a fantastic investment in your child’s lifelong healthy eating habits.
⏰ Patience Pays Off
It can take around 28 days for new habits to settle in, so don’t worry if progress feels slow..
Still not sure about something? Get specific support and advice from our team via:
