A low-fat, high fibre food, for example, can prevent under-fives getting the maximum vitamins from their food - despite being highly recommended for a grown-up's diet.

Convenience foods
Frozen and chilled food is generally nutritionally sound. Food that's dehydrated or tinned may fill the stomach, but doesn't have the nutrition of fresh food. Dehydrated food has a great deal of salt, which will put strain on the kidneys of under-2s. Processed foods also have chemical colourings, flavourings and preservatives, the effect of which is unknown.

Avoid sweetened drinks
They're bad for your baby's teeth and give her a taste for overly sweet things. Even those labelled 'no added sugar' contain enough fruit-sugar to harm the teeth. If she's thirsty, boiled cooled water is best. If she's hungry between meals, she can still have a bottle of milk.

Calories that count
Many foods are sold as 'low calorie' and restricting calorie intake is common among adults. Low calorie foods are not suitable for toddlers. They need extra calories to fuel their growth.

Avoid sweetened breakfast cereals and salty chips. Give her complex carbohydrates, like bananas, bread or pasta, to fill her up and give her enough energy to keep going. Toddlers eat little and often. As well as eating 3 times a day with you, she'll also need nutritious snacks to keep her going between meals.