One predictable battleground during the toddler years is the dinner table. As the rapid growth rate of the first year to 18 months begins to slow, your child's appetite will also decrease. This fact, combined with the natural contrariness of the toddler, means that you are likely to be concerned at times over how little your child is eating. But if you force him to eat, you'll both lose the battle. He'll lose his pleasure in eating, and his appetite will decrease even further. Once you have presented your youngster with the right foods in the right quantities, your job is done. Now it's up to him to decide what, and how much, to consume.

Thankfully, by a year of age, she should be able to eat most of the foods you eat. Always be careful to dice your baby's foods into half-inch chunks, and don't give her anything smaller that she might inhale or choke on, such as grapes and popcorn. For the same reason, you should also steer clear of stringy foods such as celery and citrus fruits. A piece of food that gets lodged in a lung can cause wheezing or coughing that's easily mistaken for a cold or asthma.

Don't make the mistake of overwhelming your child with adult portions. Start small so he can get a feeling of accomplishment by finishing what's been served. You can always give your baby more if he's still hungry. Here are your toddler's basic daily nutritional requirements:

Milk: two to three cups per day.

Fruits: two to three tablespoons per day.

Vegetables: two to three tablespoons per day.

Breads, cereals, and pasta: four servings per day. A serving equals one-quarter to one-half slice of bread, a tablespoon of cereal, a few pieces of pasta.

Protein: one ounce of protein containing food such as cooked dried beans or other pulses.

Your growing baby will get all the fat she needs if she's drinking whole milk. There's no harm in adding a little butter or pure ghee to her vegetables if your little one seems to like it, but she doesn't need it.

Sugar adds nothing of value to the diet nutritionally. And since it may prevent your child from learning to enjoy the natural flavors of food, it's better to avoid it altogether. Sugary foods also promote tooth decay. And don't give your child honey until after his first birthday: It may contain botulism spores that can be poisonous.

The serving sizes above are minimum requirements. Chances are your baby will eat more-and you should, of course, let her. You can also expect some variation from day to day-more bread one day, more fruit the next. But always offer the five food groups daily; it's an easy way to ensure that your little one is getting everything her growing body needs.