Grocery shopping for the ingredients for healthful meals for your baby or toddler isn’t the easiest task. The following list contains perishable and nonperishable foods you’ll want to have on hand, so you can take care of the essentials in one fell swoop.
Don’t serve the foods with stars to kids under age 1. For two stars, wait until age 2.
| Nonperishable foods | Nonperishable foods | Perishable foods | Perishable foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broth, reduced sodium, chicken or beef | Oil, olive and vegetable | American cheese, slices | Milk, whole (for children age 1 or older) |
| Cheerios | Pasta, assorted | Bread, whole wheat | Mozzarella cheese sticks (string cheese) |
| Cinnamon | Peanut butter** | Butter, not margarine | Mozzarella cheese, shredded |
| Flour, all purpose and whole wheat | Pepper | Cheddar cheese, shredded | Parmesan cheese, grated |
| Fruit, dried (chewy fruits are best, such as dried apricots) | Pizza sauce | Eggs | Soy sauce |
| Honey* | Raisins | English muffins | Tortillas, wheat or flour |
| Jelly or jam, low sugar | Rice cakes | Fruits, assorted and fresh, including apples, avocados, bananas, pears, strawberries*, tomatoes | Vegetables, assorted and fresh, including broccoli, carrots, lettuce, and squash (summer or winter varieties) |
| Maple syrup | Rice, brown | Ketchup | Yogurt, full fat and varied flavors |
| Mustard, dry ground | Rolled oats | Mayonnaise, full fat | |
| Nonstick cooking spray | Salt | ||
| Nuts, assorted* (For peanuts, wait until age 2.) | Sunflower seeds |
