Ms Dawn SLPMs Dawn SLP
    •  (855) 252-9300
    •  hello@msdawnslp.com
  • Home
  • Services
    • Parents
    • Therapists
    • Brands
  • EventsEvent post type.
  • Blog
  • About
Back
  • Home
  • Services
    • Parents
    • Therapists
    • Brands
  • EventsEvent post type.
  • Blog
  • About
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Recipes & Food Ideas
  • Warm Beverages for Babies + Toddlers

Recipes & Food Ideas

21 Dec

Warm Beverages for Babies + Toddlers

  • By Ms. Dawn
  • In Recipes & Food Ideas

It’s getting cold outside, and it’s time to find some novel ways to keep mealtime fun! Here are some beverage ideas for babies and toddlers that will keep them warm and toasty while trying a few new tastes!

Babies

Developmentally, we start to teach open-cup drinking between 4-6 months of age and straw cup drinking between 9-15 months. During these stages of swallowing development, babies will need to try a variety of liquid temperatures (frozen, cold, room temperature) and especially warm ones during the winter months. Here are a few ideas to try with your little one:

Warm Breastmilk + Formula

Most of the families I work with only offer cold or room-temperature breastmilk (or formula) when introducing their baby to a cup. However, when learning to drink from an open cup or straw cup, some babies need to have sensory encouragement by changing up the temperature of the liquid.

Expert Tip

    The Tiny Cup is the cup I personally designed for ezpz. It’s made of 100% food-grade silicone, so it can safely serve warm beverages to your baby. In addition, the Tiny Cup is microwave safe, so you can quickly heat (or reheat) liquids when needed.

Warm Lemon Water

Since young babies should not drink water (due to the medical risk to their kidneys or swallowing difficulties with a thin liquid), I introduce water around 9-10 months of age. By then, their kidneys are fully developed, and they have had months of successful drinking with thicker liquids (e.g., breast milk, formula, fresh smoothies, and thin or thick purees). But water can get boring real fast for active babies, so changing-up the taste and temperature is key!

Expert Tip
    To make lemon water, all you have to do is squeeze the juice from one lemon wedge into the Tiny Cup and add an ounce of warm water. Ta-da! You have a cozy new drink to serve! This exposes your baby to an important new taste (sour) and can also help ease tender gums if the baby is teething.

Toddler

Developmentally, a toddler should be drinking independently from an open cup (with minimal spillage) around 12 months of age. And having a warm liquid treat can encourage them to practice their drinking skills. Here are two beverages to try with your tot:

Warm Vanilla Milk

Vanilla Milk Recipe

    My DIY vanilla milk recipe is simple and fast! Just warm up 3-4 oz of milk (soy or nut milk works too) on the stovetop or microwave. Add a few drops of vanilla and stir. Finish it off with a sprinkle of cinnamon and serve. *If you are concerned about a milk allergy, talk to your pediatrician before transitioning to cow milk.

Now that your baby is a toddler, you are adding whole cow milk to their diet. During this transition, parents often offer hot chocolate as the only warm milk option during cold weather. However, I like to encourage parents to try warm vanilla milk as an alternative to sugary hot chocolate.

Expert Tip

    You can buy vanilla milk and just heat it up, or you can make a homemade version. Be sure to place the vanilla milk in the ezpz Mini Cup and Straw Training System so your toddler can work on their straw drinking milestones! I designed this straw training system to have a: 1) training straw, 2) advanced straw, and 3) an open cup. It’s the perfect way to offer warm liquids to toddlers!

Chamomile or Mint Teas

Being Hispanic, I grew up with herbal teas common in Mexico and embedded in our culture. As a toddler, I was often given chamomile tea before bed to decrease night terrors and elicit sleep. Having a small “tea party” before bed became a common routine that I enjoyed and cherished.

Expert Tip

    This warm tea routine is a wonderful way to expose your toddler to an earthy or floral taste! All you need to do is boil a pot of tea using fresh mint or a chamomile tea bag. Let the tea cool, pour it into an ice cube tray, and place it in the freezer. Before bed, add a frozen tea cube, a squeeze of orange, and a few ounces of hot water to their cup. *Mint and chamomile teas are an herbal regimen commonly used across the globe with children. But it’s always a good idea to talk to your pediatrician before trying an herbal remedy.


Adding warm drinks to your mealtime rotation (or nighttime routine) can make new tastes and temperatures more fun for the whole family! So what are some warm beverages your family enjoys together?

Happy Feeding,
xo Ms. Dawn

P.S Use the code: BABY10 for 10% off ezpz products. And get this silicone ice cube tray and other essential baby and toddler feeding tools from my Amazon Store.

Tags:babytoddler
  • Share:
Ms. Dawn
MsDawnSLP is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. All information found on MsDawnSLP.com is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The information provided on this website is not intended to be a replacement or substitute for professional medical advice.

You may also like

Fall Trail Mix in ezpz mini bowl

Ms. Dawn’s 4-Ingredient Trail Mix Formula

  • August 30, 2023
  • by Ms. Dawn
  • in Recipes & Food Ideas
Are you in a snack rut with your child? My easy-to-follow, 4-Ingredient Trail Mix Formula will help!
Showing the different ways soup can be introduced to your baby
How to Offer Soup to Baby
January 23, 2023
Fruit & Veggie Smoothies for Babies
August 10, 2022
Herbs, Spices + Minced Veggies for BLW
June 28, 2022

Categories

  • Baby-Led Weaning Basics
  • Feeding Techniques & Skills
  • Picky Eaters
  • Recipes & Food Ideas
  • Safety & Development

Recent Posts

Baby-Led Oral Care: A New Approach in Pediatric Oral Health
12Oct,2023
Should You Start Solids at 4 Months or 6 Months?
01Sep,2023
Fall Trail Mix in ezpz mini bowl
Ms. Dawn’s 4-Ingredient Trail Mix Formula
30Aug,2023

Tags

activity allergy baby blw child development choking drinking feeding issues feeding therapy first foods fruit fussy baby gift high chair mom open cup ot pacifier parenting picky eater pumpkin sensory slp slpeeps soup spd starting solids straw toddler travel

Get in touch

(855) 252-9300

hello@msdawnslp.com

Useful Links

  • Home
  • About
  • Services for Parents
  • Services for Brands
  • Services for Therapists
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Store
  • Privacy Policy

Social Links

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Youtube

Newsletter

Join my newsletter for feeding tips, giveaways, my speaking schedule, and gear guides!

© Spectrum Speech & Feeding, LLC. | Website powered by Cutting Edge Concepts