Feeding Tips for Toddlers

By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian

Cottage cheese	2-4 Tbsp	1/4 cup	1/3 cup
Protein 2 servings	Age 1	Ages 2-3	Ages 4-5
Fish, beef, poultry & pork	1 oz	1.5 oz	2 oz
Cooked peas, lentils, tofu & beans	1/4 cup	1/3 cup	1/2 cup
Eggs	1	1	1
Vegetables 3-4 servings	Age 1	Ages 2-3	Ages 4-5
Cooked vegetables	1/4 cup	1/3 cup	1/2 cup
Fresh vegetables, chopped	2-3 Tbsp	1/4 cup	1/3 cup
Vegetable juice	1/4 cup	1/4 cup	1/4-1/2 cup
Fruits 2-3 servings	Age 1	Ages 2-3	Ages 4-5
Canned or frozen fruit	1/4 cup	1/4 cup	1/2 cup
Fresh fruit, chopped	2-3 Tbsp	1/4 cup	1/3 cup
Fruit juice	1/4 cup	1/4 cup	1/2 cup

• Offer small portions, since it is always better to provide seconds if your child is still hungry.
• Trust your child's appetite if he is growing normally, has energy and is healthy. Never force your child to clean his plate. This can lead to unhealthy eating habits over time.
• Toddlers can be the world's pickiest eaters. Food jags are normal and common. Do not make a big deal about the foods she requests. Offer the requested food several times during the week, along with a variety of other foods. Never force your child to eat foods that are unwanted.
• Make mealtime fun and creative. Use a variety of colors, tastes, textures and temperatures.
• Offer your toddler the same foods you feed your family.
• Have your child sit at the dinner table with the family. Children learn by watching others.
• Purchase child-size spoons and forks. Children will gradually change from using their fingers, to using the spoon first and the fork later.
• Buy child-size plates with separate compartments. Some toddlers do not like when foods mix together.
• Offer finger foods when possible.
• Cut foods into bite size pieces.
• Respect your toddler's likes and dislikes. Gently encourage your toddler to try at least one bite of a new food. If the food is rejected today, offer it again next week. Research shows, that you may have to offer a new food 10-20 times before your child likes it.
• Offer foods in different forms. For example, a vegetable can be offered raw with a dip, in a salad, sauteed, steamed, roasted, sprinkled with cheese or an herb blend, or mixed into a soup, stew or casserole.
• Set a good example yourself. Your child will tend to like to eat the same foods you enjoy.
• Offer three regular meals and two to three planned snacks every day. Snack time should be at least two hours before the next mealtime so your child is hungry for meals. Do not allow continuous snacking throughout the day.
• Do involve your toddler in mealtime preparation. Young toddlers can wash fruits and vegetables, snap beans, tear lettuce, and peel bananas. Older toddlers can open packages, pour cereal, toss salads, make sandwiches, stir and mix, and set the table.
• Serve sweets and desserts occasionally as part of the meal. Do not make the sweet treat more desirable than other foods. Do not use foods to bribe, reward, or punish your child. This may lead to power struggles and perhaps lifelong inappropriate use of food. Try to use wholesome desserts, like custard, milk pudding, fruit in gelatin, and oatmeal cookies.