What should my toddler be eating (with photos!)

Last week on the blog I wrote about how much your toddler should be eating, the main point of that post was:

1. Offer your child a meal or snack every 3 hours starting with breakfast.

2. At each meal provide at least 2 food groups + milk.

3. Let your child decide how much to eat from what you serve.

Today I want to show some photos of real meals toddlers are served at daycares.

Part of my job is to review daycares to ensure they are following state and federal guidelines around food.

Daycare meals are a great reference point for parents because

• they are easy to prepare

• they are low cost

• they contain simple foods most kids like

• daycares are required by law to serve the appropriate serving size for toddlers

The photos aren't the prettiest, but they are real life and they will give you an idea of how much to start with when feeding your toddler:

Breakfast: 1/2 cup cereal, 1/4 cup pears, milk on the side

Breakfast: 1/4 cup mixed berries, 1/2 slice french toast + milk on the side

Lunch: 1/2 hamburger, chopped up + 1/2 bun + 1/4 cup mixed veggies + 1/4 cup chopped peaches

Lunch: 1/4 cup fruit + 1/4 cup green beans + 1 oz chicken nuggets chopped up + milk on the side

Lunch: 1/4 cup sloppy joe meat + 1/2 slice whole wheat bread + 1/4 cup carrots + 1/4 cup peaches + milk on the side

2 year old meal: 1/4 cup cucumbers, 1/4 cup mixed fruit, 2 nuggets, 1/2 cup milk

Same meal for 1 year old: 1 nugget, 1/8 cup cucumbers, 1/8 cup fruit

Dinner: 1/4 cup chopped grapes, 1/4 cup mixed veggies, 1/2 cup casserole with rice, meat + cheese, milk on the side

Here's a blog post that has much prettier photos of toddler appropriate serving sizes, see link in photo caption below:

https://www.mjandhungryman.com/recommended-toddler-serving-sizes-with-visuals/

If you are on Instagram, check out kids.eat.in.color This registered dietitian has PERFECT tips for feeding kids. Here she focuses on appropriate serving sizes for babies and toddlers. Takeaway: start small and give more if they ask!

Here's another post from another Registered Dietitian on instagram: mylittleeater, notice how the portion size varies depending on what your child needs that day! Remember, start small and give your child more if they ask for more!

Here's another post by that same dietitian:

This shows you an entire day. Offer food every 3 hours starting with breakfast. Give a small portion and add more if they ask for more.

Again, the main point here is:

• Have a meal or snack every 3 hours

• At each meal/snack provide 3-4 different food groups

• Start small, 1 Tablespoon per age

• Add more if your child wants more

• Make sure you sit down to eat with your child and eat the same thing they eat!

If you are on Instagram, I highly encourage you to follow kids.eat.in.color

Thanks for reading!

Happy eating!