How Much Should I Try to Have My Toddler Eat per Day?
Posted by: Alan in Nutrition For Toddler
The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommends that children age 1 to 3 years get about 40 calories per inch of height a day. This means that your 32-inch-tall toddler ideally should eat about 1,300 calories a day for normal growth and weight gain.
You should prepare balanced meals and healthy snacks for your toddler. Well balanced offerings, especially during snack time, will help you to overcome the inevitable lack of food intake during a meal. For example, if your toddler does not drink all of his milk at breakfast, give him cheese for a snack. If your toddler refuses to eat his meat at lunch, give him tofu bites dusted with Cheerio or Granola crumbs for a snack.
In these examples, while you may lament at the lack of calcium and protein intake during breakfast and lunch, you have taken the opportunity to “make up for it” during snack time!
Toss out the idea that your toddler will suddenly be eating “like the family” does! Remember, your toddler is still in a stage of slow-then-rapid-then-slow growth and is going through many changes! We find that feeding your toddler becomes less complicated and frustrating when parents realize what a serving size for a toddler really is.
When planning and serving meals to your toddler, try to have him/or her consume the following on a daily basis.
- 2 to 3 cups of calcium – milk (or yogurt, cheese or other calcium rich foods).
- 4 servings of fruits and vegetables. (Serving size: one tablespoon per year of age.) One serving should be high in vitamin C and another in vitamin A.
- 4 servings of grains – bread and cereal. One should be an iron-fortified baby cereal. A serving is about 1/4 to 1/3 an adult portion (1/4 slice toast, 1/4 cup pasta).
- 2 servings of proteins – meat, beans, eggs, tofu, or peanut butter. A good serving of protein should be served at every meal. One serving equals 1/2 ounce.
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