Is my toddler eating enough?

One of the most frequent questions I get regarding toddler nutrition is “how much should my child be eating?” Often the concerned parent is worried about weight gain or not enough perceived weight gain. Other times a parent is surprised at how much an 18-month old can eat. I’ll break it down so the message is easy to understand.

The rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon for each year of age up until age 5. For example, the portion size for a 1-year old is 1 tablespoon of each food. Look at the following sample meal: 1 tablespoon of grilled chicken, 1 tablespoon of green beans, 1 tablespoon of diced strawberries, and 1 tablespoon of brown rice with a side of 4-8 fl oz of milk. Using this rule of thumb for portion sizes will provides adequate nutrition for most children. If your child is eating about this amount and weight is stable or slowly increasing then you can be comfortable you are on the right track.

During times of growth (growth spurts), children are hungry and need more food to fuel their growth. Because of this they more frequently desire to snack and will often eat more at meals. I often hear “my 18-month old eats more than my 4-year old.” This is actually very common because the 18-month old is growing at a faster rate than the older child and, therefore, needs more nutrition to support rapid growth. It’s not uncommon for 1-year olds to eat as many as 1,800-2,000 calories in a day during such growth spurts. After the spurt has ended, the child will likely decrease eating to meet his/her needs during slower growth times. The key is to not be alarmed by these normal fluctuations in eating patterns.

I’ve heard on several occasions that a 2-year old can eat two bananas in one sitting. Honestly, I believe it, because I have two toddlers at home and spend a great deal of time feeding them. If the child is hungry enough to eat two whole bananas, then I recommend consider adding more snacks or adding more variety of foods to the snacks. A child could eat 200 calories in bananas, but offering different types of foods with varied nutrients might be even better. For example, consider offering ½ banana, 2 teaspoons of peanut butter, 1 stalk of celery and some cottage cheese. More food groups eaten means different nutrients for health and will keep the child’s hunger satisfied for longer. Each banana has more than 25 grams of carbohydrates with little protein and fat. Getting more protein and fat will help prevent a spike in blood sugar and aid the child in feeling fuller for longer.

One question I’m asked frequently is how much cow milk is recommended for my toddler. Some children would choose to consume the majority of their calories in milk and eat very little food. The recommendation by the USDA/MyPlate initiative is 16 ounces (or 2 cups) of milk for 1-3 year olds and 20 fl oz (or 2½ cups) for 4-5 year olds. Infants take most of their calories in milk until they turn one, but typically should be able to eat most table foods by their first birthday. Milk should be limited to the recommended amount so there is room in the diet for other nutrients. Oftentimes when children drink more than the recommended amount of milk, they are deficient in vital nutrients such as iron because milk doesn’t contain iron. Milk is a great source of protein, calcium, and is fortified with vitamins A & D and is overall a great beverage. With that, staying within the recommended guidelines will help children feel hungry for other foods.

Some children need more food/nutrition because they are naturally more active than other children. My recommendation to parents is to listen to your child(ren). My older child has always been a great eater. He is not picky and eats until he is full. My younger son, however, eats smaller amounts than his brother did at this age, is pickier about food choices and expresses hunger less frequently. I offer a variety of foods and encourage my children to eat until their “tummies are full.” I teach my children to listen to their bodies and stop eating when they feel done, even when there is only one or two bites left.

One last topic I want to cover is how many meals and snacks should children be eating every day. Children’s stomachs are about the size of their fists so they can’t take in all that much food at one time. This is why it seems they are hungry ALL THE TIME! Really, kids should be eating every few hours. I typically recommend three meals and between two or three snacks. The timing of meals and snacks can be adjusted to meet your family’s schedule. At our house we do breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner and sometimes a bedtime snack. One of my clients has a different schedule with two snacks between lunch and dinner because her husband works late and they have a later dinner time. It doesn’t really matter, as long as the children are eating every 3-4 hours. Children will eat meals better if a snack is at a minimum of two hours before a meal. If the snack is shortly before a meal, their little tummies are not hungry enough to eat the meal and the food just sits on the plate.

My last bit of advice is to listen to your children and teach them to listen to their bodies. Offer a variety of foods for healthy growth and expect fluctuations in appetite and food preference as your children move through growth phases. I’d love to hear your feedback and what you’ve tried that works well in your family. Leave a comment below or email me at wholefamnutrition@gmail.com.