Feeding Your Toddler For Good Health Over Time

February 8, 2023 Children
toddler portions

Toddler Portions

Toddlers eat small amounts of food and take their time with eating. As a general rule, at each meal, serve one tablespoon of food from each food group for each year of your child’s age. 

If your toddler asks for more of something, give it to them. It’s ok if they eat some things and not others. The goal is to offer 4-5 food groups for main meals and 2-3 for snacks.

For example, you might offer a one-year old the following for lunch:

Protein

One tablespoon of finely chopped chicken

Vegetables

One tablespoon of soft-cooked peas

Dairy

One tablespoon of cottage cheese

Fruits

One tablespoon of chopped very-ripe pear

Grains

One tablespoon of o-shaped cereal

Vegetables

One tablespoon of soft-cooked peas

Fruits

One tablespoon of chopped very-ripe pear

Think Beyond A Single Meal

Keep in mind what your toddler eats over time. Meals and healthy snacks give children several chances everyday to eat a variety of foods. If your child eats only a little or nothing at one meal, don’t worry. They’ll make up for it with other meals and snacks to get what they need for good health over time.

How Much Food To Offer Your Toddler Each Day

Dairy

2 cups

Protein

2 ounces

1 ounce is one
egg, 1 ounce
chopped meat, ¼
cup beans or
lentils, 1
tablespoon
peanut butter

Fruits

¾ cup to 1 cup

Grains

2-3 ounces

1 ounce is 1 cup
ready-to-eat
cereal, 1 slice
bread, 1 tortilla, ½
cup cooked rice
or pasta

Vegetables

¾ cup to 1 cup

Feeding Tips:

KEEP A SCHEDULE:

Three meals and 2 to 3 small snacks a day is ideal. Encourage water: Offer your child water between meals. Offer milk or 100% juice only with meals or snacks, not by itself.

EAT FAMILY MEALS:

Make mealtime a family time. Start to offer your toddler the same foods everyone else eats. Then, let them choose how much to eat. Don’t force or bribe them to eat. Keep it relaxed and stress-free.

FEED WITH LOVE:

Your job (as a parent or caregiver) is to offer your child healthy foods. You choose what to offer and when. Your child’s job is to decide how much to eat or if they’ll eat at all. Don’t punish or trick them to eat more. Let their body guide their eating.

USE A FEEDING JOURNAL:

Write down everything your child eats and drinks to see the whole picture. You will see they eat more at one time and not so much at other times. Their appetite is like a roller coaster and that is normal.

Food Journal

Breakfast – 7:00 a.m.

  • 1 scrambled egg
  • ½ piece whole grain toast
  • ½ cup milk
  • 4 mandarin orange sections

1 scrambled egg

½ piece whole grain toast

½ cup milk

4 mandarin orange sections

3 steamed broccoli florets

3 tablespoons hummus

water

Morning Snack – 10:00 a.m.

  • 3 steamed broccoli florets
  • 3 tablespoons hummus
  • Water

Lunch – 12:30 p.m.

  • ½ whole grain toast with peanut butter and banana slices
  • 4 steamed baby carrots cut into sticks
  • ½ cup milk

½ whole grain toast
with peanut butter
and banana slices

4 steamed baby carrots cut into sticks

½ cup milk

4 ounces vanilla Greek yogurt

3 slices of canned peaches

water

Afternoon Snack – 3:30 p.m.

  • 4 ounces vanilla Greek yogurt
  • 3 slices of canned peaches
  • Water

Dinner – 6:00 p.m.

  • ⅓ cup pasta with tomato sauce
  • 1 ounce skinless chicken cut into strips
  • ½ roll
  • ¼ cup steamed green beans
  • 3 mango cubes
  • ½ cup milk

⅓ cup pasta
with tomato sauce

1 ounce skinless chicken cut into strips

½ roll

¼ cup steamed green beans

3 mango cubes

½ cup milk

A few grapes (cut in fourths)

½ cup milk

Bedtime Snack – 7:30 p.m.

  • A few grapes (cut in fourths)
  • ½ cup milk

Side-Lying Hold

  1. For the right breast, lie on your right side with your baby facing you.
  2. Pull your baby close. Your baby’s mouth should be level with your nipple.
  3. In this position, you can cradle your baby’s back with your left arm and support yourself with your right arm and/or pillows.
  4. Keep loose clothing and bedding away from your baby.
  5. Reverse for the left breast.

This hold is useful when:

  • You had a C-section
  • You want to rest while baby feeds
  • You are breastfeeding in the middle of the night
  • You and your baby are comfortable in this position

Cross-Cradle Hold

  1. For the right breast, use your left arm to hold your baby’s head at your right breast and baby’s body toward your left side. A pillow across your lap can help support your left arm.
  2. Gently place your left hand behind your baby’s ears and neck, with your thumb and index finger behind each ear and your palm between baby’s shoulder blades. Turn your baby’s body toward yours so your tummies are touching.
  3. Hold your breast as if you are squeezing a sandwich. To protect your back, avoid leaning down to your baby. Instead, bring your baby to you.
  4. As your baby’s mouth opens, push gently with your left palm on baby’s head to help them latch on. Make sure you keep your fingers out of the way.
  5. Reverse for the left breast.

This hold is useful when:

  • Your baby is premature
  • Your baby has a weak suck
  • Your baby needs help to stay latched
  • Your baby needs extra head support
  • You and your baby are comfortable in this position

Clutch or “Football” Hold

  1. For the right breast, hold your baby level, facing up, at your right side.
  2. Put your baby’s head near your right nipple and support their back and legs under your right arm.
  3. Hold the base of your baby’s head with your right palm. A pillow underneath your right arm can help support your baby’s weight.
  4. To protect your back, avoid leaning down to your baby. Bring baby to you instead.
  5. Reverse for the left breast.

This hold is useful when:

  • You had a C-section
  • You have large breasts
  • You have flat or inverted nipples
  • You have a strong milk let-down
  • You are breastfeeding twins
  • Your baby likes to feed in an upright position
  • Your baby has reflux
  • You and your baby are comfortable in this position

Cradle Hold

  1. For the right breast, cradle your baby with your right arm. Your baby will be on their left side across your lap, facing you at nipple level.
  2. Your baby’s head will rest on your right forearm with your baby’s back along your inner arm and palm.
  3. Turn your baby’s tummy toward your tummy. Your left hand is free to support your breast, if needed. Pillows can help support your arm and elbow.
  4. To protect your back, avoid leaning down to your baby. Instead, bring your baby to you.
  5. Reverse for the left breast.

This hold is useful when:

  • Your baby needs help latching on
  • You and your baby are comfortable in this position

Laid-Back Hold

  1. Lean back on a pillow with your baby’s tummy touching yours and their head at breast level. Some moms find that sitting up nearly straight works well. Others prefer to lean back and lie almost flat.
  2. You can place your baby’s cheek near your breast, or you may want to use one hand to hold your breast near your baby. It’s up to you and what you think feels best.
  3. Your baby will naturally find your nipple, latch, and begin to suckle.

This hold is useful when:

  • Your baby is placed on your chest right after birth
  • You have a strong milk let-down
  • You have large breasts
  • You and your baby are comfortable in this position