How much food does my preschool-aged child need?
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Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics answered:Let your children's appetites guide how much food is enough. Although they're no longer babies, young children aren't ready for adult-size portions. Judge how much your young ones need to eat using these tips:
- Serve small servings and wait until your child asks for more. Offer one tablespoon of food for every year in age.
- Watch for cues that they are full. When they start to play with food, become restless or send other signals of "no more," stop. Knowing what it feels like to be full -- and when to stop eating -- helps children learn to eat enough but not to overeat.
- Disband the "clean plate" club. Insisting your children finish everything can encourage overeating or turn them off to foods they should be eating. In either case, you could be setting up your children for weight or other nutritional problems later in life.
Let your children's appetites guide how much food is enough. Although they're no longer babies, young children aren't ready for adult-size portions. Judge how much your young ones need to eat using these tips: Serve small servings and wait... More -
Elaine Koontz answered:Most preschoolers need about 5 ounces of grain, 1.5 cups of vegetables, 1.5 cups of fruit, 2.5 cups of dairy, and 4 ounces of meat/protein foods each day.
An ounce of grain is equivalent to one slice of bread, 7 crackers, 1/2 an English muffin, 1 small muffin, 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 pancake (4 1/2" diameter), 1/2 cup rice or pasta, or a 6" tortilla.
An ounce of protein rich food could be an ounce of meat, poultry or fish; 1 egg; 2 Tablespoons of peanut or other nut butter; 1/4 cup cooked beans; or a 1/2 ounce of nuts.
For fresh fruit, consider a small apple, a large banana, a large peach, a medium pear, a large orange, or 8 large strawberries to be the equivalent of a cup.
A regular container of yogurt, 1 1/2 ounces hard cheese, 1/3 cup shredded cheese, 1/2 cup ricotta cheese, 2 cups cottage cheese, 1 cup of pudding made with milk, 1 cup of frozen yogurt, or 1 1/2 cups of ice cream is equivalent to a cup of fluid milk.
To learn more, visit www.myplate.gov.
Most preschoolers need about 5 ounces of grain, 1.5 cups of vegetables, 1.5 cups of fruit, 2.5 cups of dairy, and 4 ounces of meat/protein foods each day. An ounce of grain is equivalent to one slice of bread, 7 crackers, 1/2 an English muffin,... More -
Lyn Turton answered:Children are very in tune with their hunger and satiety ("feeling full') signals. They should be offered a variety of healthy meals and snacks each day and allowed to choose how much they eat.
Offer small portions and let them ask for more if they are still hungry rather than offering a large amount which may make them feel overwhelmed. Never force a child to clear their plate as this over-rides their natural ability to regulate hunger and can negatively affect their eating habits throughout their life.
Establish a routine for offering meals & snacks regularly throughout the day and allow at least 2 hours between a snack and mealtime to give them time to develop an appetite. This applies to drinks also, don't let children fill up on a drink just before mealtime or they won't feel hungry and will miss out on vital nutrients from the meal.
For information about the types of foods to offer visit MyPlate.gov.
Children are very in tune with their hunger and satiety ("feeling full') signals. They should be offered a variety of healthy meals and snacks each day and allowed to choose how much they eat. Offer small portions and let them ask for more if... More -
Teresa Beach of Sanford Health answered:Recommended intakes for children ages 4-5 years old are 4 servings of milk and milk products (3/4 cup of milk =1 serving)
2 ounces of meat or protein per day, 6 servings of grains (a serving = 1 slice of bread, ½ a bagel or bun, ½ c cereal, pasta or rice)
1 cup total of vegetables, 1 cup total of fruit and limit to 3 teaspoons of added fats, like butter or margarine per day.
These guidelines are from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. You can find more information on their web site for nutrition and kids at http://www.eatright.org/kids/
Or you can create a meal plan specific for your child at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/preschoolers/daily-food-plans.html
Recommended intakes for children ages 4-5 years old are 4 servings of milk and milk products (3/4 cup of milk =1 serving) 2 ounces of meat or protein per day, 6 servings of grains (a serving = 1 slice of bread, ½ a bagel or bun, ½ c... More
