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| feeding your toddler | |
| during the toddler period, your child will continue to develop his or her sense of autonomy. at times, young children may refuse to eat certain foods or get "stuck" on a specific food. this is only a phase and even a way of asserting themselves. as long as your child does not refuse all foods of the same food group, it will be ok. offer 3 meals a days with planned snacks in between. a serving size for a toddler is smaller than an adult portion. a child's serving size is approximately 1/4 to 1/2 an adult's portion size. your child's appetite can vary - some days they won't eat much at all and other days they will want seconds! keep offering new foods most children learn to like a food after it has been offered many times. offer foods often and show your joy with eating foods. children may not like certain foods because they are mixed with other foods or full of mysterious sauces. so, skip the casserole if your child does not like it and serve the same foods separately on the plate.
how well is my child growing? have your doctor follow your child's growth on a growth chart. this will give you a precise idea of how your child is growing. if you feel your child is not growing enough: check with your doctor first to see if your child needs to eat more. children have a very small stomach. they often need to eat 5 to 6 small meals a day to get the amount of foods they need to grow. if you feel your child is overweight: check with your doctor first to see if your child has become overweight. restricting calories is not a good choice. instead, give your child a chance to grow into the weight as he or she gets taller. provide healthy food choices and help him or her spend more time being physically active.
how can meal times be pleasant? meal time can be a great opportunity to teach positive eating behaviors. have your family sit at the table to eat and socialize together.
make meal time a great interaction between you and your child. it's important for you to provide structure and limits so your child has an opportunity to make decisions that are safe. here's an approach you can use to do that: you can decide: which foods you provide to your child, the time and the place where foods are eaten. let your child decide: which foods to eat and how much. this approach for creating a positive feeding relationship with your child was developed by ellyn satter. for more information, visit ellyn satter's website at: http://www.ellynsatter.com for more information about foods to feed children, click on the food guide pyramid at: http://www.usda.gov/news/usdakids/index.htmlthe wic program can help answer your nutrition questions. if you believe your child qualifies for wic, contact your local wic office at 1-800-26birth. | |
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