A toddler's daily energy requirements are not very large. After tripling their birth weight by their first babies, a child's growth slows down. So, the amount they eat does not need to be huge.
A general guide for feeding your toddler
Each day, a child between ages 1 and 3 years needs about 40 calories for every inch of height. This means that a toddler who measures 32 inches in height, for example, should be taking in an average of about 1,300 calories a day. However, the amount varies with each child's build and activity level.
The child's serving size should be approximately one-quarter of an adult's.
Example of an average toddler-sized meal
One ounce of meat, or 2 to 3 tablespoons of beans
One to 2 tablespoons of vegetables
One to 2 tablespoons of fruit
One-quarter slice of bread
Your toddler will get enough calories along with all the protein, vitamins, and minerals they need from an average daily intake similar to the chart below.
Food Group
| Servings Per Day
| Number of Calories Per Day
| One Serving Equals
|
Grains
| 6
| 250
| |
Vegetables
| 2 to 3
| 75
| - Vegetables (cooked) - 1 tbsp. for each year of age
|
Fruits
| 2 to 3
| 75
| Fruit (cooked or canned) - 1/4 cup Fruit (fresh) - 1/2 piece Juice - 1/4 to 1/2 cup (2-4 oz.)
|
Dairy
| 2 to 3
| 300-450
| |
Protein (meat, fish, poultry, tofu)
| 2
| 200
| 1 oz. (equal to two 1-inch cubes of solid meat or 2 tbsps. of ground meat) Egg - 1/2 any size, yolk and white
|
Legumes
| 2
| 200
| |
Peanut butter (smooth only) | | 95
| |
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