Serving Sizes for Toddlers
A toddler’s energy requirements are not very large. Here’s 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, for example, that a toddler who measures 32 inches should be taking in an average of about 1,300 calories a day, but 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. For example, here’s an average toddler-sized meal.
- One ounce of meat, or 2 to 3 tablespoons of beans
- One to 2 tablespoons of vegetable
- 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 he needs from an average daily intake similar to the following:
Average Daily Intake for a Toddler
|
Food Group |
Servings Per Day |
Number of Calories Per Day |
One Serving Equals |
| Grains | 6 servings | 250 calories | Bread, ¼ to ½ slice Cereal, rice, pasta, cooked, 4 tablespoons Cereal, dry, ¼ cup Crackers, 1 to 2 |
| Vegetables | 2 to 3 servings | 75 calories | Vegetables, cooked 1 tablespoon for each year of age |
| Fruits | 2 to 3 servings | 75 calories | Fruit, cooked or canned, ¼ cup Fruit, fresh, ½ piece Juice, ¼ to ½ cup (2-4 oz) |
| Dairy | 2 to 3 servings | 300-450 calories | Milk, ½ cup Cheese, ½ oz (1-inch cube) Yogurt, 1/3 cup |
| Protein group: meat, fish, poultry, tofu | 2 servings | 200 calories | 1 oz (equal to two 1-inch cubes of solid meat or 2 tablespoons of ground meat) Egg, ½ any size, yolk and white |
| Legumes: dried beans, peas, lentils | 2 servings | 200 calories | Soaked and cooked, 2 tablespoons (1/8 cup) |
| Peanut butter (smooth only) | 95 calories | 1 tablespoon spread thin on bread, toast, or cracker |
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