Feeding You and Your Family - Toddlers and Preschoolers

Let Your Child Decide How Much to Eat

 

The key to successful feeding is to do your job of feeding and trust your child to do their job of eating. In other words, it's up to you to provide healthy food and it's up to your child to decide how much they will eat of the foods you serve — if any at all.

 

If you stick to your job and let your child do their job, feeding can become much easier and enjoyable for you and your child. This is especially helpful if you have a child who is a picky eater or if you are worried your child is overweight.

 

Parents have 3 jobs when feeding their child:

 

1. You Decide… What Foods to Offer

As the adult, you know more about nutrition than your child does. It's up to you to decide what food comes into your home and what to serve for meals. Here are some tips to help you decide what foods to offer:

 

·         Meals should include foods from 3-4 Food Groups in Canada 's Food Guide

·         Snacks should include choices from at least 2 Food Groups in Canada 's Food Guide

·         Always have at least 1 nutritious food on the table you know your child likes

·         Prepare your child's favourite foods some of the time, but not all the time. If you expose your child to a variety of foods, they will learn to like new foods!

·         Avoid making a separate meal for your child; they can eat most of the food you eat

·         Offer small portions of food; too much food can be overwhelming to children. Depending on your child's age, portions may be ¼ to ½ of a Canada's Food Guide serving. Offer second helpings if your child wants more

·         Encourage your child to feed themselves

·         Prepare some finger foods as part of the meal, especially when feeding toddlers under 3 years of age

·         Check out the sample 4-week preschooler menu to give you some new ideas

·         Allow treats sometimes

·         Limit fast-food meals to once a week or less, and aim for the healthier choices on the menu

 

2. You Decide… When to Offer Meals and Snacks

 

·         Offer 3 meals and 2-3 snacks every day

·         Space meals and snacks evenly throughout the day. Schedule 2-3 hours between meals and snacks

·         Avoid letting your child eat or drink whenever they want. Instead, wait until the next meal or snack to offer food again

·         Offer water if your child is thirsty between meals and snacks

 

3. You Decide… Where Your Child Will Eat

 

·         Make sure your child is comfortably seated at the table and supervised for meals and snacks

·         Don't allow yourself or your child to eat on the run or eat while doing other activities

·         Eat together often; studies show children eat better when they eat as a family

 

Trust Your Child to Decide Which Foods to Eat and How Much to Eat

 

Children are born with the ability to know when they are hungry and when they are full. When children are hungry, they will focus on eating. When satisfied, their attention turns elsewhere.

 

It's normal if the amount of food your child eats changes from day to day and from meal to meal. A child's appetite can change depending on:

·       Their activity level

·       If they are excited or tired

·       If they are in a growth spurt. Children are usually hungrier during periods of fast growth and not as hungry during periods of slower growth

 

Keep the following points in mind:

 

•      Don't be concerned about how much your child eats from one meal to the next. Their body tells them how much to eat and it is rare for a child to starve themselves
•      Unless your child refuses to eat any food from an entire food group for more than a few days, your child will get the nutrition they need. For example, vegetables and fruit have similar nutrients, so it's okay if your child doesn't like vegetables, but they eat fruit
•     Children have their own food preferences and may decide not to eat certain foods. Don't make a big deal about it, but keep offering it. Usually children learn to like foods over time if they are not pressured to eat it and if they see their family eating and enjoying it
•     Trust your child to know how much they need to eat

 

Healthy eating habits start with a spoonful of trust and a slice of patience – let your child decide how much to eat.