Toddler meal times can be tricky. What to serve, when and how much are questions I am asked often. The first piece of advice I always share is, stick to a routine. Having a routine is just as much for you as it is for them. I’ve shared my thoughts on this before in previous blog posts.
But what should the routine be? Meals and snacks should be spread out roughly every 2-3hrs throughout the day. If your little one is still having milk feeds, then they’ll probably still want milk 2-3 times a day too (morning, afternoon, bedtime).
What should you be serving and when?
Toddlers should be having 3 main meals and 2 ‘snacks’ a day (with 6-8 glasses of water).
Meals need to be made up of:
- Proteins (meat, fish, eggs, pulses, meat alternatives)
- Complex Carbs (bread, grains, pasta, potatoes)
- Healthy fats (dairy, nuts, seeds, oils)
- Fruit and Veg
Main meals should always contain iron rich foods. If you are using a non meat protein source, make sure you serve it with foods high in vitamin c, this ensures your little one absorbs the iron. For a list of iron rich foods, read this blog post from one of our nutritional advisers Nicola.
How much of each group should you serve?
- Aim for 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Each serving should be 40g.
- Milk/dairy products should be included with 2-3 of your little ones meals/snacks.
- About 1/3 of your little ones meal/snack should be a complex carb – keeps those energy levels up and keeps them fuller for longer if served with the other food groups.
Snacks!
Snacks are mini meals. They should be made up of smaller combinations of the foods served in main meals. If you can, try to avoid serving ‘snacky’ type foods. This helps provide little ones with the right balance of nutrients they need throughout the day and stops there being a distinction between types of foods.
Processed snacks or snacks from a packet, definitely serve a purpose and are needed sometimes when on the go. However, if served often, it could change your little ones perception of snacks and begin to set different expectations. Serving ‘mini meals’ sets them up for a healthier understanding of what they need to eat, when and why.
Do you have a child who loves snacks, but not so keen on meal times? Absolutely no judgement from me (ever). But if you take a look at what you serve at snack time, are the foods vastly different to the foods you’d serve at meal times? If so, try switching it up and serve more mini meals.
When heading out, I always bring Nom Nom Snack bags, packed with nuts, crackers, cheese, fruit, veggie sticks, shredded meat and boiled eggs. BUT if I forget or am in a rush, I have been known to grab a pack of something from the shops.
Please remember that every child’s appetite is different. Every child’s needs are different. A child’s eating habits can change daily, by the hour even. Teething, illness and general toddlerness all impact what a child consumes in a day. Try to focus on what they eat in a week rather than by day – you’ll realise that actually, they have eaten well and you’ve done a good job!