Feeding your toddler (1590)

Key points below


Feeding your toddler can be very exciting.  They learn to eat lots of new foods. But it can also be stressful.  Toddlers may want to make their own choices at mealtimes.  They may refuse some foods or not eat at all. You can help them enjoy eating by following the tips in this teaching sheet. 

What is my role as a caregiver?

What is my toddler’s role?

How can I help my toddler during mealtime?

When offering food, caregivers should feed in a way that allows them to respond to their child. This is called responsive feeding.  Responsive feeding means:

Feeding tips:

What should I offer my toddler?

How much food should I offer? How much your toddler eats at each meal and snack will change a lot.  Use the below information to help guide you.

Fruit - Canned, fresh or frozen food that has been thawed
2 to 3 tablespoons of cut up fruit
Offer 2 to 4 times each day

Vegetable
Soft, cooked 2 to 3 tablespoons of cut up vegetables
Offer 2 to 4 times each day

Dairy
Milk 1/2 cup
Yogurt 1/2 cup
Cheese 1/2 ounce
Offer 4 times each day

Grains
Bread 1/2 slice
Cooked Cereal 1/4 to 1/3 cup
Dry Cereal 1/4 to 1/2 cup
Rice, noodles, pasta 1/4 to 1/3 cup
Offer 3 to 5 times each day

Protein
Meat, chicken, turkey, fish 1/2 to 1 ounce
Dry beans 1/3 cup, cooked
Eggs 1/2 to 1 each
Peanut Butter 1 tablespoon
Offer 2 to 4 times each day

Do not give: nuts, whole grapes, raw hard vegetables, or hard candy.  Do not offer hot dogs unless sliced and each slice is cut into four pieces. These items can cause your child to choke.
Be careful with dried fruit, chips, popcorn, peanut butter, pretzels.  They can be hard to chew and swallow.

For other health and wellness information, check out this resource: https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWi/en/parents