Your Toddler will generally need three meals and two snacks a day, but every child is a little different so yours might need more or less. Serving smaller amounts of food lets your child decide whether or not they want more to eat. Here are some sample food groups for Toddlers and their recommended serving sizes to help meet the nutrition goals, shown below.
| Food Groups | Serving Size Examples | Total Daily Goals: |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | ½ - ⅔ cup milk or yogurt 1 slice American cheese |
16 fl. oz. |
| Vegetables | ¼ cup soft, peeled and cooked, mashed or cut to bite-size pieces | ¾ cup |
| Fruits (Limit juice to 4 fl. oz. of 100% juice, only once a day) |
¼ cup soft peeled, mashed or chopped fruit; 4 fl. oz. 100% fruit juice | 1 cup |
| Meat/Beans | 1-3 tablespoons cooked; mashed or easy-to-chew chopped meat, beans or eggs | 1½ oz. |
| Grains (Choose whole grains whenever you can) |
¼ cup cereal, rice or pasta or ½ slice bread, ½ cup hot cereal | 2 oz. equivalent |
| Fats/Oils | ½-1 tablespoon dressing, cooking oil or soft margarine | 2 tablespoons |
Milk, Yogurt & Cheese
- Recommended amount per day: 2 cups
- Single serving: ½ to ⅔ cup
- Ideas: Whole milk, reduced fat milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, slice of American, Swiss or other cheese
Vegetables
- Recommended amount per day: ¾ cup
- Single serving: ¼ cup
- Serving suggestion: Soft, peeled and cooked; chopped or mashed
- Ideas: Green beans, peas, spinach, squash, carrots, sweet potatoes
Fruits
- Recommended amount per day: 1 cup
- Single serving: ¼ cup fruit or ½ cup 100% fruit juice
- Serving suggestion: Soft, peeled fruit; chopped or mashed; 100% squeezable fruit pouches or strips
- Ideas: Peaches, bananas, blueberries, melon, kiwi, 100% fruit juices
Meats, Poultry, Fish, Eggs & Beans
- Recommended amount per day: 1½ ounces (about 3 tablespoons)
- Single serving: 1-3 tablespoons
- Serving suggestion: Cooked, mashed, cut up into small pieces
- Ideas: Ground beef or turkey, tender cooked meat or chicken, scrambled eggs, all types of cooked, soft beans, tofu, fish fillet
Grains
- Recommended amount per day: 2 oz and offering whole grains when possible
- Single serving: ¼ cup Toddler cereal, rice or pasta; ½ slice of bread, toddler snacks or cookies
- Ideas: Whole grain breakfast cereal (1/4 cup = ½ oz), whole-grain soft bagel or English muffin (¼ of 3-inch piece), toast, bite-sized pasta, brown rice
Fats & Oils
- Recommended amount per day: 2 tablespoons
- Single serving: ½ to 1 tablespoon
- Ideas: Dressing such as Ranch, avocado, cooking oil or soft margarine
