How Much Should a Toddler Eat?

Three bites of pasta here, a half an orange there, a handful of Cheerios on the go. Ever wonder if your finicky, distracted toddler is eating enough? And what gives with the days when he suddenly wolfs down everything on his plate? Why the inconsistency?

Rest assured that extreme fluctuations in appetite are fairly typical toddler eating habits. But on average, as toddlers pass their first birthday, their growth slows, so they don’t need to eat as much as they did when they were babies — and their appetites reflect that.

So while it’s important to offer your child three regular meals and two or three healthy snacks a day (think of it as six mini-meals), be prepared for the fact that on some days they’ll get eaten and on other days they won’t. And in the long run, it usually balances out — really.

But if you’re still worried that your picky toddler isn’t eating enough, keep these tips in mind when planning your tot’s meals.

How much should my toddler eat in a day?

While your toddler may not always cooperate, here’s what you should aim to serve him on an average day.

• Grains: 6 servings
• Vegetables: 3 servings
• Fruits: 2 servings
• Protein: 2 servings
• Dairy: 16 to 24 ounces of milk (or equivalent amount of calcium-rich foods like cheese and yogurt)
• Water: 8 to 32 ounces
• Sweets: Very sparingly

Try to limit overall fat intake to between 20 and 30 percent of daily calories with less than 10 percent coming from saturated fat.

What is a typical toddler serving size?

It’s not uncommon for parents to put an adult-size portion on their child’s plate, and then worry that their toddler with the tiny tummy isn’t eating enough because he can’t finish it.

The thing to remember, though, is that toddler portions are only about a quarter to half of a normal (not supersized) adult portion. Of course, with restaurant portions going super-duper-sized (often serving up an entire day’s worth of calories on one plate), it’s no wonder we’ve lost sight of what a normal portion looks like.

A good way to calculate what serving size your toddler needs: Offer him a tablespoon per food group for every birthday he’s had. For example, a 1-year-old might eat 1 tablespoon of vegetables, or 1 tablespoon of grains (all right, bread can’t be served by the tablespoon, but half a slice to a full slice is a reasonable serving).

And a serving for a 3-year-old would be, say, 3 tablespoons of fruit, or 3 tablespoons of protein. You get the idea.

What should I do if my toddler refuses to eat?

What should you do when your tot isn’t in the mood to chow down? Resist the urge to cajole him into eating past the point when he’s full (something that can really backfire). It may teach him to ignore his hunger and fullness signals, and that can lead to overeating and weight gain later in life. (Good news: You can relax if he occasionally doesn’t finish his peas!)

If your toddler consistently doesn’t seem interested in eating, however, track how much milk or juice he’s drinking. If it’s more than 16 ounces of milk and 4 ounces of juice a day, all that liquid could be filling him up so that he’s not hungry at mealtime. Scale back a bit on the beverages and see if his appetite improves.

Finally, consider the big picture. Even more important than how much your toddler eats at any single meal is that he eats a variety of healthy foods in general. There will be good days and bad days, but if your child is gaining weight, developing on track and is active and energetic, then you can be confident that he’s getting plenty to eat.