Portion size guide One to three-year-olds

Transcription

1 Medway Early Years Portion size guide One to three-year-olds Brought to you by NHS Medway and Medway Council

2 Getting a nutritious balance for toddlers In the UK, there is minimal guidance available for parents to work out how much food to give their toddlers. Many parents/carers feel unsure how much food they should give young children. A common concern is that their child is not eating enough which tends to lead to them giving larger portions. Larger portions can be overwhelming for young children sometimes causing food refusal and tantrums at meal times. Toddlers need a nutritionally balanced diet in order for growth, development and activity. Toddler s diets should be made up of a combination of food from the four main food groups: 1. Starchy foods such as bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and cereals. 2. Fruit and vegetables which can be fresh, frozen, tinned or dried. 3. Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein such as pulses. 4. Milk and dairy foods such as cheese and yoghurt. Foods that are high in fat and sugar should be given to toddlers sparingly and infrequently. The amount of food a child may need in a day may vary from one day to the next. This is normal and can be due to being tired, poorly or teething, distractions around them or lack of meal time routines. 2

3 Signals to look out for in toddlers It is important to let toddlers eat according to their appetite and allow them to stop when they are full. It is hard to know when a toddler has had enough, but looking out for common signals can help. Try not to worry if your child eats a different amount to other children. It s normal for children to have much smaller or larger appetites to others. If you re worried speak to your Health Visitor or GP Signals could be: shutting their mouth; turning their head away; pushing plates or spoons away; refusing to swallow food/holding food in their mouth; spitting out food; crying or screaming; gagging or vomiting. If in doubt, start with smaller portions and wait for them to indicate they are still hungry, then give them a little more. A toddler s stomach is about a third of the size of an adults and portions will vary depending on their age or size, so the following ranges in this guide will help you. All the ranges enclosed are to help guide you. They have been developed using average amounts eaten by toddlers. Taller or more active toddlers will eat larger portions than smaller less active toddlers. 3

4 Starchy foods such as bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and cereals Offer a serving at each meal and some snacks Breads Bread slices (fresh/toasted) Bagel Bread roll Chapati Cream / wholemeal crackers Maltloaf Scone Tortilla ½ - 1 medium slice ¼ - ½ bagel ¼ - ¾ roll ½ - 1 chapati 1-3 crackers ½ - 1 slice ½ - 1 small scone ¼ - ½ large tortilla Breakfast cereals* Portion size ranges Porridge/instant 5-8 oats made up with tablespoons milk Dry flaked cereals 3-6 (cornflakes, puffed rice) tablespoons Wheat biscuits ½ -1½ biscuits * Try not to add any unnecessary sugar to cereals ½ -1½ wheat biscuits 4

5 Potatoes, pasta, rice Baked potato Boiled potatoes Couscous (cooked) Cassava/plantain (cooked) Chips Potato waffles Potato wedges Mashed potato Pasta (cooked) Pasta in sauce (spaghetti hoops in tomato sauce) Rice (boiled) ¼ - ½ medium potato ½ - 1½ egg sized potatoes 2-4 heaped tablespoons 1-3 tablespoons 4-8 thick cut chips ½ - 1 waffle 2-4 medium wedges 2-4 tablespoons 2-5 tablespoons 2-4 tablespoons 2-5 tablespoons Toddlers should be given a variety of starchy foods, including white and wholemeal varieties, for a balanced diet. 2 tablespoons of cooked pasta ¼ - ½ a bagel 8 thick cut chips ½ - 1½ boiled potatoes 5

6 Fruit and vegetables Serve at each meal and snacks - aim for five servings a day Fruit Avocado Apple Dried apricots/prunes* Fruit salad Grapes/berries Melon Orange Pear Raisin/sultanas Satsuma/clementine Stewed fruit/tinned/puree ¼ - ½ medium apple 1-4 whole fruits ½ - 1 small bowl 3-10 small grapes/berries ½ - 1 thin slice ¼ - ½ orange ¼ - ¾ whole fruit ½ - 1 fruit 2-4 tablespoons * Give dried fruit only at meal times. ¼ - 1 medium banana 1-4 small florets 6

7 Vegetables Beetroot Broccoli/cauliflower Bamboo shoots Carrot Cabbage Celery/cucumber/radishes/ peppers/other salad Cherry tomatoes Courgettes/squash/okra/ aubergine Green / French beans Lettuce Mangetout Mixed vegetables Mushrooms Parsnips Stir fried / roast vegetable Sweet corn Vegetable soup - homemade 1-4 small florets/ 1-3 tablespoons 2-6 carrot sticks 1-3 tablespoons 4-10 small sticks/slices 1-4 cherry tomatoes 1-2 small leaves 2-8 mangetout 1-4 button mushrooms 1 small bowl Fresh, frozen, dried and juiced all count towards your five-a-day small grapes 7

8 Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein Serve two to three times per day - three if following a vegetarian diet Meat Bacon Beef/lamb joint Beef/lamb/chicken/ turkey burger (no bun) Chicken/turkey Chicken drumsticks Chicken nuggets Duck Frankfurter Ham Minced meat Pork Sausage Meat Omelette (1 egg) Poached/boiled/fried ¼ - 1 rasher ½ - 1 slice ½ - 1 small burger 1-2 small slices ½ - 1 drumstick 2-4 small nuggets 1-2 slices of breast meat ½ - 1 small frankfurter ½ - 1½ small slice/ 1½ - 4 wafer thin slices 2-5 tablespoons ½ - 2 small slices ½ - 1 medium sausage (1-3 cocktail sausages) ½ - 1 omelette ½ - 1 egg 8

9 Fish Fish: white/oily fresh fish (other than tuna) Shell fish e.g. prawns, mussels (thoroughly cooked) Taramasalata Tinned fish e.g. tuna/salmon/sardine ¼ - 1 fillet or 1-3 tablespoons 1-2 tablespoons ½ - 1½ tablespoons Large fish such as shark, swordfish and marlin should be avoided for this age group. ½ - 1½ small slices of ham Pulses Baked beans Bhajis or pakora made with chickpea flour Chickpeas/humous Cooked lentils / dhal Red kidney beans/bean salad/ starchy beans Tofu 2-5 tablespoons of beans 2-5 tablespoons ½ - 1½ bhajis or pakoras 1-2 tablespoons 2-5 tablespoons 1-2 tablespoons 2-4 tablespoons Nuts Ground, chopped/crushed nuts 1-2 tablespoons 9

10 Milk and dairy foods Serve three times a day Milk Cow s milk (as a drink) Flavoured milk (chocolate)* Custard Formula milk, calcium enriched soya milk* Milk pudding 1 cup of milk ( ml/3-4oz) 1 cup of milk ( ml/3-4oz) 5-7 tablespoons 1 cup of milk ( ml/3-4oz) 4-6 tablespoons * Soya milk and flavoured milks such as chocolate milk contain added sugar so should be kept to meal times only. Ages for milk - All drinks should be given in cup not a bottle. Whole milk From 12 months Semi-skimmed milk From two years Skimmed milk From five years 120ml Milk 10

11 Yoghurt Yoghurt Fromage frais Calcium enriched soya yoghurt 1 average pot (125ml) 2 small pots (60g each) 1 average pot (125ml) Some yoghurts do contain added sugar so are best kept to meal times. Cheese Cheese sauce Cottage cheese/ricotta Hard cheese (grated) Processed cheese 3-5 tablespoons ½ - 1 tablespoon in a sandwich 2-4 tablespoons in a sandwich or pizza topping 15-21g (1 slice/triangle) 2-4 tablespoons of hard cheese 1 average pot (125ml) 11

12 Guidelines for foods high in fat or sugar Serve infrequently Eating snacks containing sugar can cause tooth decay. These foods should be offered as part of a meal, and not instead of food from the other four food groups. Puddings and snacks Biscuit (chocolate coated) Biscuit (rich tea/ginger nut) Cake (sponge/sticky toffee/ fruit crumble) Cereal bar Fruit cake Chocolate mousse Croissant (plain) Ice cream Jelly Muffin Pancake ½ - 1 biscuit 1-2 biscuits 2-4 tablespoons ½ - 1 bar (20g) ½ - 1 slice 1-3 tablespoons ½ - 1 pastry (45g) 2-3 tablespoons 2-4 tablespoons 1/8 - ¼ large muffin (125g) ½ - 1 small pancake ½ - 1 small pancake 12

13 Sauces, spreads and extras Sugar Butter/margarine Canned/packet soups Chocolate spread Double cream Extra butter on crackers/ vegetables/pasta Gravy Honey/jam/marmalade/syrup Mayonnaise/salad cream/ dressing Oil for frying Sweet drink e.g. fruit juices/ squash Tomato ketchup/brown sauce ½ - 1 teaspoon Thinly spread 1 small bowl (90-125ml) Thinly spread - 1 teaspoon 1 tablespoon 1 teaspoon 1-2 tablespoons Thinly spread - 1 teaspoon 1-2 teaspoons 1 teaspoon ml/ 3-4oz 1-2 teaspoons Confectionery Portion size ranges Chocolate/chocolate 2-4 squares of a coated biscuit bar funsize chocolate bar Chocolate buttons 6-8 small buttons Sweets 2-5 sweets Crisps 4-6 crisps 4-6 crisps For healthy teeth, keep sugary foods and drinks to meal times. 13

14 Food and drink suggestions Toddlers learn by copying other children and adults, so eating as a family, or in a social group at meal times, is an important part of learning to like new foods. Here is an example of a days menu, showing the suggested number of portions for each food group. Food Groups Meal Suggestion Breakfast 1 slice white toast 1 Thin spread reduced sugar jam Banana smoothie with milk 1 1 Snack 1 thin slice of melon 1 Water Lunch ½ wholemeal pitta 1 1 tbsp canned tuna 1 2 lettuce leaves pepper/cucumber sticks 1 Water 1 medium slice pineapple 1 Snack Toasted teacake 1 Thin spread of margarine Water Dinner 3-5 tablespoons 1 1 spaghetti bolognese 2-4 tablespoons grated cheese 1 Water Dessert Fromage frais/yoghurt raspberries 1 Total serving Bread, rice, pasta and potatoes Fruit and vegetables Milk and dairy Meat, fish, eggs and beans 14

15 Some children may eat different amounts of food to other children. Below are some examples of ranges Small range Large range 2 tablespoons of Spaghetti Bolognaise 4 tablespoons of Spaghetti Bolognaise 4 thick cut chips 8 thick cut chips Standard measures Tablespoon Teaspoon Plate Bowl Small bowl 15ml 5ml 9 / 23cm (approx.) 6½ / 16.5 (approx.) 4 ¾ / 12cm (approx.) 15

16 For more information or advice please contact: Supporting Healthy Weight Team Phone: Printed on recycled paper Guidance is based on recommendations from the Infant and Toddler Forum and School Foods Trust. For more information please visit: Other useful websites: Find us on: G7093_07_12. Designed by Medway Council s Communications Team.