Feeding the preschool child

There is nothing more frustrating than feeding a toddler. It seems they eat nothing at all, but all the time. You might find it comforting to know there are reasons for this. The growth rate slows after the first year of life, resulting in decreases in nutrient requirements in relationship to weight and in appetite. Irregular weight gain is not unusual for the preschool child. However, food jags and rituals are common, as are strong preferences and dislikes and, at times an apparent lack of interest in eating.

During these years, children learn to walk and speak; they also develop the fine motor skills so they can learn to feed themselves. Children learn to feed themselves independently between 1 and 2 years of age. Messiness is common between 10 months and 18 months, but by the age of 2 it is said that most children spill very little. I have not found this to be true.

While feeding your child is frustrating, it is important to realize that a decrease in appetite is expected during these years because of the decreased growth rate; in addition, many of the behaviors common are related to the child's developing sense of independence. Children should never be forced to eat, nor should food be used as a reward. Easier said then done, so be patient with yourself also. The development of good eating habits in a child should allow the child to stop eating whenever he or she is full.

It is important thing to give appropriate portion sizes for the preschool child. A 2-3 year old needs around 1300 calories a day and serving sizes are much smaller than yours. A serving of milk is ½ cup to ¾ cup, meat is 2 ounces or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or ½ cup of beans, fruit is ½ cup while vegetables are only 3 tablespoons, cold cereal is ¾ and pasta or rice is 1/3 of a cup. In general however it is better to offer a child less to eat, to allow for success. Before the age of 2 ½ fibrous meats are not well tolerated, stick to ground meats and fish. Also, single foods are more popular than combination dishes and finger foods are extremely popular. A few last things to keep in mind, color and variety are important and the ease in which a food can be handled should be considered.

A final thought. Many parents get caught up in worrying that their children are not getting enough to eat and want to control what they eat. It has been demonstrated that if you give your child well balanced choices they will eat what they need. The problem arises when you allow your child too much junk food. Of course if they fill up on candy and soda, you will never get them to eat their peas. The other extreme is banning all sugar from your household. This doesn't work either they don't learn to make good choices. Find the balance that works for you and your child.

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