How To Measure Portion Sizes For Toddlers?
Do you know the accurate distinction between serving and portion sizes? Are you confused and cannot decide which sizing proportion is best to measure your little one’s food quantity? If you can relate to these questions, you might want to read our post. Here we look at the distinction between serving and portion sizes. Parents would know how to measure the food elements accurately for their toddlers.
Serving Size Versus Portion Size:
A portion size food measures the total quantity of food; the toddler chooses to eat. It indicates the total amount of food in the kid’s plate.
A serving size indicates the amount of food, indicated with measurements of cup or ounce. Most of the professional dieticians suggest the complete diet based on serving sizes.
Though both the terms look similar, but they are entirely different from each other. To make your toddlers stay healthy and eat the appropriate quantity of food, you should make them eat food in sensible portion sizes. The portion sizes must be accurate enough, to help the toddler consume the appropriate amount of essential nutrients and minerals. (1)
[ Read: How Much Food Should A Toddler Eat ]
Serving Sizes For Toddlers:
Your toddler needs a sufficient amount of energy, through the proper intake of essential nutrients and minerals. Using accurate serving sizes, you can measure the total amounts of calories and feed your loved ones properly. According to research, toddlers between ages, 1 and 3 years need to consume 40 calories of food for every inch of height. The height of a toddler measures 32 inches, and it indicates that he should consume 1300-1500 calories per day. The total amount of calories may vary upon his activity level. Your toddler’s serving size should be approximately one-quarter on an adult’s diet. The average serving sizes for toddlers are:
- One ounce of meat or fish
- Two to three tablespoons of beans
- One-quarter of sliced bread
- ½ slice of fresh fruit or ½ cup of fruit juice
- One tablespoon cooked vegetables
- ½ cup of milk
- Four tablespoons Cereal
- ½ bowl fruit salad
- 1-2 small slices chicken
- 1 boiled or poached egg
- One tablespoon crushed nuts
- One small bowl homemade soup (2)
[ Read: Nutritional Foods For Toddlers ]
Serving Comparisons:
You can compare the serving sizes with other daily-use objects. Try some of these comparisons, to measure serving sizes of your toddler’s food:
- One ounce of meat looks like your ring or little finger.
- One ounce of cheese measures like a pair of dice ball.
- One-quarter cup of fruits or vegetables is like a medium-sized egg.
Portion Sizes For Toddlers:
Try to measure the food of your toddler in appropriate portion sizes. You can utilize the portion sizes to feed your toddler a well-balanced diet and to provide them sufficient amount of nutrients and minerals. (3)
[ Read: Balanced Diet Chart For Toddlers ]
How To Watch Portion Sizes For Toddlers?
Here you will learn how to watch out for appropriate food portion sizes for toddlers 1-3 years:
- Use small-sized dishes to serve food for your toddlers.
- Serve right portion sizes of fruits and vegetables to your toddlers.
- Put away the leftover food in the separate container. The portion-sized food can be stored separated in the freezer.
- Don’t keep platters of food on your dining table. It does not keep a constant measure of food’s quantity.
- Never let your toddlers eat food directly out of the grocery bag or carton.
- Choose food elements packed in individual serving sizes.
[ Read: Ways To Get Your Toddler To Eat Vegetables ]
With the appropriate knowledge of toddler serving sizes and portion sizes, you can feed your toddlers the accurate amount of food. With a well-balanced diet, the toddler can stay healthy and grow at a constant pace.
Did you serve your toddler with the right portion or serving sizes of food? Which measurement proportion did you prefer to use for your toddler portion sizes? Tell us below.
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