Toddler years is known for those terrible two’s and terrible three’s. Your kids during this stage are observed to be increasingly active compared to their first year of life. It is important to note though that even if this is the case, toddlers aren’t growing as rapidly as they used to and therefore their energy needs actually decrease. It may feel like your toddler is not consuming as much but he is in fact taking in enough.
How much is enough for their age?
We might think that we should apportion more solid food for our toddlers as they are slowing down on their bottled milk intake. We feel the need to compensate for what we thought their body needs. But how much food should we really give them and how often?
The suggested serving size for a kid age 12 to 36 months of age is only ¼ to ½ serving size in that of an adult. Take for example in 1 adult serving of rice or other grains for adults, it will only take ¼ or ½ serving of that to fill your toddler’s tummy. In as much as adults need to have a variety of nutritious food like fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and meat they however do not need it in grown up portions.
Toddlers have small stomach that easily feels and easily digests due to their very active day. Therefore toddlers need to be fed at least 6 times a day in small portions. This will ensure that they will get their energy sources properly all throughout the day.
What strategies work in feeding toddlers?
It is common reactions for toddlers to have food aversions. They easily get bored and their preference is now building up. It is very difficult for Moms to keep their kids interested and attracted to food. One of the surest ways to get the nutritional benefit the child needs is to maintain a milk supplement that is organic and complete in nutritional value, HiPP Kindermilch Combiotic is for toddlers two and up. This is an efficient way to ensure they get all the nutrients they need despite the decline in their food consumption.
Another effective technique is to utilize snack time in between heavy meals. This snack strategy will ensure that those busy little bodies will continue to thrive in health and good nutrition despite their hyperactive movements and energetic playtime.
It goes without saying that when choosing snack, you should prefer fresh, healthy, tasty and organic. Moms should always be ready, whether it’s plain carrot sticks, simple cheese bites, sliced grapes, grab-and-go organic snack or easy to prepare organic porridge. Offer several healthy snacks between the main meals, and make sure a lot of them are portable. Stash some that have a fairly long shelf life in your car, purse, diaper bag or stroller pocket so you’re never left high and dry without a quick bite for an on-the-verge-of-a-meltdown mealtime with a toddler.
Mealtimes does not have to be a constant battlefield with your tot. You can avoid the struggle you often experience in feeding your child. All you need is a good strategy, nutritious choices and effective products to get you started with a healthy and fulfilling mealtime experience with your child.
