At this stage, a toddler has become a part of the grown-up’s table and is eating a broader range of table foods. The bright yellows, reds, oranges, and greens of healthy fruits and vegetables are becoming his favorite mealtime colors. If only the appetite of a 2 year old was so predictable, right?
In the real world, your toddler’s appetite could change by the day, and not always for the better. Like you, they’ll often want to eat the same foods repeatedly. This is normal.
- What’s important is that you support healthy eating habits by providing him the wide variety of foods needed for optimal brain and eye development and immune support. If you find this easier said than done, here are some tips to try : Stick with your feeding schedule of three meals per day, along with snacks. If your toddler refuses food at one meal, he will probably make up for it at the next. Fighting him won’t help.
- Keep your toddler’s food portion sizes at about 1/4 of an adult serving.
- Offer him foods in a variety of colors, textures, and flavors. Toddlers need a range of colorful foods from all food groups to meet their nutrition needs.
An example of an average toddler-sized meal has 2-3 tbsp of beans, 1-2 tbsp of vegetables, 1-2 tbsp of fruit and ¼ a piece of bread.1
If your child struggles with eating enough colorful foods like green broccoli, yellow or red peppers, and orange sweet potatoes, Go & Grow by Similac can help supply key nutrients to support development and balance his diet. It has many of the nutrients supplied by whole vegetables and fruits, including protein and brain- and eye-nourishing nutrients DHA, lutein, and vitamin E.
Get more information or purchase Go & Grow by Similac® Toddler Drink.