What do you think of this portion size for 15mo?

[DerekDoodles]

Is this too big? Just right? Not enough? Interested in opinions!

Sorry 75th for height!

I'd say half a sweet potato and 1 finger would be better

My 2 1/2 year old would be offered about that but wouldn't quite finish it.

When she was 12 months old or so I asked on MN and got told by various people their child eats 2 full adult bowls of soup then an adult sandwich so I think it's one of those things with threads like this: people jump to saying it's far too much or far too little no matter what and there's always an extreme case or two in there.

It looks too much to me. I used to put small amounts on the plate and offer more if my children finished it all and were still hungry.

It looks biggish but it completely depends on what else he has eaten and drank. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I'm also not sure it matters.

My DC are adults and my DDs will occasionally eat less than that for a meal and my sons will occasionally eat more than that for a pre-supper snack. They are all perfect specimens weight wise

I asked for.help from my dietician for children's sized portions. She told me that it's basically the same principles as for anyine. A portion of meat/protein is the size of a palm, carbs and veg portions are.the size of a clenched fist. So proportionate to the child's hand. Maybe add a different veg or 2 for variety and half the mash.

I think thats too large portion for that age. I have seen teenagers in McDonalds eat less.

Seriously, I am the queen of over feeding but I think that is very generous.

Thats what my 10yr old would eat.

To reiterate again, that is a small sized kids plate, not a normal sized one btw, I know it's hard to tell the perspective.

I've always tended to give bigger portions, but he's welcome to stop whenever he's full. On this particular day he finished all of said portion, but was probably really hungry as he'd refused his lunch. I was just interested to see as I tend to let him guide me as best as I can, but wonder if it's normal the amount he eats (or doesnt eat). From the responses here I think it really does depend on the child.

At 15 months neither of mine would have eaten that much.

I think it's better to offer small portions then offer more if needed rather than offer large portions and expect a child to leave some.
Isn't it training a child to eat more than they might otherwise do?

Yer I suppose it could lead to that. But could also be teaching them that it's okay to leave things on the plate? That they don't have to clear it?

It's a kids small sized plate, it's 2 fish fingers, and one small sweet potato mashed. He cleared the plate with it last night! But hadn't eaten a lot for lunch. And other times won't entertain anything. I was just interested as can never really tell what is a normal portion.

I wouldn't give 2 fishfingers. 1 fishfinger and the rest would be ok, imo.

But I agree. Small portions with the options of more is imo better than one large portion.

Not really. You telling them it's ok to leave some would be enough.
If you give a smaller amount they will probably eat it because they actually want it. Some kids get used to eating more than they need if always offered big portions.

My DP would eat a portion of that size! But then I've always maintained that he has an exceedingly small appetite for a man. I swear my 10 year old DGD eats more than he does. But to answer your question,I DO think it looks on the generous side for a 15 month old. I can just about remember when my DD was that age. She probably would have been happy with about 3 quarters that amount,same for my DGD.

Yer I suppose it could lead to that. But could also be teaching them that it's okay to leave things on the plate? That they don't have to clear it?

But aren't you still teaching them that the portion you gave them is anormal portion? I'm not trying to be rude, btw. But that's what I personally think could happen.

You mentioned that you can never tell what's a "normal portion". I'm assuming that you therefore think it's better to give more than not enough...
But wouldn't this give the impression that "more" is normal?

I genuinely don't know.

But it seems to me that offering a 2nd helping would be better.

My DD is 15mo and on the 75th centile for weight and height. She would probably eat most of that (and have some fruit for pudding), however she doesn't often have snacks in the day as she seems to be content with three meals a day, so I always offer a decent amount of food.

cricket no that's fine I wanted some varying opinions. I used to give much smaller portions and he'd have full on tantrums when he finished his food and would be obsessed with it. So I upped them and the tantrums have been much less and he's seemed more satisfied. I guess I've always felt a little out of my depth with how much he's supposed to be eating. But if 15mo's are able to self regulate then maybe I'm overthinking?

I think it's a little too much, even with the fact that it's a small plate. But all children are different. Does he still have plenty of milk?

Derek

As I said, I honestly don't know. Could you talk about it with your family doctor?

Depends on baby's appetite. Best to do it as baby led because end of day no one can tell when you are full up just like you don't know when you DC is full up.

I will just give DS1 food on his plate and whatever he eats he eats. If he finishes whole plate of food I will put a little extra on his plate and he will eat it if he is still
Hungry.

After his dinner he will have desert which is fruit or yoghurt.

The plate does look like a lot but if your child eats it then go for it.

My DS1 eats four meals a day with snacks in between. He has breakfast, lunch then tea at 3 then dinner at 6.... basically he is eating every three hours then he has snacks of fruit in between or breadsticks or orher things

Only you know your child and if it works for them.
As you say they didn't eat much for lunch, so it was probably a good portion to offer.

My almost 3yo would probably have around the same portion but doesn't like to snack (although offered) and she would have fruit and yoghurt as a pudding. Whereas one of my DS at 18 months was a total whirlwind and would have happily polished off that serving three times a day and still remained reed thin.

My 20 month old wouldn't eat quite all that, perhaps a few less peas and a bit less mash.
He'd eat most of it though

My 19mo would happily eat that, wash it down with some pudding and ask for a snack an hour later

My DS would probably eat that at 15 months. He's 22 months now. He has a big appetite though and is not overweight. Very tall and skinny. He probably wouldn't eat that size meal for both lunch and dinner though. One or the other. Like a typical toddler some days he eats like a horse and some days he has hardly anything