portion sizes for a 2 year old

[helens82]

Hi,
I'm hoping to get some advice as eating habits with DS have slipped recently. Used to base meals on the size of baby meals you got (e.g. Ella pouches) and had healthy snacks with occasional biscuits etc.
However just had DD three weeks ago and had help from grandparents for the last few weeks. As a result there have been more biscuits and I think that his portions for lunch/dinner have got bigger.
Went to change his nappy yesterday and was amazed how much weight he has gained. Suddenly looking chubby!
What do I do? He won't eat fruit except bananas but I offer these or a fruit pouch for a snack now, with maybe a mini rice cake. He still has milk at night but I don't always give a snack in afternoon. How much do you serve for meals? Anybody do a weight of, say pasta, for meals?
Any ideas gratefully received :-)

I remember somewhere hearing a portion is the size of the persons closed fist.

I use this loosely but also use foods that keep them fuller for longer.

If you feel portions have got too big, then reduce them down gradually again. Don't stress he is still growing

I got a recommended portion size print out from my HV. Covers 6 months upto age of 5 and is v useful

I always worked on a fist sized portion of each item - portein, carbs, veg, based on the fist size of the person eating it. So you'd probably be looking at a dessert / heaped dessert spoon sized portion of each for a 2 year old.

Easier than getting the scales out!

My 2yr old eats more than my 5yr old some days, then eats hardly anything other times. He's just had a big growth spurt so is mainly eating fruit and veg at the moment. The general rule is to offer smallish portions then offer more if/when finished rather than bigger portions. I give all my dc's the same size portion (oldest is 5, youngest is 2).

It's a big time of adjustment for you and him so just do what ever's easiest for you all!

My DD turned 2 last week and frankly, her potion size swings from nothing to almost as much as me. She loves a wide variety of food (even scoffed lobster recently) but she knows when she's full and will refuse even her favourite things at that point.

Today is average. She ate half a thick slice of homemade bread with sunflower spread and marmalade (she's lactose intolerant) plus 3 or 4 dates for breakfast. Then she wanted 2 tangerines at 11am. And I gave her a pot of blueberries at 12 while she waited for lunch. She ate a boiled egg and dunky soldiers for lunch. Didn't want the half a banana I offered.... Tonight she's getting pesto tortellini and half a corn on the cob. She'll probably eat 8 or 9 bits of tortellini and all of the corn. Then she'll be offered either an oatcake or a banana for supper. Sometimes she wants it, sometimes she doesn't....

She's never been a really chubby baby but isn't a delicate thing either. Sturdy is probably the best word! Very strong but short for her age (0.4th-2nd centile and the same height as the 15-18mo kids around here).

No idea if that helps. Never weighed anything or even considered how much she ate. She really does seem to self-regulate very well.

I would be quite relaxed at this age as they tend to be quite self regulating, but would offer lots of healthy stuff and restrict treats e.g. I wouldn't give a child a full packet of crisps.

I think just limit the unhealthy things - so decide a maximum number of biscuits, amount of sausages, chips etc etc and just make sure he gets a balanced diet. Dd would eat her own (admittedly slight) body weight in sausages or fish and chips, but we limit those to occasional treats. She's not the greatest veg eater, but we have success with meals like chicken stir fry with egg fried rice (home made) where she'll happily eat the veg and the peas in the rice. Pasta with tomato sauce or bolognese is popular too, and pasta with chicken, veg and pesto.

my ds never stops during the day so eats like a horse. if I gave him some of the portion sizes suggested he would be starving all the time.

I think it depends on the child and their activity level but I do make sure the plate it's 1/2 veg, 1/4 protein and 1/4 carbs.