toddler portion sizes

[sleepcrisis]

How big are your 2 year olds portions?

DS is just about to turn 2. Mealtimes are not terrible but certainly not as easy as they used to be. I have no idea if he eats a decent amount or not. He used to eat almost everything I gave him.

Have always offered fruit regardless of attempt at main and he's always eaten a good meal first. But now he is asking for fruit only a few mouthfuls into his meal. I have just been laughing, saying 'no chance', eat up your dinner and I'll get you some fruit. This has worked to some extent and he'll eat 1/2 - 2/3 his plate before refusing any more. Then he gets his fruit, but he always asks for more and more! My latest rule is that if he had a decent dinner (2/3+) then he can have more fruit or a yoghurt if there is one. If not, its just the one serving of fruit.

I just feel like meal times are becoming a lot more effort than they used to be. I have resorted to story tapes more often and even aeroplane spoons (ugh). No proper battles yet but I don't want to get that way.

Just thinking maybe I am expecting too much of him?

As a rule, his portion sizes are comparable to a 'Little Dishes' ready meal. Sometimes a little bit bigger (I freeze portions and sometimes don't have enough tupperwares so they end up being slightly bigger portions!)

So, how much does your toddler eat?
Thanks

My dd is 2.5. We dish her up half (at the most) of an adult meal. My vague logic being that she is roughly half her adult height atm and I would rather she left a little bit than learnt to finish her meal every time. It's tricky though and I don't like using the eat main before fruit rule but I do sometimes.

Sorry not much help but good luck!!

DD is 2, I serve her about the same as I give the 5 year olds, sometimes it all gets eaten sometimes not (same with the 5 yos). I use those plastic bowls and plates from Ikea, they don't hold too much, I don't think. Though she could easily eat two bowlfuls of strawberries, or a whole mango if I let her.

Yes this is my problem - DS could easily eat a whole mango or punnet of strawberries. I don't want to get him into the habit of eating more sweet than main course, but on the other hand I know that fruit is far less filling and very essential for the little ones (if not their teeth!)

I don't ever expect him to clean his plate but I just want to know he's had a good go at it before expecting fruit.

So do you think 1/2 - 2/3 of his meal is 'a good go?' At a guesstimate, a full portion is about 3 heaped tablespoons, including all meat/sauce/carbs/veg.

at 2 about 1/3 -1/2 adult portion but go easy on things like wholemeal pasta etc as they fill them up without enough calories

portions of fruit/ pudding/cake should also be half sized so a whole apple is really 2 portions of fruit for a 2 year old, just fruit is not enough protein and young children need healthy fats they should not be having low fat yogurt or skimmed milk