Portion sizes for a toddler

[OriginalHugsy]

Reading the healthy start book for raising a healthy child trying to get my 18 month old to read it as she doesn't seem to listen to me and it says don't feed them too much and don't feed them too little...
It said to give them portion size for them which is so not helpful to me being the most indecisive I've ever been in my life. So how much food do you give or does your toddler eat at any meal time? a good range of meal times from different people would be useful.

I usually give DD a smaller portion and seconds if she wants it (and often thirds!). Less waste and she sometimes seems daunted by a big bowl of food.

Milky thanks. Phew. Reassured.

Will have a look at the book. She's just eaten DHs bread crust from the side of his dinner and some pasta salad (just pasta, mayo, peppers). She loves to graze just not big meals.

All this is so helpful. It's made me realise she probably does get enough it's just I offer her too much and she eats what she wants / needs. Some days more than others. I definitely feel reassured after reading all these replies

dd 23 months has had today-
breakfast - 2 slices of fruit loaf which she only took one bite out of, so had 1/3 small punnet of strawberries.

snack - smoothie melts

Lunch - some salmon and peas

Snack - 2 crackers

tea - fajitas - 3/4 of a wrap with chicken, peppers and onion, homemade oven chips. Fromage frais yoghurt.

She doesn't always have 2 snacks. Her food intake varies by a big amount daily.

Think I starve my 4 year old!!
I'm sure she doesn't eat as much as you've all mentioned.

My dd is 2.7 but has always eaten more than the recommended amount; in fact she eats the same now as she did a year ago- turns out she's mega tall.
Breakfast is a toddler bowl of cereal and a slice of toast.
Lunch is a sandwich, 2 slices of bread with something like cheese and tomato or ham and cucumber, plus a yoghurt and some fruit.
Dinner be a portion (again in toddler size bowl) of stew, spag Bol, fish pie, pasta etc. And fruit again.

She will smack once or twice a day depending on what she's been doing and this is is usually a banana, some dried fruit or crackers.

I learnt over time to let her eat rather than have a miserable hungry toddler and keep food healthy at home.

I think kids know what they need