How much does your 2-3 year old eat a day?

[RedRobyn2021]

I'm worried about the amount of sugar my daughter is having, she's always wanting a snack and it's usually fruit because we're always out I'm not sure what else to offer.

She has toast with peanut butter for breakfast with some milk, then she had 60g Greek yoghurt in a pouch, a mix of blueberries, strawberries and grapes, then a satsuma, then half a toasted tea cake, then some raisins and then a "snack" banana (a small one).

She's up at 6:30 and all of this has been eaten by 11:30am.

I am hoping to hear what other parents do, also it would be good to get some kind of guidance, maybe something I can read

When she was a baby I was told having snacks was good "little and often" and she's always fed like that from birth as I breastfed her, but now I'm worried that she shouldn't be having so many snacks. She's tall for her age and very strong and healthy looking, we go out twice a day to do something active so I'm not worried about her becoming overweight but I am worried about long term eating habits.

Does she eat a good breakfast/lunch/dinner as well as the snacks? Or does she mostly prefer snaking?

some suggestions for non fruit snacks… hard boiled egg, veggies like cucumber sticks, carrots, cherry tomatoes etc with some hummus or a dip of some sort, cheese and crackers, avocado on toast soldiers,

if you have some more time you can make mini muffins and add loads of different options like ham, spinach, cheese etc.

There are some good suggestions on this guide from the Caroline Walker Trust and it includes suggested portion sizes

@Drummend01

I will try her with the cucumber, carrots and tomatoes, I have seen Lidl have snack size versions of the peppers and cucumber so could try with those perhaps.

She had an egg allergy as a baby which she has grown out of now but she didn't try an egg until she was 2 so she is very suspicious of eggs, I've just kept offering whenever we have them scrambled/fried/boiled but she won't really eat it yet.

Same as above with cheese, she didn't have any until she was 2, but she has been slightly better with it just a bit fussy really, sometimes will eat it and other times won't touch it.

I don't mind making things, i could try and see if these some kind of savoury muffins I could try.

@SiouxsieSiouxStiletto

Thanks for this will read now

Hello! DS is 25m. A typical day would be:

Porridge with blueberries, toast, milk
Snack: eg 1 banana OR 1 babybel and some apple slices
Lunch: chicken and pasta, cucumber, grated carrot, grapes
Dinner: tofu and veg noodles, strawberries and plain yogurt
Milk from a cup at bed time

For reference was also EBF too.

So in comparison your DD has a lot of snacks, but I guess it depends what she eats during the rest of the day after 11.30?

My 2yo has 3 solid meals, generally something like porridge and fruit for breakfast, poached eggs on toast then Greek yoghurt and fruit for lunch, then meatballs and spaghetti with a tomato pasta sauce and veg for dinner. He rarely has snacks.

I have a waffle maker and I mix an egg with a tablespoon of flour and half a teaspoon of bicarb, you can add vanilla essence and a bit of sugar but you don't have to. My 2yo loves it!

For some reason one of mine was always just ravenous in the mornings at this age. He would have breakfast, second breakfast, two snacks and then lunch at 11:30 but then only eat a light dinner. It changed gradually and he has a more normal meal pattern now he is 4.

What worked for me was scheduling in second breakfast so he would have a bagel and a bit of fruit at 6:30, then something like Weetabix or toast and eggs or yoghurt at 8:30/9, then bread sticks or rice cakes at 10, then cucumber and grapes at 11 or so, then a full lunch at 11.30... sounds ridiculous I realise

He sounds like a boy after my own heart! Everyone needs a second breakfast!

This sounds like what my son is going through. Constantly wanting food all the time. I found giving egg for breakfast alongside his bread and greek yogurt etc has definitely helped and then sometimes he's more thirsty than hungry so offer him milk or water alongside fruit for his morning snack.

I'm trying to add more protein filled snacks for him alongside his 3 main meals and seems to be helping. Also I found my son eats so much more during growth spurts and he had a big one from age 2-3 and now again from age 3-3 1/2yrs.

My almost 3 year old eats similarly to yours OP. She eats really well at nursery but barely eats full meals at home, constantly wants snacks and carbs. My husband is a very snacky eater and has always been lean and muscular. I do worry about the level of snacking. Plus since the arrival of a baby she drinks 2-3 cups of cow milk in a bottle a day which seems to be filling her up… so tricky at this age as they have such strong feelings

That's interesting as I've always eaten little and often and have for the most part been slim until the sodding peri hit me