How many meals a day should my child eat?

Question, how many meals a day should be consume, it applies to both children and adults. Parents ask them, bearing in mind the proper nutrition of their children - especially the younger ones. How much should a two-year-old eat, and how many 3 years i 4-year-old child? Better to eat more or less? If you are also wondering how much should the child eatto develop properly, be sure to read the following text. You may know how many meals a day should be eaten, but not sure how it is for children. Or maybe your child is still hungry or often has no appetite and you have doubts about how much she should eat then? The amount, frequency and quality of what children eat is essential for their proper growth and development.

Question, how much a 2-year-old and 3-year-old child should eat appears here for a reason, because the time between 13 and 36 months of age is considered very important for shaping eating preferences and behavior. From the age of 4, the energy demand of a child increases significantly. So let's take a look at how to plan meals for younger kids quantitatively, i.e. how much should a two-year-old eat, and how many 3 years i 4-year-old child.

What to look for when planning a children's diet?

Models of safe nutrition for children and adolescents pay attention to several important elements:

• Meal frequency - children should eat 4-5 meals a day, at regular intervals as possible. 
• Energy and nutritional value of a child's diet - it should be in line with individual needs and close to food norms and rations. 
• Selection of products - the diet of children should be dominated by natural, high-quality, little-processed food. Consuming various products from all groups determines the proper supply of necessary nutrients.

Ile meals a day the baby should eat?

Proper nutrition, including the right number of meals, has a great impact on the development of our children. Children should eat 4-5 meals a day, varying in terms of energy and nutritional value. These are:

• breakfast;
• XNUMXnd breakfast;
• lunch;
• tea;
• dinner.

PThe basic meals are: breakfast, lunch and dinner, the other two are complementary meals. Your child's diet should be varied to provide them with all the necessary nutrients, and meals should be eaten regularly. 

Is a snack a meal?

There is still some time until the scheduled meal time, and your child signals that he is already hungry? Snacks are not prohibited, but be sure to serve them in moderation. Products containing protein, unsaturated fats, complex carbohydrates and vitamins are recommended. Good examples are vegetables, fruits, fermented milk products (natural yoghurt, cheese, buttermilk).

Avoid serving bars, salty snacks and products containing additives. Their excessive consumption may pose a risk of developing excess body weight, stomach problems, food allergies and tooth decay. If you want to know more about baby snacks, take a look here.

How much should a child eat?

You do not know how to compose a diet for your child? The so-called food platewhich shows the recommended portions for a specific product group. The child's menu should include:

• protein products: 4-5 servings
• grain products: 5 portions
• vegetables: 5 portions
• fruit: 4 servings
• fats: 1-2 servings

Remember that juices are also a meal. Give your toddler water to drink.

How much should a 2-year-old eat?

The energy demand of children aged 1-3 years is approx. 1000 kcal. Answers to the question how much should a 2-year-old child eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it is best to look for diets based on knowledge in the field of nutrition for toddlers of this age. 

Sample daily menu for a 2-year-old

1. First breakfast: oatmeal (2 tablespoons) on milk (1 cup) with ? boiled apple and cinnamon;
2. Second breakfast: 1 small banana, sliced ​​with 1 teaspoon plain yogurt;
3. Dinner: vegetable barley with pearl barley (1 glass) with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and parsley, 1 boiled small potato with veal meatball (the size of a large walnut), boiled carrot with peas (2 tablespoons), seasoned with 1 teaspoon of butter and dill, compote with raspberries or water (1 glass); 
4. Tea: fresh currant kissel (3/4 cup) with 1 sponge cake;
5. Supper: multi-grain porridge without added sugar (3 tablespoons) on modified milk (1 cup) with soaked raisins (2 teaspoons).   

How much should a 3-year-old child eat?

The energy demand of a 3-year-old child does not change significantly compared to a 2-year-old child. At this age, toddlers often start attending kindergarten, which may be associated with a change in diet and the need to adapt the meals eaten at home to those eaten in kindergarten. The example below shows how much should a 3-year-old child eattaking into account all meals of the day.  

Sample daily menu for a 3-year-old

1. First breakfast: sandwich (1 slice of wholemeal bread) with butter, a slice of roasted turkey with apricot and a leaf of lettuce, and cereal coffee with milk (1 glass);
2. Second breakfast: carrot gingerbread with nuts and raisins (home-made - 1 small portion - approx. 30 g);
3. Dinner: chard (1 cup) with ? eggs and dill and 1 tablespoon of natural yogurt; boiled rice (2-3 tablespoons) with baked halibut (portion the size of a large walnut); white cabbage and pickled cucumber salad seasoned with olive oil, yoghurt and dill (1-2 tablespoons), blackcurrant compote (1 glass);
4. Tea: cooked green beans (3 tablespoons) with oil / butter (1 teaspoon), sesame seeds, garlic and breadcrumbs;
5. Supper: oat porridge (2 tablespoons) on milk (1 cup) with apricot (1 pc.).

How much should a 4-year-old child eat?

In the age group of 4-6 years the demand for energy, with moderate physical activity, increases to approx. 1400 kcal per day. It should be ensured that the diet of both a 4-year-old and an older child takes into account these needs. Another example illustrates, how much should a 4-year-old child eatto provide him with an adequate supply of energy and essential nutrients during the day. 

Sample daily menu for a 4-year-old

1. First breakfast: rye bread (1 slice) with butter, boiled egg (1 piece), tomato, cucumber, cereal coffee with milk (1 cup);
2. Second breakfast: peach (several pieces), kiwi (several slices);
3. Dinner: vegetable soup (1 glass) with a tablespoon of natural yoghurt, a slice of roasted pork loin (65 g), buckwheat (3 tablespoons), beetroot (2 tablespoons), water (1 glass);
4. Tea: yoghurt oatmeal pancakes (2 pieces) with fruit mousse (2 tablespoons);
5. Supper: milk (1 cup) with barley flakes (2-3 tablespoons).

Źródła:

• Nutrition guide for children aged 1 to 3, Medical and nutritional team, Nutrition Institute, Institute of Mother and Child, Warsaw 2020; 
• About nutrition and physical activity of children - simple, modern, practically edited by prof. Halina Weker. Ministry of Health, Institute of Mother and Child, Warsaw 2013.