Balanced Diet Chart For Toddlers

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If your child gets tired easily or falls sick too often, it may indicate they are receiving inadequate nutrition. To help you keep track of their nutrition and provide them with the required nutrients in the right amounts, you could use a balanced diet chart for toddlers.

A balanced diet should include foods from all the major food groups, namely proteins, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and grains. Appropriate amounts of each food type are required to help your child stay healthy and active.

Read on to learn about following a balanced diet for toddlers, what nutrients are required for it, and its benefits.

What Is A Balanced Diet For A Toddler?

A balanced diet is highly beneficial for the health and well-being of your toddlers. A balanced diet consists of proteins, minerals, vitamins, and carbohydrates in adequate amounts, and it meets the daily caloric needs of your toddler. Your toddler needs around 50% of calorie requirements from carbohydrates, 30% from fats, and 20% from proteins. As a parent, you need to ensure that your little one eats food from all the food groups here.

Did you know?

Toddlers need about 40 calories each day for every inch of height. However, the amount may vary based on the child’s build and activity (7).

Nutrients To Include In The Balanced Diet

Here, we list the major nutrients to include in the toddler balanced diet.

1. Carbohydrates:

Toddlers need enough carbohydrates for energy.

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Toddlers need the right amounts of carbohydrates for enough energy. Including whole grain foods like bread, cereals, and pasta, in your toddler’s so that they get their daily dose of carbohydrates (1).

2. Proteins:

Proteins are the quintessential nutrient for growth, muscle building and repair, and building antibodies. Include foods like fatty fish, dairy products and eggs in your toddler’s diet.

Quick fact

Toddlers require 0.5g of protein per pound of body weight per day, which means roughly 13g of protein per day (8).

3. Calcium:

Toddlers should eat calcium rich foods for strong bones.

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Calcium is extremely necessary for strong bones. Include calcium-rich foods, such as cheese, yogurt, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, and collard green, in your toddler’s regular diet. Adding these calcium rich foods will prevent the development of calcium deficiency in your toddlers (2).

4. Vitamins:

Vitamins are quite necessary for normal functioning of the body. Vitamins help boost your toddler’s immune system, promotes growth and development, aid the functioning of the cells and various organs. Vitamin A is necessary for good vision. Vitamin C acts as an immune booster and supports brain functioning. Vitamin D is necessary for effective calcium absorption. So include various vitamin rich foods in your toddler’s diet to help him have good health (3).

5. Other nutrients:

Include foods rich in iron to reduce nutritional deficiencies.

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Besides carbohydrates, calcium, proteins, and vitamins, your toddler needs the appropriate amounts of iron, amino acids, and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to be healthy. Include iron-rich foods, amino acids, and omega-3 fatty acids in your toddler’s diet to reduce the risk of nutritional deficiencies (4).

Point to consider

Toddlers should drink 2 to 3 cups (480 to 720 milliliters) of cow’s milk each day as its excess can affect iron absorption and raise iron deficiency risk if the toddler isn’t eating a well-balanced diet (9).

Balanced Diet Chart For Toddlers

Here is a diet chart that displays essential foods for toddlers with the right serving size and amount of daily serving. Parents need to choose one or two foods from each food group for their toddlers.

Food Group	Foods Example	Serving Size	Daily Serve
Grains	Rice PastaBreadCerealRollsWheat BiscuitNoodles	1 cup ½ – 1 cup1 or 2 slices½ – 1 cup½ – 1 roll1½ cup	Four servings for toddlers
Fruits	Berries ApricotsDatesOrangesPeachesGrapesMangoesPineapplesBananasMelons	A quarter cup of dried fruits, 6-ounce fruit juice, ½ a cup of frozen raw fruits	Two servings for toddlers
Vegetables	Cooked veggies CauliflowerMedium potatoCarrot (sliced)SpinachBroccoliTomatoSalad	Half a cup cooked vegetables and one cup raw, leafy vegetables	Two servings for toddlers
Lean Proteins	Fish EggsDried beansLentilsPeasPeanut butter	1 medium filet Cooked beans ¾ cupCooked lentils ¾ cupCooked peas ¾ cup1 tablespoon	Half serving for toddlers
Dairy Products	Milk CheeseYogurtCustard	250 ml 40 gms200 gms250 ml	One serving for toddlers
Fats and Oils	Low-fat mayonnaise Soft margarineLight salad dressingVegetable oils	1 tablespoon1 tablespoon1 tablespoon1 tablespoon	One serving for toddlers

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What do two-year-olds eat for breakfast?

Below is a sample breakfast menu prepared by the AAP, which you can use to prepare your toddler’s breakfast (5).

½ cup nonfat or low-fat milk
½ slice whole-wheat toast
½ cup iron-fortified cereal or one egg
½ teaspoon margarine or butter or one teaspoon jelly
1⁄3 cup fruit (for example, banana, cantaloupe, or strawberries)

2. What should a two-year-old eat for lunch?

A sample lunch menu for a two-year-old, according to the AAP, is as follows (5):

½ cup low-fat or nonfat milk
2–3 carrot sticks (cut up) or two tablespoons of other dark-yellow or dark-green vegetables
½ sandwich—one slice of whole-wheat bread, one ounce of meat, a slice of cheese, a veggie (avocado, lettuce, or tomato)
½ cup of berries or one small (½ ounce) low-fat oatmeal cookie

3. How many meals should a toddler eat daily?

A two-year-old toddler can have around three to four meals a day with an addition of around two snacks in between the meals (6).

A balanced diet helps in promoting growth and development in toddlers. Therefore, it is important to introduce different food into their diet. Provide toddlers with optimum carbohydrates for energy, proteins for growth and repair, calcium for strong bones, vitamins for good immunity, and various other nutrients for overall well-being. If you are not sure of the right foods and their ideal quantity, refer to the balanced diet chart for toddlers. Make sure you serve the food in different forms and flavors, so toddlers stay interested and eat without fuss. Consult a pediatrician if you are further doubtful of your child’s nutrition.

Infographic: Ways To Make Toddlers Eat A Healthy And Balanced Diet

When babies become toddlers, they develop new eating skills and food habits. Often, they become erratic eaters, making it difficult for parents to make them consume a balanced diet. But they can be made to eat better. Scroll through this infographic to find tips to ensure your toddlers get a nutritious and balanced diet.

tips to get your toddler to eat a nutritious diet [infographic] — Illustration: MomJunction Design Team

References:

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