Research-backed
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.
Nutrients To Include In The Balanced Diet:
Here, we list the major nutrients to include in the toddler balanced diet.
1. Carbohydrates:
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.
3. Calcium:
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:
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).
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.
References:
- Carbohydrates.
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002469.htm - Calcium supplements.
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007477.htm - Vitamins.
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002399.htm - Iron in diet.
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002422.htm - Sample Menu for a Two-Year-Old
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/nutrition/Pages/Sample-One-Day-Menu-for-a-Two-Year-Old.aspx - Feeding your baby: 1–2 years
https://www.unicef.org/parenting/food-nutrition/feeding-your-baby-1-2-years
Reviewer
Dr. Prakhar Nyati
(MD)
