Pregnancy & Baby 

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Finger foods for a picky eater

Toddlers eat little relative to their parent's expectations. You need to remember, a serving size for them is only one-quarter to one-third of an adult serving. That means a quarter of a piece of toast - not the whole slice. It may be that your worrying about his intake may be somewhat unnecessary, due to unrealistic expectations. Try making a visual adjustment in your mind as to what is reasonable for a one-year-old to eat, and then add a splash of newfound independence and finickiness. It makes for an interesting picture. You have identified your challenge correctly - finding the appropriate foods to offer him, based on the knowledge that everything he eats should count towards his daily nutritional requirement. Then, after you have provided the food, leave it to him to be sure he is getting the calories he needs. Left to their own devices with healthy food, kids will eat what they need.

To help you help him get the proper nourishment, start by becoming familiar with the daily food needs of a toddler. Then choose foods that fulfil those requirements as much as possible and foods that can be served in a form he will eat.

On average, a one-year-old child needs the following to meet his daily nutrient requirements:

• six servings of grains (one serving = 1/4 slice bread; 1/4 muffin; two crackers; four tablespoons of dry cereal; four tablespoons of hot cereal)
• one serving of a vitamin C-rich fruit or veg (one serving = 1/3 cup juice; four tablespoons of chopped fruit or veg)
• one serving of green or orange fruit or veg for vitamin A (one serving = 1/4 to 1/3 cup of juice; four tablespoons of chopped fruit or veg)
• three or more servings of other fruits or vegetables including potatoes (one serving = 1/4 of a whole fruit or veg, 1/4 C chopped raw or cooked)
• three servings of milk, yoghurt or cheese (one serving = 1/2 cup of milk or yoghurt; 14.75 grams (half-ounce) of cheese)
• two servings of protein (one serving = 1+ tablespoon of chopped meat, fish or poultry; one egg)

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