A child's hand as a measure of the correct serving size

An essential component of an ideal baby nutrition are age-appropriate serving sizes. Learn how you can easily determine the appropriate amounts.

Learn how you can determine the appropriate amounts of an essential component of ideal child nutrition as age appropriate serving sizes.

A change in diet

Did you know that a child with a colourful diet would develop into better eaters? The childhood can often shape preferences for life and healthy eating habits acquired early.

Children will have smaller stomachs but a high energy and nutrient requirement when compared with adults. Therefore, 3 balanced meals and 2 snacks consisting of fruits and milk or milk products are proven to be more favourable to them. Children should eat at an interval of between 2-4hours, preferably at fixed times. Your child may overeat at the next meal if intervals are too far apart. Although that will not be a problem if it occurs occasionally but in the long term, it may develop an unhealthy eating pattern in your child. Regular feeding times are important for your child to learn the difference between hunger and satiety.

A practical guide to the serving sizes are the hands of your toddler: a serving for a child is compared with the hand of the child. However for bread, it will be depending on the thickness of the bread. For fruits, about 7 large grapes, 2 slices of apple or half a tangerine will be equal to a serving size for the child. While a “palm sized” meat will be equivalent to about 35 grams. A child serving for milk is about a small glass of approximately 100 millilitres.  

1 handful of vegetables or fruit

Be it fruits, vegetables, meat or bread: A palm sized portion for a child is smaller than that to an adult

2 hands cupped and held together

This is the portion size for small fruits, cut vegetables, potatoes, pasta or cereal.

Right amount and portion of bread

1 palm size

A portion of meat or fish should be a palm sized.

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