Toddler Food Pyramid
It rarely fails that when I am working with a family who has a child that is struggling with eating I will eventually be asked "How much should my child be eating?". I am lucky that I have had families who have erred on the side of serving too much rather than not enough food. Quite a few parents will serve their children the same amount or a little less than what the rest of the family is having and not understand why they won't finish their meal.
Good news! The U.S. Department of Agriculture has come up with a food pyramid designed just for 2-5 year olds. The MyPyramid for preschoolers offers a wealth of information for families including but not limited to sections on picky eaters (including alternate phrases to use to encourage better eating habits), physical activity, encouraging healthy eating habits, and sample meals and snacks. On the main "MyPyramid" page there is even a section that will allow you to come up with a plan for your child based on their age, gender, weight, height and amount of physical activity.
But wait! There is more! This site isn't just for toddlers. There are sections for the whole family. The primary "home" site is: Mypyramid.gov where you will find sections on:
Menu Planning,
Pregnancy and Breast Feeding,
Steps to a Healthier Weight,
Kids 6-11 Years Old,
Today where so much emphasis is being placed on making good food choices, excercising, and being over all healthy, this is a great site to share with your families. It has been reported that 15% of our toddlers are overweight and now there is a way to help families and children learn to make better and healthier food choices.
Thanks for stopping by - next time I will share more strategies on feeding/oral motor issues.