Feeding young children takes patience, a common sense approach and lots of love. Your reward is knowing that nutritious eating habits help children get the energy and important nutrients they need to be at their best.

Food Supplies Nutrients For Growth

Two to six-year-olds are growing, learning, developing motor skills and becoming more independent. They require the same nutrients you do, but in different amounts. Since no single food or food group supplies all nutrients, encourage kids to eat a variety of different foods each day. For example, offer foods from three or more food groups for breakfast and lunch, and from four or more groups for dinner. Keep food interesting with different flavours, colours and textures.

Food Gives Energy

Kids need kilojoules (energy) to fuel their activities. How many kilojoules? That depends on age, body size and activity levels. A good gauge is whether your child is growing normally, has energy for play and feels healthy. To help you decide the types and proportions of different foods to offer, see The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, funded by the Australian Government, Department Health and Aging, prepared by Children's Health Development Foundation S.A., and Deakin University, 1998, Victoria.

Sizing Up Food For Kids

It’s hard to predict how much food youngsters will eat at any given meal or snack. Their appetites may vary from day-to-day or from one eating occasion to the next. Factors include time of day, degree of hunger, familiarity of foods, activity level, being over tired or growth spurts.

Tips For “Serving It Up” To Young Children

• Offer meals and snacks at about the same time each day. Allow enough time between meals for kids to become hungry. 
• Provide plenty of time for meals and snacks. Children need time to eat and recognize their bodies’ signals that they are satisfied. 
• Use child-sized plates and cups. These keep portions in line with young appetites and are easier for children to handle. 
• Let your child’s appetite guide you. Offer small portions; let kids ask for more if they want them. Urging children to finish everything on their plates can lead to less nutritious eating, or over-eating over a period of time. 
• Introduce new foods one at a time with “just a taste” portions. It often takes a number of trials before a new food is accepted. If your child sees you eating a food, he or she is more likely to try it. 
• Plan on snacks to fill nutrient gaps and satisfy between-meal hunger. Young children may need a mid-morning, mid-afternoon and small bedtime snack. 
• Offer kid-size snack portions. Try two cracker squares with a half-cup of orange juice, a cheese slice and apple snack, or a small tub of yoghurt. 
• Don’t go it alone. Check with a doctor if you are concerned that a child is eating too little or too much. Ask your doctor for a referral to a dietician if your child is overweight or underweight or if his or her food habits are especially worrisome. 
• Supervise children when they eat. This helps you anticipate and deal with potentially dangerous situations such as choking, falls or spills.

Remember, feeding kids isn’t an exact science. Experience, common sense and some expert advice will help you overcome the hurdles you’re sure to encounter.