Recommended Intakes & Portion Sizes for infants:

Now that my sons 1^st birthday is 2 weeks away I want to ensure that I am providing him with the proper portion sizes for his growing body.  This is something I struggle with because sometimes it seems as though he is constantly hungry and wanting to eat.  I’m not sure if this is because he is just curious and wants to try everything that mommy and daddy are eating or if he is really hungry.  So I did a little investigating and found out a little more on recommended intakes, portion sizes and tips for 1-2 yr old.

Recommended intakes per meal:

Breakfast: Milk: ½ Cup; Fruits/Veggies: ¼ Cup; Grains/Bread: ½ slice bread or ¼ Cup cereal or ½ serving biscuit/muffin

Suggestions: Cinnamon Oatmeal with bits of apple made with milk

Lunch and Dinner: Milk: ½ Cup; Fruits/Veggies: ¼ Cup; Grains/Bread: ½ slice bread or ¼ Cup pasta or noodle grains; Meat/Meat Alternatives:1 oz beef/poultry/fish/tofu or ¼ cup egg or beans or 2 tbls nuts or 4 oz of yogurt.

Suggestions: Finely ground turkey chili  with white beans made with tomato sauce mixed with brown rice or rice cereal.  Side of smashed broccoli pieces.  Serving of prunes.

Snacks (two options from list per day): Choose any two serving options shown in breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Suggestions:Mozzarella cheese stick, bread with almond butter

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Care/ProgramBasics/Meals/Meal_Patterns.htm

**HINT:  A quick and easy way to remember a toddlers serving size (in case you don’t have measuring cups handy and you’re not a pro at eye balling it) is to think about what a normal adult portion size would be (not a huge restaurant size parents!) and reduce it to one quarter to one half of that portion.  Another good way to think about a serving size for a infant/toddler is 1 tablespoon per year of age.  So a 1 year old would need to have 1 tbsp of fruit and 1 tbsp of veggies per meal.

http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=8055