Toddler Snacks
It is very important to maintain proper schedules for all activities involving toddlers, like naptime or rest time, playtime, bath time and most importantly meal times. Follow a regular schedule for snacks and meals so that your child learns to expect the type of food that he will be given at a certain time of the day. You should serve three proper meals every day, with room for up to three snacks, to make sure that your child gets enough energy throughout the day. Apart from foods, you can make sure that the child gets his required intake of milk or juice during these snack times. To make the schedule more effective, limit each mealtime to around 20 minutes, after which you should clear away whatever is leftover and wait for the next mealtime, before offering your child something to eat or drink again. Allowing your kid to snack all day could lead to problems, like diarrhea and weight gain.
Toddler Meal schedules are different for every child, as they let you know when they are hungry. But you can use a guideline to help you set fixed meal timings. When your child wakes up in the morning, make sure that you serve breakfast within the first half and hour of his waking. After about an hour, give your child a snack. Then, most children will let you know when they are next hungry and are ready to have lunch. However, lunch should normally be served between 12:30 to 1:00 in the afternoon. After an afternoon nap, your child may need another snack, especially one that contains milk. Based on how active you child is, he will let you know when he is ready for dinner, which should normally be at around 7:00 in the evening. If your child needs an additional snack, you could allow him one more, before bedtime or anywhere in between, throughout the day. It is advisable to have your schedule comprise three main meals and three snacks (mid-morning, mid-afternoon and post dinner). Also, make sure that you serve the meals and snacks at the same time every day. Avoid giving any food to your toddler, between meals and snack times.
A toddler should consume about 1,200 calories a day, for proper growth and development. However, most children find it difficult to eat as much as they should, in three big meals and therefore nutritious snacks are a great way of making up for these meals. However, during snack timings, stay away from junk food and foods that are too high in sugar. Finger foods are the best options as most tiny tots enjoy feeding themselves. Some healthy snacks include - cereal that is low in sugar, pieces of fruit, steamed vegetables, segments of cheese, whole grain crackers and mini muffins and bread or sandwiches.
Submitted by P T on June 1, 2010 at 03:28
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