Raising Children Network: the Australian parenting website
  • Suitable for 12-42Months

You decide what, your child decides how much

By Raising Children Network
 
 
When it comes to feeding kids, some experts say that it’s all about collaboration – you control the menu and your child decides what gets eaten. The main thing is to try to avoid conflict with your child.
Toddler and baby eating outdoors
 

Toddlers have very small stomachs, so they only need small servings at mealtimes. If your child wants more of anything, she will ask for it. Between meals offer healthy snacks to keep her going.

  • Toddlers know when they’ve had enough to eat.
  • Toddlers’ appetites vary constantly.
  • Forcing your toddler to eat is stressful for you and can put her at risk of overeating.

Many parents agonise about whether their toddler is eating enough healthy food. Remember that many toddlers eat tiny serves. As long as you stick to offering her healthy food, you needn’t worry if she doesn’t eat very much sometimes – she will eat when she’s hungry and won’t starve herself.

Because of growth spurts and variations in activity, toddlers’ appetites vary constantly. And because children are actually very good at judging how much food they need, you can safely leave your toddler’s appetite to her own devices. Aside from making mealtimes more stressful, forcing your child to eat – or to finish everything on her plate – can mean she will lose her ability to know when she is full. This puts her at risk of overeating later in life.

 
 
 
  • Last reviewed16-05-2006
  • References

    Department of Health and Aged Care. (1998). The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.

    Fisher, J.O., & Birch, L.L. (1999). Restricting access to foods and children’s eating. Appetite, 32(3), 405-419.

    National Health and Medical Research Council (2003). Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents in Australia. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service.