Feeding the two year old (1059)

By age two, your toddler should be well on his way to eating an adult diet, although it should be one that is fairly free of salt, sugar, and excess fats. He should be getting foods from all the food pyramid groups, but don’t count on your toddler eating what you would consider a square meal at every sitting.

Be prepared for the occasional single food binge-such as wanting a peanut butter sandwich at every meal. Eventually your child will tire of this favorite food and move on
to more balanced choices. Feel free to introduce any foods at this age but be on the lookout for allergic reactions, especially to citrus fruits, peanuts, eggs, and milk products.

You still need to watch the two-year-old for choking.  Avoid feeding children this age hard or round foods that can get caught in their throats. Stay away from popcorn, hard candies, chunks of carrots, grapes, raisins, and other similar foods. When in doubt, chop it up or wait until your child is older.

Toddlers usually need around 1,000 calories per day split between three meals and two snacks. It’s important to offer a variety of healthy foods at this age. Your child is learning eating habits that will stay with him for a lifetime. Good choices now will increase the odds he’ll make better choices for himself later on.

If you have a heavier child, do not restrict her calories without specific medical advice. Instead, look at the quality of foods she eats, and make sure to increase her chances for physical activity on a daily basis. Does she drink a lot of high-calorie juice or milk? Maybe you can cut back and serve water sometimes.

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

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