How To Have A Great Lunchtime With Toddlers (Ages 1 - 4)

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Toddlers are selective, predictable and stubborn. Here are some tips to make lunchtime
fun for your toddler!

Schedule: A key to toddler lunchtime good behavior is keeping to the same schedule every
day. Sit down at the same time each day for lunch with your toddler.

Keep portion sizes small: In most cases, a serving of any type of food is about one
tablespoon for every year of your child's age.



Be patient trying new foods (or even new versions of old time favorites): Raw
broccoli, chopped broccoli and broccoli soup - we know its all broccoli, but expect your
toddler to be suspicious. It can take a child more than up to ten times to try a new food.

Choices: Offering one large food item (i.e. a sandwich) for lunch will not go over as well as
offering 3-4 small food choices. Provide a balanced healthy lunch every day that includes:
Protein, Fruits and/or Vegetables, Grains, and Calcium. Food choices can be simple:

•Cheese - cubes, slices or sticks

•Toast or mini bagels with cream cheese & fruit spread

•Mac n' cheese with peas and ham (recipe below)

•Lunch meat slices rolled up or cut into squares

•Fruit (toddler bite size) - cooked apples, bananas, berries, pears, peaches, etc.

•Mini-muffins

•Steamed vegetables (toddler bite size) - broccoli, carrots, green beans peas, etc

•Yogurt

•Whole-grain crackers

•Graham crackers

•Dry Cereal (Low sugar, whole-grain)

•Pretzels

Food Temperature: Toddlers are sensitive to temperature - serve food slightly warm,
room temperature or slightly cool. Always check the temperature of foods before serving
them.

Choking: Many foods are choking hazards until your toddler is over 3 years old. Avoid small, hard pieces of food. The most common choking hazards for toddlers are nuts (other than ground), peanut butter, whole grapes, raw, hard fruits & veggies, chunks of meat,pieces of bacon, hot dogs, popcorn, potato chips and raisins.

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