3½ TO 4 YEARS

I am learning to do more for myself.

I need STRUCTURE AND SUPPORT to be a good eater.

To do my best with eating, I need healthy meal and snack options from you. It’s up to me to do my job with eating.

YOUR JOB IS TO DECIDE:

  • What food is offered
  • When the food is offered
  • Where it will be eaten

MY JOB IS TO DECIDE:

  • If I will eat or not
  • What I will eat from the food that is offered
  • How much I will eat

Don’t worry if I don’t want to eat a meal or snack.
Tell me when you will offer my next meal or snack.
I will probably be hungry by then.

A young child sitting at a table, eating a meal with focus and enjoyment. The child is using their hands or utensils to explore the food.
A young girl enjoying an ice cream cone with a delighted expression. She is sitting or standing, savoring the treat with joy as she takes a bite.

SUPER SNACKS

Snacks help me get what I need to grow, play, and learn. My stomach is small, so I get hungry every 2 or 3 hours. Offer me one snack between breakfast and lunch, one snack between lunch and dinner, and maybe one snack before bedtime.

Here are some examples of what meal and snack portion sizes might look like on my plate.

Breakfast

¼ cup diced raspberries

½ cup low-fat milk

A young child eating breakfast, likely sitting at a table with a bowl or plate of food.

1 slice whole grain toast

1 cooked, scrambled egg

Lunch

1 medium wedge, cut up melon

1 cooked, small ear of corn

½ cup water

A young child sitting at a table, eating lunch with a focused or happy expression.

1 slice whole grain bread

with 1 ounce lean deli turkey or ham

with 1 slice cheese

Snacks

A young child enjoying a snack, possibly sitting at a table or on the floor.

½ cup chopped blueberries

with ½ cup low-fat yogurt

5 or 6 whole grain crackers with cheese

½ cup sliced carrots

with 1 tablespoon peanut butter

water between meals and snacks

Dinner

½ cup sliced peaches

½ cup cooked broccoli florets

½ cup low-fat milk

A young child eating dinner, likely sitting at a table with a plate of food

½ cup cooked brown rice

1 ounce drained, canned salmon

Daily Suggested Food Group Amounts

FRUITS

3 servings a day
1 serving = ½ cup
(1½ cups total)

Cooked or soft, raw fruit.

Mashed, sliced, or chopped.

Offer a variety: red, yellow, orange, blue, and green.

VEGETABLES

3 servings a day
1 serving = ½ cup
(1½ cups total)

Raw or cooked, mashed, sliced, or chopped vegetables.

Offer a variety: dark green, orange, red, yellow, and purple.

GRAINS

6-8 servings a day
1 serving = ½ ounce
(3-4 ounces total)

Whole grain bread, tortillas, rice, noodles.

Dry or cooked cereal.

PROTEINS

3-4 servings a day
1 serving = 1 ounce
(3-4 ounces total)

Cooked lean meat, poultry, or seafood.

Eggs.

Cooked beans, peas, or tofu.

Peanut butter.

DAIRY

5 servings a day
1 serving = ½ cup
(2½ cups total)

Low-fat milk.

Yogurt.

Cheese.

Look what I can do!

  • I can help set the table.
  • I can scrub and wipe a table or counter using a cloth or sponge.
  • I can break and tear vegetables for a salad.
The child is using water and soap to clean their hands, possibly with some assistance from an adult or independently.

Keep me safe and healthy.

Make sure foods are cut up small enough so I won’t choke on them.

Take me to the doctor for my check-ups.

Help me brush my teeth 2 times every day with a small, soft toothbrush and a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Teach me how to spit out the toothpaste and floss my teeth every day.

We need to wash our hands often. Teach me how to wash my hands with warm water and soap. I need to wash them for 20 seconds, or the time it takes to sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”

I need simple rules. Set limits on when, where, and how often we have screen time. Talk about what I’m learning as we watch together, and keep me safe from what I shouldn’t see. Let’s focus on each other during meals and snacks, not a screen.