Food, Nutrients and Portion Sizes
02
Children aged 1-4 need a nutritious balanced diet to
meet their nutritional needs for activity, growth and
development.
A nutritious diet in the early years is made up of a
combination of foods from the five food groups:
1. Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods,
2. Fruit and vegetables,
3. Milk, cheese and yogurt,
4. Meat, fish, eggs, nuts and pulses, and
5. Foods high in fat and sugar.
Factsheet 1.2
describes how many portions from
each of these five food groups toddlers need to thrive
and grow.
The tables in this Factsheet provide guidance on a
suitable range of portion sizes for each of the foods
within each food group for young children
1
.
Precise or fixed portion sizes are not useful for young
children because the amount of food they eat varies
considerably from meal to meal and from day to day.
This Factsheet therefore suggests the range of portion
sizes for a variety of foods that are suitable for 2-4
year olds. In general taller and more active children
will eat larger portions of some foods than smaller,
less active children.
These portion size ranges have been developed by
comparing them with reported average amounts
eaten by healthy young children
2, 3, 4, 5,6
. The energy
and nutrient content of daily combinations of a
variety of the foods from the tables in this Factsheet
have been calculated using the midpoint of the
portion size range. These daily combinations comply
with healthy eating guidelines for toddlers (1-4
year olds) in
Factsheets 1.1 & 1.2
and meet the
UK estimated average energy requirements
7
and
Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNIs) for all nutrients
except vitamin D which is not expected to be met
by food alone
8
.
See Factsheet 1.1i
Toddlers 12-24 months
Portion sizes for very young toddlers aged 12-24
months are those at the lower end of the ranges in
the following tables. The energy requirements of
these young toddlers are considerably lower than
those for children two years and over. Hence we
recommend that toddlers under two years of age are
not offered sweet drinks, confectionery, chocolate or
savoury snacks such as crisps as listed in Food Group
5 on page 9.
Vitamin D
Most of young child’s vitamin D needs are met not by
diet, but by synthesis in the skin. The National Institute
of Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the Department of
Health recommend a daily supplement of vitamin
D (and vitamin A) for all children under five years
in the UK in addition to eating a balanced diet
9
.
See Factsheet 1.2
Allow young children to eat to their appetite
Young children should be allowed to eat to their
appetite from the food groups 1, 2 and 4 and allowed
to stop eating when they have had enough.
They should not be urged to finish everything on their
plate or to eat more than they wish to. Signals that
young children have had enough are:
• shutting their mouths,
• turning their heads away,
• pushing the spoon or plate aside,
• refusing to swallow and holding food in
their mouths,
• spitting food out,
• screaming or crying,
• gagging or vomiting.
See Factsheet 2.2
Parents can be reassured that when young children
eat a variety of foods in amounts within the range
of portion sizes presented in this Factsheet, they are
eating adequately. Knowing that the small portion
sizes of some foods at the lower end of the ranges are
adequate can reassure parents who worry that their
young children are not eating enough of certain foods.
Food Group 3: Milk, cheese and yogurt
Some young children may drink too much milk and
thus reduce their appetite for the iron-containing
foods in the food groups 1, 2 and 4. Milk, cheese and
yogurt should be limited to about three portions per
day in the amounts specified in the MILK, CHEESE AND
YOGURT table , on page 5, to reduce the risk of a low
intake of iron.
Discontinuing milk from a bottle at around 12 months
reduces the risk of:
• bottles becoming a comfort
• an excess consumption of milk.
Infants can begin drinking from a cup after about six
months of age.
Food Group 5: Foods high in fat and sugar
Small portion sizes have been recommended for
some of the foods in this food group because these
low nutrient, energy-dense foods should be limited
to prevent tooth decay, overweight and obesity.
See Factsheet 3.3 & 4.5
Young children have an
innate preference for these energy-dense, and often
sweet, foods. They can be included in small amounts
in a balanced diet but should not be given as rewards,
bribes or for comfort.
See Factsheet 2.3