3½ to 4 Years
I am learning to do more for myself.
If we are breastfeeding, I still may want to nurse daily or just a few times per week. Breast milk still protects me from germs and is nutritious. Breastfeeding helps you stay healthy too, mom!
When it’s time for me to wean, patience is best. Think of another activity we can do – like reading a book, so we still have that special time together.
I need STRUCTURE AND YOUR 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
- 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.
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.
Below are examples of meal/snack ideas and portion sizes to serve on my plate.
Here’s what my BREAKFAST might look like...
¼ cup diced raspberries
½ cup low-fat milk
1 slice whole grain toast
1 cooked, scrambled egg
Here’s what my SNACKS might look like...
5 or 6 whole grain crackers
with 4 or 5 cubes cheese
½ cup chopped blueberries
with ½ cup low-fat yogurt
½ cup sliced carrots
with 1 tablespoon peanut butter
water between meals and snacks
Here’s what my LUNCH might look like...
1 medium wedge,cut up melon
½ cup water
1 cooked, small ear of corn
1 slice whole grain bread
with 1 ounce lean deli turkey or ham*
with 1 slice cheese
Here’s what my DINNER might look like...
½ cup sliced peaches
½ cup low-fat milk
½ cup cooked broccoli florets
¼ cup cooked brown rice
1 ounce drained, canned salmon
Daily Suggested Food Group Amounts
Fruits
3 servings a day
1 serving = ½ cup
(1½ cup 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 cup total)
Mashed, sliced,
or chopped veggies.
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, or noodles.
Dry or cooked cereal.
Proteins
3-5 servings a day
1 serving = 1 ounce
(3-5 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)
Breast milk (at breast or
expressed) or 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.
Keep me Safe and Healthy
*To keep me safe from certain bacteria, heat deli meats until steaming.
Please DON’T give me foods I could choke on like whole nuts, whole grapes, or raw uncut vegetables. Always watch me when I eat.
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. I should see the dentist every 6 months to keep my teeth healthy.
We need to wash our hands often, especially before I eat. 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.