How Much Should My Child Eat? A Guide to Serving Sizes from Infancy to Preschool

Feeding a little one can feel like one big question mark — am I giving enough? Too much? Should they be eating more by now? You’re not alone in wondering! The truth is, kids come in all sizes with all kinds of appetites, and that’s perfectly normal.

Understanding age-appropriate serving sizes can help you feel more confident at mealtime and make it easier to support your child’s growth, development and healthy habits for life. Learn what’s typical from infancy through preschool, so you can relax a bit, trust your instincts and enjoy watching your little one learn and grow around food.

Growing Bodies, Changing Appetites

It is natural for a child’s appetite to change as they grow. During infancy, babies grow at a rapid rate, doubling their weight in the first 4 to 5 months, and tripling it by the end of their first year. This rapid weight gain requires consistent nutrition and can be accompanied by a ravenous appetite. After the first year, weight gain slows down and growth will be steady, and it also may come in fits and spurts, accompanied by a fluctuating appetite. Food jags, where a toddler only wants to eat specific foods over and over, also are common.

It’s important at all stages to avoid food battles and focus on offering variety, keeping mealtimes low stress. Never force a child to eat or punish them if they don’t want to eat. Instead, pay attention to hunger and fullness cues with infants and toddlers.

In infancy, hunger cues may look like smacking lips and sucking or chewing on hands or fingers. They also may turn their head and their open mouth toward breast or bottle — or root their face into the chest of someone holding them. Signs of fullness may include turning away from the breast or bottle, holding the mouth closed or pushing away. Older infants and toddlers may reach for food, open their mouth when they see food or become very excited at mealtimes. Alternatively, they may turn away, push away food or the spoon, and close their mouth. Older children can more easily express their hunger or fullness. It’s important to respect your child's autonomy and allow them to choose whether they eat food when it is offered. At every age, crankiness or a significant negative mood shift can be a sign of hunger.

What Does a Healthy Serving Look Like?

Each child is different and the portion size a child chooses to eat may vary by age, and even by day. The following serving sizes are meant as a guideline for healthy children; children who have certain medical conditions may have different needs, and your child may eat more or less than is indicated.

For Babies (0 to 6 months):

• Breastmilk or formula comes first and should be fed according to their hunger and fullness cues.
• Cow’s milk, plant-based milk alternatives, juice and other beverages are not recommended during the first year of life.
• Babies who are bottle-fed usually require feeding every 3 to 4 hours. Breastfed babies may nurse more frequently than bottle-fed babies, but eventually both will likely find a natural rhythm.
• Bottle-fed babies usually work their way up to drinking 3 to 4 ounces per feeding for a total of 32 ounces per day by the end of the first month.
• Pay attention to the hunger and fullness cues described above and provide responsive feeding for infant; stop feeding when baby is full and offer more if they still seem hungry.
• Monitor weight gain and growth, as well as frequent wet and soiled diapers, to ensure adequate nutrition.

For Babies (6 to 12 months):

• Most of the baby’s nutrition will still come from breastmilk or formula during the first year of life.
• Small amounts of water may be introduced in a cup starting around 6 months.
• During this time, complementary foods (also called “solid foods”) should be introduced. These are complementary because they are offered to complement breastmilk or formula. In the beginning, babies may only take a few bites of food.
• A general recommendation is to start with just 1 to 2 tablespoons (0.5 to 1 ounce) of a food. Follow baby’s hunger and fullness cues. They may want more or less than this amount, and that’s okay.
• Cow’s milk, plant-based milk alternatives, juice and other beverages are not recommended during the first year of life, even when foods start to be introduced.
• Learn the do’s and don’ts for starting solids to make feeding safer.
• Once a few solid foods have been introduced, experts recommend introducing commonly allergenic foods to reduce the risk of food allergies.

For Toddlers (1 to 3 years):

• During the toddler years, children will become much more communicative when they are hungry or full.
• Unflavored water and plain, pasteurized cow’s milk are the preferred beverages for toddlers. Whole milk is generally recommended between 1 and 2 years of age, with skim or low-fat milk recommended after that. There is no need for special beverages, such as toddler milk or “growing up” milks.
• A typical meal for a toddler may include 1 to 4 tablespoons of a variety of foods.
• A sample toddler meal might include 4 tablespoons of cooked pasta with 2 tablespoons of ground meat, 1 tablespoon of cooked green beans, ¼ cup of canned fruit and ½ cup of whole milk.

For Preschoolers (3 to 5 years):

• As children grow, their serving sizes also grow, but they are still much smaller than adult-sized servings.
• As always, allow children in this age group to decide if and how much they choose to eat.
• Plain water and plain, pasteurized low-fat or skim milk are recommended as the primary beverage choices for this age group. Avoid beverages with caffeine or those made with sugar or low-calorie sweeteners.
• Serving sizes should be around ½ cup for fruits, vegetables and grains. Meat serving sizes should be about the size of the child’s hand or about 2 ounces. A serving size is ½ cup of milk and 1/3 cup of yogurt.

Final Tips for Feeding Infants and Young Children Without Stress

Feeding young children can be fun as they explore new textures and tastes, yet it also can be stressful if you worry your child is eating more or less than they need. Focus on making mealtimes fun and relaxed. Encourage independence with self-serve or family-style meals, so that children can learn early how to recognize their own hunger and fullness. Use child-sized dishes and cups to avoid over-filling a child’s plate. Avoid pressure or bribing. Encouraging “just one more bite” isn’t helpful because it encourages children to ignore their own hunger and fullness cues. Instead, offer a variety of options with frequent opportunities to try new or previously offered foods. Encourage children to be adventurous eaters. If you have concerns about your child’s eating, ask your pediatrician and seek the advice of a pediatric registered dietitian nutritionist.