Even if you already have children, you have a big learning curve ahead of you every time a new baby enters the family. Even if you’ve studied the latest research on how to raise a happy, healthy child, lack of sleep alone will cause you to forget important information. There are specific skills and knowledge you need to get through the newborn stages, and then another set of skills is needed for the rest of the first year. After that, it’s so exciting when your little one starts walking or ‘walking’ in their early years.

One of the challenges you face when raising a young child is introducing them to all kinds of new and wonderful foods. There can be many times when it seems like they are barely eating enough to support a bird, let alone a body that is constantly in motion! How do you know how much to feed them?

In general, young children are very good at listening to their hunger and fullness cues. Sometimes as parents we don’t trust their cues and think, “Surely they must be hungry! They haven’t eaten in three hours!” This is where the feeding ratio comes in. Your role as a parent is to shop for healthy foods and prepare them in nutritious and creative ways. Let your child determine how much, when and if he eats. Erratic eating habits are normal for young children: they may eat well one day and practically nothing the next. It’s much less stressful to look at your child’s eating habits on a weekly basis, not every day. I am a strong believer in this type of feeding relationship and definitely use it with my children.

Here are some basic serving size guidelines for young children that may be helpful in assessing whether the portion you are serving is adequate for their needs. These guidelines are generally for daily amounts.

Protein foods: 2 servings daily

• One serving equals 1 oz. cooked meat, poultry, or fish; 1 boiled egg; or 1/4 cup cooked beans

Vegetables: 3 servings daily

• One serving equals 1/4-1/2 cup of chopped fresh, cooked, or canned vegetables

Dairy: 4 servings daily

• One serving equals 1/2 cup milk, 1 oz. cheese, 1/2 cup yogurt

Fruit: 3 servings daily

• One serving equals 1/4-1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fresh fruit

Grains: 6 servings daily

• One serving equals 1/2-1 slice of bread; 1/4-1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta; 1/2 cup of ready-to-eat cereal; 2 small cookies; 1/2 waffle or pancake; 1/2 3-inch tortilla, hamburger bun, roll, or bagel

If you don’t like to measure, a sectioned plate can be a great way to estimate portion sizes. Lastly, here are some sample meals for toddlers.

• Peanut butter spread on 1/2 toast, 1/2 cup canned peaches, 1 boiled egg, 1/4 cup hash browns, 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1 ounce. barbecue chicken, 1/2 cup orange slices, 1/2 cup steamed green peas, 1 small sweet potato crescent roll
• 1/2 cup chili, 1 oz. baked corn chips, 1/2 cup green salad, 1/2 cup grapes
• 1 ounce. grilled chicken; 1/4 cup of brown rice; 1/2 cup steamed green beans; 1/2 cup grapes, blueberries, strawberries
• 1 ounce. chicken nuggets, 1/2 cup green bell pepper and carrots, 1/2 cup orange slices, 1 multigrain muffin

What if your toddler doesn’t finish his plate? It’s okay!! When you offer a variety of nutritious foods and set an example by eating those foods yourself, your child will develop healthy habits over time. Do not stress! Remember that young children are good at listening to their hunger cues. Consistently offering healthy choices is one of the best things you can do to instill healthy eating habits in your children. that will be on its floor today?