A nurse is reviewing nutritional guidelines with the parents of a 2-year-old. Which statement indicates understanding?

A nurse is reviewing nutritional guidelines with the parents of a 2-year-old. Which statement indicates understanding?

• A. Should keep feeding my son whole milk until he is 3 years old
• B. It's okay for me to give my son a cup of apple juice with each meal
• C. Give my son about 2 tablespoons of each food at mealtimes
• D. My son loves popcorn, and I know it is better for him than sweets

Answer: (C)

Toddlers need small, manageable portions and a variety of foods to meet growth needs without overloading their still-small stomachs. For a 2-year-old, a practical serving size is about 2 tablespoons of each food at a meal. This follows the general guideline of roughly 1 tablespoon of each food per year of age, helping your child experience a range of nutrients while avoiding overwhelming fullness. Other statements reflect common pitfalls. Continuing whole milk until age three isn’t necessary; after age two, many families transition to lower-fat milk. Giving a cup of apple juice with every meal adds extra sugar and calories and can reduce appetite for solid foods. And popcorn is a choking hazard for toddlers, so it isn’t a suitable choice at this age.

Toddlers need small, manageable portions and a variety of foods to meet growth needs without overloading their still-small stomachs. For a 2-year-old, a practical serving size is about 2 tablespoons of each food at a meal. This follows the general guideline of roughly 1 tablespoon of each food per year of age, helping your child experience a range of nutrients while avoiding overwhelming fullness.

Other statements reflect common pitfalls. Continuing whole milk until age three isn’t necessary; after age two, many families transition to lower-fat milk. Giving a cup of apple juice with every meal adds extra sugar and calories and can reduce appetite for solid foods. And popcorn is a choking hazard for toddlers, so it isn’t a suitable choice at this age.