Forum home Pregnancy Pregnancy

food portion sizes 4-5 yr old

If this was their main meal of the day, how much would your child eat?

Pork sausage (eg butcher style not thin)

mash potato (?dessert spoonful)

peas (?dessert spoonful)

gravy (?dessert spoonful)

Yorkshire pudding small

Replies

  • Lucas is 4 and I'd say that's the portions I'd offer except the peas, he'd have a lot of peas maybe 3/4 spoonfuls. He's eat all peas, probably leave a small bit of sausage and eat the potatoe and Yorkshire pud but it would take him a good hour and a half as he'd mess about, play with it, chatter, say he didnt want it etc Bang head

    Isaac is 1 and would eat that Weep

  • Erin is 3 and if she was in an eating mood (she goes through phases) - then she'd polish that off and probably still want pudding!

  • Sammy would have 4 Yorkshire puddings if he had the chance! Maybe 2 sausages but everything else the same. He's just polished off a child sized round plate that was about 2/3 shepherds pie, 1/3 peas and broccoli and a yogurt. But he has a huge appetite and is the one at nursery who has always had 2 portions of every meal!

  • Zoe woulda have 2 yorkshires and 2 sausages but the rest the same. She would probably leave about half a sausage.

  • That is about what N would eat, he might leave a little as it's rare he finishes a meal.

  • He is 6 but eats the same as he did at 4 I think. 2 sausages and 2 yorkshires here like JB said. He doesn't like mashed potato now but back then he did and would have eaten 2 dessert spoonfuls. B has a big appetite! He would also have a lot of peas and then a yogurt/fruit....plus he would ask for supper! I don't know how he is so skinny!

  • 2 sausages but about the same otherwise. Usually fills a adult size side plate. B is 5.

  • Hi Carole, E is 5 (just) he is fussy and wouldn't eat that but his portion sizes are 2-3 tablespoons pasta, a big mound of veg (he loves veg) and maybe some garlic bread on the side.

  • S is 5

    He would eat 2 sausage, table spoon mash, dessert spoon peas, no gravy and 1 yorkshre pudding

    J is 4

    She would eat 2 sausages, table spoon mash, no peas, loads of gravy, 1 yorkshire pudding

    My kids are good eaters and love dinners like this!!!! Other dinners it might be less

  • She's 6. She would happily eat 2 sausages, peas and a yorkshire pudding. Not the mash because she doesn't like it. I'd offer another vegetable instead or pasta.

    Her appetite has been up and down just recently. Some days she doesn't eat much. Today at lunch she ate slice of pork, carrots, cabbage, one roast potato. Seconds of carrots and cabbage (tablespoon of each). Followed by fruit crumble (one tablespoon) with ice cream. About an hour later a slice of bread and honey. A couple of hours later the same again. Then a wrap with ham and cheese for tea.

    I've no idea where she puts it all on a day like that!

  • Just to add its hard to judge how much will be eaten. I aim to keep the amount on the plate quite small so more can be added if wanted. I think children can get overwhelmed by the amout put in front of them - especially if its something new or they're not sure about.

  • thanks everyone. Interesting to read that most children would eat that and maybe more. Luke only managed 1/2 a sausage (chopped into fine pieces) mashed into the potato, chopped Yorkshire softened with gravy and no peas (skins are too tough to swallow even when mashed) and then threw up afterwards! We are having problems with him tolerating volumes and he lost weight this month. I find it difficult to keep up the cals as he doesn't snack like other children; he can't eat a biscuit independently or a piece of fruit or a packet of raisins etc and he wouldn't ask for seconds.

  • Disgusting question but did he throw it all up again or some of it?

    My friend's little girl (aged 4) has issues with swallowing/gag reflex/feeling the food in her mouth and knowing when she has sufficient in there (she'll stuff a whole load of blueberries in, say, then have to spit it out again because she doesn't know that her mouth is full). She sometimes throws up some of her food because her gag reflex is very sensitive. So she's not eating a whole meal and losing the lot but some of it, sometimes.

    Are you aiming for high calorie foods in the volumes he can manage? If you offer him a second 'meal' a bit later is he just not interested?

  • No he didn't throw it all up. It was flemmy and some liquid food. It's hard to know what is the issues and it probably a combination of a small tummy not used to volumes of real food after being drip fed milk for 4 years, a sensitive gag reflex and not knowing his limits- he is spoon-fed by us so doesn't control his own portion size. You could see his tummy was full as his button (feeding tube) was protruding out and he was holding his hand there, so he must feel uncomfortable when it gets to that point. Yes we are aiming for high cal food but each meal and drink can take a long time that there isn't always time in the day for seconds otherwise the whole day is taken up with feeding!

Sign In or Register to comment.

Featured Discussions