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Sample Menu for a Two-Year-Old

By age two, your child should be eating three healthy meals a day, plus one or two snacks. He or she can eat the same food as the rest of the family. Do not fixate on amounts and do not make mealtimes a battle. Whenever possible, offer your child finger foods instead of soft ones that require a fork or spoon to eat. See the following sample menu ideas for a two-year-old.

Note: This menu is planned for a two-year-old child who weighs approximately 27 pounds (12.5 kg).

1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons (15 mL)

1 tablespoon = 1⁄2 ounce (15 mL)

1 ounce = 30 mL

1 cup = 8 ounces (240 mL)

Breakfast

• ½ cup nonfat or low- fat milk
• ½ cup iron- fortified cereal or 1 egg
• 1⁄3 cup fruit (for example, banana, cantaloupe, or strawberries)
• ½ slice whole wheat toast
• ½ teaspoon margarine or butter or 1 teaspoon jelly

Snack

• 4 crackers with cheese or hummus or ½ cup cut-up fruit or berries
• ½ cup water

Lunch

• ½ cup low- fat or nonfat milk
• ½ sandwich—1 slice whole wheat bread, 1 ounce meat, slice of cheese, veggie (avocado, lettuce, or tomato)
• 2–3 carrot sticks (cut up) or 2 tablespoons other dark- yellow or dark-green vegetable
• ½ cup berries or 1 small (½ ounce) low-fat oatmeal cookie

Snack

• ½ cup nonfat or low-fat milk
• ½ apple (sliced), 3 prunes, 1⁄3 cup grapes (cut up), or ½ orange

Dinner

• ½ cup nonfat or low-fat milk
• 2 ounces meat
• 1⁄3 cup pasta, rice, or potato
• 2 tablespoons vegetable

Additional Information on HealthyChildren.org:

• Unsafe Foods for Toddlers
• Selecting Snacks for Toddlers
• Picky Eaters
• Winning the Food Fights