https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 08 Jun 2026 12:16:13 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/appropriate-food-portions#post-2416075 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 19:24:11 +0000 Miss Ariel 2416075@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never really have any idea. Dh will give her portions that I think are way too big, and yet she surprises me by eating it all. I don't necessarily want to over feed her, but it's hard with her in the 0%ile. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/appropriate-food-portions#post-2416069 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 19:17:07 +0000 gingerbebe 2416069@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son varies so much in how much he eats and how he feels about a certain food on any given day, that some waste is just inevitable. I just set rough nutritional goals for myself and try to focus on that.</p> <p>I don't stress about carbs too much at meals because he gets crackers, puffs, cereal, and popcorn during the day for snacks and he loves fruit (it just depends on what KIND of fruit he feels like on a given day). I mostly try to focus on protein, milk, and veggies. I shoot for 8-12oz of milk a day and 3-4 tablespoons of veggies a day. He's 16 months.</p> <p>Currently, he's not SUPER into vegetables, but will reliably eat soft cooked carrots, so I try to keep those on hand and then finely mince other veggies into his other foods (like with fried rice). I think each lunch and dinner I give him 2 tablespoons of some kind of vegetable matter and hope he eats it. I also shoot for about 3oz of meat a day. A turkey sausage at breakfast, 2 meatballs cut up at lunch, a scrambled egg at dinner, etc. </p> <p>If he eats only about half of a portion of something, I bag it up and save it for another meal. If its less than that, I throw it away, but its really like 4 tidbits of carrot or something like that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/appropriate-food-portions#post-2416055 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 18:59:27 +0000 MoonMoon 2416055@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always err on the side of giving too little, like a couple of pieces of each dish, but if he wants more of course he can get more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/appropriate-food-portions#post-2415746 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 13:35:12 +0000 MrsSRS 2415746@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If they're toddlers it can help to use a measuring tablespoon as a serving utensil. It's a nice physical reminder of the smaller portions needed. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/appropriate-food-portions#post-2415642 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 11:36:21 +0000 Bao 2415642@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: oh geeze! I remember as a kid my grandma made us eat everything on our plate, it was terrible!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/appropriate-food-portions#post-2415640 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 11:28:42 +0000 regberadaisy 2415640@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I *hate* wasting food with a passion. I think I do give them appropriate serving sizes for their appetite. But it's so hard to predict what they will love one day to the next. I almost always wrap up leftovers or eat it myself unless one of them is sick.</p> <p>My BIL gives his girls adult sized portions, like more than me and I have a very healthy appetite. They almost never finish it and he always throws out leftovers. It drives us crazy. I've taken to putting their plates together and putting a more appropriate sized portion down and letting them know if they finish it I will get them more. I also think it's daunting to give a kid a regular sized dinner plate and filling it to the max with food! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/appropriate-food-portions#post-2415617 Sun, 10 Jan 2016 10:39:26 +0000 Bao 2415617@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think I struggle with correct portion sizes for my girls, which then means a lot of waste or packing it back up to go in the fridge. I obviously give smaller portions but I think I overestimate. They definitely eat a lot more than a serving of certain things though. I worry about their veggie/fruit intake but I'm wondering if the scoop of whatever I give them is actually a couple of servings. </p> <p>Are you good about appropriate serving sizes for your LO's age, or do you not put much thought into it? </p>