Portion Sizes for Children

wannabee_in_credit

Just wanted to get some guidance from the fantastic people on here about food portion sizes for children.
As you may already know I have a fussy eating 7 year old daughter and a 3 year old son. And this week I'm taking a stand with my daughter and her eating.
She's getting what she's given and either eats it or gets nothing else - but I think I might be dishing out portions on the large side. I didn't get to be the size I am today on small portions and was always overfed by my mam.
I know that someone mentioned a child only actually needs 8tbsp of food per day but can anyone advise what rough size portion size I should go for, eg spaghetti bolognese.
Tonight they're having chilli and rice.
I know this is a difficult question to answer but any guidance appreciated.

tigerfeet2006

What size are the plates you serve the meals on?

I use plastic plates for my 4 and 6 year olds that are a tadge larger than a side plate. My 4th would have about a fistful size of rice and then some chilli on top of that with a dollop of sour cream. My six yo would have a little more than that. They can always have seconds if they want more.

I also do puddings of tinned fruit, ice-cream, cake, angel delight, jelly, fresh fruit etc. For example slice a banana into 2 bowls and pour banana or chocolate angel delight over.HM five minute chocolate microwave sponge with custard.

wannabee_in_credit

They are about tea plate size (maybe a little larger)

FairyPrincessk

This pdf from the NHS has some advice. You have to scroll through some other topics before you get to the page on portion size where they talk about using your fist to think about how much to scale down or up for differently sized people.

http://www.nhs.uk/Change4Life/Documents/pdf/Step_By_Step_Me_Size_Meals.pdf

Hope this helps.

tigerfeet2006

So that is about right then. Do you pile it up on the plate?

wannabee_in_credit

Thanks very much.
Yes, I am giving her too much food then we argue when she doesn't eat it all.
It's just this long time argument of her eating half a plate of food then asking for chocolate. I don't know why she still asks because she never ever gets. She's persistent...

FairyPrincessk

There are some nutritionists who think our bodies use sweetness at the end of a meal to help signal that it is time to stop eating. Maybe try offering sweeter fruits, like pears or small oranges. She'll probably still ask for chocolate but it might help break up some arguments if you offer a compromise.

Diflower

Fist size is a good guide for a lot of foods.
Pasta and rice are two things I'm always careful about for portion sizes. It's very easy to just tip it into the pan an add a bit more each time.

For pasta I weigh it, every time. For 2 adults (me and OH) I usually do 180g of dry weight, which is roughly 100g for him and 80 for me.
When his boys were smaller I would do 100g between them.
Bolognese sauce, it depends if it's homemade. Homemade and quite meaty, about a good tablespoon per child.

Rice, I've just weighed what I cook for us (I use my handful as a measure, and do 2 full ones but I have small hands). It's almost exactly 100g and that does quite a lot for OH and less for me.
For children the age of yours I'd do half that between them and again, a big tablespoon if it's homemade meaty chilli.
If they're having anything like garlic bread with the meal, then reduce the rice or pasta.

For something like a roast dinner, 2 small pieces of roast potato is ample, and if they struggle to finish then reduce the amount of potato/rice/pasta rather than meat/fish or veggies.
If they're still hungry maybe offer a piece of cut-up fruit rather than seconds, after a while you will know if they're getting enough food overall.

It's very good of you to recognise that your own portions were probably too large. I'm not skinny but have never been really overweight either and am honestly horrified at what you see some parents trying to force on their children. I'm very grateful that my own mother, although overweight herself, accepted that I had a very small appetite as a child.

Good luck:)

Cheapskate

Have you looked at the following website? I've used it quite a lot and one of the many useful things it has is a daily or weekly calculator. You enter what your child has eaten, including portion sizes, child's age, etc., and it gives you a guide to whether they're eating the right portion sizes of food, as well as an idea of their nutritional intake (vitamins, etc.) It's aimed at under-3's but a friend of mine uses the info for her slightly older children - simply increasing portion sizes a little.

Hope this helps!

http://www.littlepeoplesplates.co.uk/ Just checked the calculator and I think it will go up to age 7, so it should still work for you, wannabe_in_credit.

A xo

Cheapskate

Our younger two are 4 1/2 and 2 - their appetites vary but often the older will say he's had enough whilst the younger clears her plate! Portion size for the older will be similar to other posters - 2 small potatoes, dessertspoonful of other veg, fist-sized (his, not mine!) piece of meat or fish. If he's made a good stab at it, then he can have a yogurt or something else small. The 2 year old will have slightly less on her plate and usually asks for afters! We have tea around 5.30 and they go to bed before 7, so I'm loathe to fill them at that time of day - little lad is sometimes sick in bed during the night (I think it's acid reflux or similar) especially if he's had too much to eat. Sorry, TMI!
A child in our family is obviously overfed - parents' bad habits being repeated unto another generation I think. She's not 5 yet, but can eat a whole, large packet of crisps and still eat a huge plateful for tea half an hour later - does not bode well for the future as her grandma has type 2 diabetes!

A xo

ragz_2

I tend to err on the smaller side then offer seconds if they are still hungry. We don't always have pudding though they are always allowed fruit if they want it. I have DS5, DS4 and DD nearly 2. DS5 has been finishing his platefuls nearly every day so I think it is time to up his portion soon. I still use plastic plates, about 7 inches across. We have dinner about 5.30 and they go to bed at 7. I have been wondering about giving them an after school snack as they seem to be coming home hungry now, but not sure what to give them that won't ruin appetite of dinner but will be nutritious. Most other parents I know give a bag of crisps but my lot only have crisps about once a week. Don't want them to start thinking they are substitute for food!

Good on you for realising you may be over feeding. My friend's step daughter is really big now, wearing ladies tops size 14 and she's only 8, it's so sad to look at her and realise what her Mum is doing to her future health, making your kids fat should be considered a form of child cruelty/neglect in my opinion as you set them up for diabetes and other illnesses from a very young age.