Regular meals and snacks help young children get enough energy and nutrients across the day. A common pattern is breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus 2–3 planned snacks. Having a predictable rhythm can help children notice hunger and fullness cues and makes it easier to come to meals ready to eat.
Try to avoid constant grazing between meals. Frequent snacking can reduce appetite at mealtimes and can also increase the risk of tooth decay—especially if children regularly sip sweet drinks or eat sticky foods. Water between meals is a good default.
Breakfast and snacks
A nutritious breakfast could include:
- Yogurt with unsweetened cereal or muesli
- Oatmeal or other hot cereal made with milk
- Toast or a sandwich with milk
- A snack cup of milk (or milk alternative, as appropriate)
- Fruit or a vegetable
In many cultures, leftovers from dinner are eaten at breakfast—this is also a nutritious option. Snacks are especially important for toddlers because they often can’t manage large portions at main meals. Good snacks can look similar to breakfast foods (for example yogurt, fruit, whole-grain toast, or oatmeal). Sugary foods like pastries, cookies, ice cream, and candy are best saved for special occasions because they provide a lot of added sugar and little nutrition.
Whole grains and fibre
Whole grains and fibre are healthy for children, but too much fibre can lead to loose stools in some children and constipation in others. The “right” amount varies, so it can help to alternate between whole grains and lower-fibre options and see what works best for your child.
Lunch and dinner
Lunch and dinner are good opportunities to cover key nutrition needs. One simple approach is to include foods from the main food groups each day:
- Grains/starches: potatoes, pasta, rice, bulgur/couscous, bread
- Protein foods: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, lentils, tofu
- Vegetables and fruit: key sources of vitamins, minerals, and fibre
- Dairy (or fortified alternatives): milk, yogurt, cheese, or fortified soy beverage (as appropriate)
- Healthy fats: oils and spreads can help meet energy needs—especially if meals are otherwise low in fat
Help your child get used to drinking water and (if used) milk with meals. In general, for drinking and cooking, use cold tap water (and let it run until it’s cold) rather than hot tap water, because hot tap water can contain higher levels of metals like lead or copper depending on home plumbing.
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