Nutrition

Typical Eatng Behavior of a 24 to 36 month old:
 resists new foods on some days and not on others
 reduces intake
 may become a picky eater or refuse to try new foods
 has small selection of food preferences
 eats well on some days and not on others

General Suggestions:
Use a three section divided dish with a lid (Tupperware) to make your own
lunchable. In one section, put a cereal, bread, or pasta selection; fill the second
with a cheese, meat or tofu choice; in the third, put fruit.
All food should be sliced into small pieces. Making shapes will sometimes
encourage a child to eat (e.g. cut out shapes with small cookie cutters, julienne
carrots, meats, etc.)

Specific Foods to Consider:
granola bar, mini-rice cakes, Ritz crackers, saltines, waffles, French toast
strips, small bagel, English muffin, small sandwiches, cooked spiral pasta,
raisins, baby carrots cut into strips and served with ranch dip, yogurt (gogurt,
etc.), grapes (MUST be cut in half ), banana, cheese cubes, preshaped
cheese (stars, moons, squares), apple slices cut into strips,
goldfish crackers (regular and pretzel), slice of cheese pizza cut into small
bites, hot dogs cut into strips to avoid choking, dry cereal (Life, Cheerios,
Kix, Chex, etc. NO PRE-SWEETENED cereal), blueberries, cheese and
crackers, cheese and pretzels, par-boiled green beans, baby carrots,
broccoli

Drinks:
Water is the drink of choice! Many fruit drinks are merely colored sugar
water and thus empty calories with questionable nutrition.

Foods to LIMIT:
CHOCOLATE candy, chocolate milk, chocolate cereal etc.; carbonated
drinks, especially sugary ones; candy; potato chips and related products; cakes,
cookies, pastries; anything containing caffeine, red dye, or loaded with
preservatives

Resource for your home library:
FEED ME I’M YOURS (revised edition) by Vicki Lansky. This is available
through Amazon.com or at local book stores.