Knowing what the appropriate food portions are for a child of a certain age is not as complicated as it seems.

Although we are used to seeing huge portions of food everywhere, and sometimes when we get home, mealtime can turn into a battlefield, especially with small children, it is possible to manage it.

As parents, it is important to encourage children to associate food with pleasant moments of sharing and bonding, not with power struggles or feeling that they have to finish mountains of food to be satisfied.

Children need to learn to listen to their appetite, and a great way to achieve that is by serving appropriate portions. It is also essential to consider the activity level and special requirements of each little one.

At home, we can practice measuring how much fits on the plates we always use and understand that a little one's stomach is not the same size as ours. Have you measured how many cups of soup fit in your soup bowls? You will be surprised to find out.

For instance, in the case of fruits, an appropriate portion for a child is half an apple or orange. If we look at it in a measuring cup, it is between a quarter to half a cup.

We recommend these Lunch Ideas for Kids

Similarly, we must monitor the correct portion of juice, which is half a cup. Common glasses hold 1 to 1 ½ cups, sometimes more. It is not a good idea to serve them huge glasses of juice, as it can reduce their capacity to eat foods with a higher concentration of proteins, vitamins, and minerals, which are more necessary for their development.

If it comes to grains or cereals, half a slice of bread is enough for children up to 5 years old, and the appropriate portion of pasta, rice, or cereal is half a cup.

We must be careful with huge bowls of sugary cereals that leave little space for much else. In total, children need 4 to 6 servings of grains and cereals per day.

A sandwich made with a slice of bread, half a cup of pasta at lunch, and a tortilla at dinner would meet their daily grain and cereal requirements. As you can see, it’s not too much.

In the case of proteins like meats, fish, or chicken, for little ones up to 5 years old, 60 grams is more than enough per serving, for example, one egg for breakfast. By the time they are approaching 10 years old, it can go up to 100 grams, depending on activity.

Don’t forget to include nuts, almonds, or peanut butter, of which two tablespoons count as an appropriate serving. Also consider legumes, such as lentils and beans, and half a cup of them is more than enough. In total, they need between 3 to 4 servings of that size per day.

We recommend these Elbow Pasta with Chayote, Kale, and Cheese
 
To complement their diet, dairy products are important. Calculate about 100 g of cheese in total for the whole day or three-quarters of a cup of yogurt. If they drink milk, they don’t need more than half a cup per serving. Two servings a day are sufficient for their development.

Finally, the dreaded vegetables do not have to be a source of conflict. Try to give them several options and remember that their portions should not be the same as yours.

For example, in the case of peas, broccoli, and other cooked vegetables, half a cup per serving is enough. If it is salad, calculate one cup.

Where it gets a little tricky is with fruits, as they need at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day; it’s best if there are more vegetables than fruits, so divide them among the three meals and snack time to ensure they have everything they need to grow healthy.