Is your child eating enough?

It is common for caregivers and parents to wonder if their child is getting nutrients adequately. Children are infamous for their inability to sit while eating food. So when you count up all the half-eaten meals, are they getting adequate food? 

Highlights

• Daily diet recommendation.
• How much should they eat?  
• Signs your child is not eating enough.
• They are not gaining weight, or they are losing weight. 
•  Lack of energy and motivation. 
• They have not grown taller. 
• Lack of interest in their favourite foods. 
• Children constipated. 

Daily diet recommendation

Children need three meals daily and one to three snacks. Healthy snacks are as critical as the food you serve as a meal. The most suitable foods are fresh and unprocessed foods: fresh vegetables and fruits, meats, dairy, and whole grains.

How much should they eat?  

Toddler portions should be between a quarter to a half of what an adult portion looks like. Therefore, if your child is not finishing their meals, it may not be that they are not eating adequately. Instead, they may only need some adjustments in their portion size.

Signs your child is not eating enough

After you check the nutritional principles and children’s portions, another way to tell if your child eats enough is to turn to the red flags. If you witness the signs, contact your pediatrician for guidance: 

They are not gaining weight, or they are losing weight

On average, a child gains up to five pounds throughout their second year of life. So if they are not gaining weight or losing weight, it could cause concern. 

They have not grown taller

While the children are growing taller at a different pace, malnourishment is often a cause of children not keeping up with their average growth rate. 

Lack of energy and motivation

If your toddler likes to nap over one of their favourite activities, it could point to an iron deficiency, leading to apathy and fatigue. 

Lack of interest in their favourite foods

It is no wonder that children can be picky eaters. Some even have sensory problems when trying and eating new meals. Although, if an offering of their favourite snack or food does not do the trick, there could be a problem with their eating patterns, leading to malnourishment.

Children constipated

Fortunately, most cases of constipation in children are not permanent. Constipation typically occurs when the children eat or drink too much of the same thing, like milk and not enough fiber. This makes their stomachs upset and feels full, so persistent constipation can decrease appetite. Constipation symptoms in kids might include:

• Less than three bowel movements a week
• Hard and dry bowel movement
• Painful bowel movement
• Painful stomach 
• Traces of liquid or pasty stool in children’s underwear
• Bloody hard stool

At Kidscool, we follow Canada Food Guide because it helps us to choose foods that improve health, meet nutrient needs and reduce the risk of nutrition-related, chronic (long-term) diseases and conditions.