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Canberra Health Services
Health Information Sheet | Canberra Health Services

Tuckatalk food for your child 4 to 6 years

What to expect at this age

  • Your child’s weight gain should be steady, increasing about 2 to 3kg per year.
  • Your child’s hunger may vary from meal to meal.
  • Your child will be growing into an independent eater and may accept new foods along with familiar foods. Fussy eating is still normal at this age.
  • Your child may be tired by the evening meal. Try to offer their evening meal earlier when they are less tired.
  • Unusual ideas about food are common (e.g. a sandwich in a triangle shape is different to one in a square).
  • Children like to follow parents, siblings and advertisements. They will use you as a role model for eating.

Promoting positive experiences at mealtimes will help your child develop positive food habits and feel good about eating.

Division of Responsibility in Feeding

The ‘Division of Responsibility’ in feeding is a guide that can help your child tune into their hunger and know what foods they enjoy.

As a parent or carer, your role is to decide:

  • WHAT food is offered
  • WHEN food is offered
  • WHERE food is offered

Your child decides:

  • WHETHER to eat food that is offered.
  • HOW MUCH to eat.

Responsive Feeding

The ‘Responsive Feeding’ approach helps create a positive eating environment, builds a trusting bond between you and your child and supports your child to develop a healthy relationship with food.

Responsive Feeding lets your child decide when they have had enough. They know how hungry they are and how much food they need to feel satisfied.

This may look like:

  • Their eating slows down.
  • They tell you (e.g. “I’m full”).
  • They begin to lose interest in food.
  • They start to get distracted.

No pressure

Make mealtimes pleasant and avoid using bribes and rewards to encourage your child to eat. Do not pressure your child to finish their meal. Use positive and loving words during mealtimes.

Offering a mix of different family foods

Offer different foods from the five food groups every day (see over the page). Offer your child the same meal as everyone else and ensure that you include a food they enjoy.

Offering new foods with foods your child already knows and likes. It can take up to 10 tastes (or more) before your child may accept a new food.

Setting a schedule

Plan meals and snacks every 2 to 3 hours during the day and only offer water in between. Include 3 main meals and 2 to 3 snacks each day.

Sitting down to eat together

Create a space to sit down to eat meals and snacks. For example, set a table with placemats to show it is time for eating. Sit and eat with your child. This can be a great time for bonding.

Setting an example

You can show your child how to eat well. Let your child see that you are eating different foods from all five food groups. Children learn what to eat and how to eat by watching others. You are your child’s best role model.

Including your child

Allow your child in the kitchen to help prepare meals and snacks. This may help them accept new foods. Your child can help you:

  • Wash the fruits and vegetables.
  • Mix ingredients.
  • Measure ingredients.

Allow your child to help in the kitchen with no expectations that they will eat the food they have helped prepare. Remember to allow your child to decide whether to eat from what is offered.

Limit distractions

At mealtimes, turn off screens like TV and phones and clear away other distractions such as toys and books, so that your child can focus on eating.

What to put on the table

Try to choose foods from the following five food groups at each meal or snack time. If your child is taller for their age or more active, offer extra servings.

Remember to let you child decide whether to eat and how much to eat.

You can find more information in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating at eatforhealth.gov.au.

Vegetables

Offer around 4 serves each day. Vegetables can be fresh, frozen, canned, raw or cooked. Choose different colours and types of vegetables.

Example of 1 serve of vegetables:

  • 1/2 cup cooked vegetables
  • 1 cup raw salad vegetables
  • ½ medium potato, sweet potato or cassava
  • ½ cup cooked or canned beans, chickpeas or lentils

Fruit

Offer around 1 serve each day. Fruit can be fresh, frozen, canned or dried. Choose different colours and types of fruit (banana, orange, watermelon, nectarine, pears). Offer fruit juice only occasionally and dilute with water.

Example of 1 serve of fruit:

  • 1 medium apple, banana, orange or mango
  • 2 small fruits – apricots, plums or kiwi fruits
  • 1 cup of diced or canned fruit
  • 30g dried fruit
  • 1 cup frozen fruit, for example berries
  • ½ cup fruit juice (125ml) diluted with water

Breads and cereals

Offer around 4 serves each day. Wholemeal and whole grain options have more fibre, vitamins, and minerals.

Example of 1 serve of breads and cereals:

  • 1 slice of bread, damper
  • 1 small English muffin
  • ½ medium roll, flatbread, paratha
  • ½ cup cooked rice, pasta, semolina, quinoa, porridge, noodles, couscous
  • 2 WeetbixTM
  • ½ medium sized roti
  • ½ cup cooked oatmeal

Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, legumes and alternatives

Offer around 1 serve each day. Choose different types of meat and meal alternatives. Some children do better with soft, moist choices. Use sauces and gravies to soften.

Example of 1 serve of meat, fish, poultry, eggs, legumes and alternatives:

  • 65g cooked red meat – beef, lamb, kangaroo
  • 80g cooked white meat – chicken, pork
  • 100g cooked fish, canned fish, cooked prawns
  • 2 large eggs
  • 170g tofu or tempeh
  • 1 cup canned baked beans, mixed beans, lentils, chickpeas
  • 100g of falafel
  • 30g nut butter- peanut, almond, cashew or tahini

Milk, dairy and alternatives

Offer around 1-1½ serves each day. Reduced fat milk and dairy is suitable for children from 2 years of age. If dairy is not tolerated offer calcium enriched dairy alternatives. Choose lactose free dairy if your child is lactose intolerant.

Example of 1 serve of milk, dairy and alternatives:

  • 1 cup fresh cow’s milk, powdered milk (rehydrated), long-life milk, buttermilk
  • ¾ cup yoghurt (200ml)
  • 2 slices of hard cheese
  • 50g paneer
  • ½ cup ricotta cheese, cottage cheese
  • 1 cup custard or milk pudding
  • 1 cup soy, rice, almond drink with added calcium. (100mg of calcium per 100ml).

Where can I get more information?

  • Talk to your General Practitioner (GP).
  • Make an appointment with a Canberra Health Services (CHS) Community Dietitian by phoning (02) 5124 9977.

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For more support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mothers and children contact:

canberrahealthservices.act.gov.au