Helpful Tips for Parents

• Breakfast is the most reliably linked meal to cognitive performance in school-age children. Prioritize a protein- and fiber-rich breakfast every morning.

• Serve new foods alongside accepted foods. A new food appearing next to something the child loves reduces threat and increases willingness to try.

• Water is the ideal hydration for preschoolers. Milk (2–3 cups/day) is also appropriate. Sports drinks, soda, and excessive juice have no appropriate role in the preschool diet.

• Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency globally in children under 5. Red meat, legumes, fortified cereals, and leafy greens are the best sources.

Frequently Asked Questions

My preschooler will only eat 5–6 foods. Is this concerning?

Accepting fewer than 20 foods is considered selective eating that may warrant attention from a feeding therapist. If a child eats 5–6 foods, is not growing appropriately, has intense anxiety around mealtimes or new foods, or has textures they physically gag on (not just dislike), evaluation by a feeding specialist or occupational therapist is appropriate. For children who eat 10–15 varied foods across food groups without significant distress, continued exposure without pressure is the recommended approach.

How many servings of vegetables does a preschooler need per day?

The USDA MyPlate recommendation for preschoolers is 1–2 cups of vegetables per day (about 2–3 servings). For reference, a serving for a preschooler is approximately 2–3 tablespoons (their palm full). Because preschoolers have small stomachs, frequency of offering matters as much as serving size. Offer vegetables at every meal and snack across the day rather than trying to deliver all servings in one sitting.

Related reading: See also our handwashing guide and our meal planning guide for more ideas on this topic.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• 🥦 Healthy Food Knowledge — Learning about different foods, food groups, and what nutrients do in the body builds the food literacy that supports a lifetime of informed, health-conscious eating choices.
• 😊 Positive Relationship with Food — Joyful, pressure-free food experiences build the positive relationship with eating that underlies lifelong nutritional health — and is far more protective against disordered eating than any restriction-based approach.
• 💬 Vocabulary Expansion — Nutrition activities introduce rich vocabulary — nutrients, protein, fiber, harvest, ferment, season — expanding language range in a domain that connects directly to science, social studies, and health literacy.
• 🧁 Kitchen Science & Math — Cooking is applied chemistry and physics: watching bread rise, butter melt, or egg whites stiffen teaches cause-and-effect science while measuring cups and counting portions deliver authentic math in context.

Here is a basic recipe for making spreadable butter out of most any nut or seed. Does your preschooler have a favorite nut or seed? Start with that one and introduce a whole new way to enjoy it! Start with raw nuts or seeds from the produce section or bulk section of your grocery store. Then, transform them into a creamy spread and serve with bread, crackers, fruits and vegetables.

Basic Recipe for Nut or Seed Butters

1 cup nuts or seeds

1 Tbsp olive oil or other vegetable oil, more if needed

1 tsp sugar or honey (optional)

salt to taste, about 1/8 tsp - 1/4 tsp

Place the nuts or seeds in a food processor and blend to chop into smaller pieces. Add the sugar/honey, salt and 1 Tbsp olive oil and continue to pulse or blend until the a smooth paste is formed. If needed, add additional oil, 1 teaspoon at a time, for the paste to form.

Tips for Making Nut or Seed Butters

1. Use a small food processor to make your nut or seed butter. If you do not have a small one, use a large food processor or blender and double the recipe.

2. Toast the nuts or seeds before blending for a nuttier flavor. Scatter them in a fry pan and heat over medium heat, stirring or shaking frequently. Toast for about three minutes or until you can smell the fragrance of the heated nuts or seeds.

3. Ideas for nuts and seeds to use: walnuts, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds

4. Add a variety of favorite spices and flavorings to any nut or seed butter. Try lemon juice, ginger or soy sauce. Or, combine two or more types of nuts or seeds into one spread.

4. To store, place in a sealed container and refrigerate.

Tips for Using Nut and Seed Butters

1. Spread on whole wheat bread and add jam, bananas, or other fruit for a healthy sandwich.

2. Spread on toast for a hearty breakfast.

3. Spread on fruit or vegetable pieces like apples, bananas and carrots.

4. Use as a substitute for peanut butter in cookie, muffin, bread and cake recipes.

5. Make two or three nut or seed butters for your preschooler or preschool classroom and have a taste test.

by Kati Chevaux

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