Weekly menu for a 3-year-old

A day on the plate

4meals

1800kcal a day
54 gprotein a day
800–900 mlwater and drinks

Enter the age, store and allergies, and in a minute you get a week with a shopping list.

A week for a three-year-old: four meals from the kids' base with portions for the age. At three, most family dishes suit a child, except spicy and raw ones.

The food the child eats in a week costs $21.90, that is $3.13 a day at average chain prices (United States). Buying whole packs comes to $109.62, with 53 items on the list.

At this age: about 1800 kcal and 54 g of protein a day, 800–900 ml of drinks (Russian norms MR 2.3.1.0253-21). Milk, kefir, fruit and bread cover the rest.

How to feed a child aged 3 years

At nursery a child eats five times: breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, then dinner at home. The same routine works at home.
Portions at three: porridge 150–200 g, soup 180–200 g, meat or fish 70–80 g, side dish 130–150 g.
Until seven, Racion leaves spicy and raw dishes out of the menu.
No whole nuts or popcorn under five: they are easy to choke on.

Week from 2 November 2026

Mon

986 kcal

BreakfastBanana cottage cheese 194 kcal≈ $1.12
LunchCheesy Macaroni with Cucumber Sticks 309 kcal≈ $0.61
DinnerPotato Casserole with Ground Meat 374 kcal≈ $1.30
SnackSugar-Free Dried Fruit Compote 109 kcal≈ $0.73

Tue

1074 kcal

BreakfastCreamy Milk Oatmeal 271 kcal≈ $0.43
LunchBeef Meatball and Broccoli Soup 223 kcal≈ $1.15
DinnerTurkey Goulash with Mashed Potatoes 359 kcal≈ $1.41
SnackSugar-Free Apple Oatmeal Cookies 221 kcal≈ $0.41

Wed

995 kcal

BreakfastCreamy Semolina Porridge 195 kcal≈ $0.25
LunchChicken Noodle Soup 206 kcal≈ $0.88
DinnerLazy Dumplings (Cheese) 436 kcal≈ $1.33
SnackBaked Apple with Cottage Cheese 158 kcal≈ $1.17

Thu

1025 kcal

BreakfastCreamy Cornmeal Porridge with Pumpkin 267 kcal≈ $0.48
LunchBuckwheat with Braised Chicken 374 kcal≈ $0.76
DinnerToddler Turkey Pilaf 291 kcal≈ $0.96
SnackBanana 93 kcal≈ $0.14

Fri

840 kcal

BreakfastSteamed Egg Omelette 164 kcal≈ $0.31
LunchSteamed Fish Meatballs with Rice 308 kcal≈ $0.96
DinnerCreamy Mashed Potatoes with Steamed CodCheck fish for bones before serving. 247 kcal≈ $1.18
SnackKefir with Crispbread 121 kcal≈ $0.51

Sat

817 kcal

BreakfastPear Steamed Rice Porridge 214 kcal≈ $0.37
LunchBaked Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls 257 kcal≈ $1.24
DinnerTurkey and Vegetable Stew 244 kcal≈ $1.18
SnackBerry Kissel 102 kcal≈ $0.84

Sun

811 kcal

BreakfastAvocado & Egg Toast Strips 266 kcal≈ $0.70
LunchHearty Red Lentil and Pumpkin Soup 194 kcal≈ $0.50
DinnerBuckwheat Porridge with Milk 262 kcal≈ $0.44
SnackBaked Cinnamon Apple 89 kcal≈ $0.54

Shopping list: 53 items

Vegetables and herbs9 · $9.94
Fruit4 · $3.46
Meat and poultry5 · $28.05
Fish2 · $11.04
Eggs1 · $1.74
Dairy9 · $17.74
Grains and pasta8 · $18.49
Bread2 · $3.88
Frozen3 · $6.35
Nuts and dried fruit3 · $8.93
Pantry3 · $0.00
Spices and oil4 · $0.00

The list is counted in packs, not grams: a head of cabbage, a bag of rice, a dozen eggs. Prices are supermarket averages; your store will differ.

Questions

How many calories does a child aged 3 years need?

At this age: about 1800 kcal and 54 g of protein a day, 800–900 ml of drinks (Russian norms MR 2.3.1.0253-21). Milk, kefir, fruit and bread cover the rest.

How many times a day should a child aged 3 years eat?

Usually five. At a Russian nursery breakfast covers 20% of the day's calories, second breakfast 5%, lunch 35%, afternoon snack 15% and dinner at home 25% (sanitary rules SanPiN 2.3/2.4.4282-26).

Can a child aged 3 years eat from the family table?

Yes, most family dishes already suit. Until seven Racion leaves spicy and raw food out of the family menu, and until five give nuts only ground.

Routine, norms and limits follow the Russian feeding programme for ages 1–3 (National Medical Research Center for Children's Health, Union of Paediatricians of Russia, 2019), norms MR 2.3.1.0253-21 and sanitary rules SanPiN 2.3/2.4.4282-26. This is guidance, not a prescription: your paediatrician knows your child best.