How to Feed Your Child a Balanced Diet
Know what foods to serve at each meal., Start each day with a balanced breakfast., Prepare balanced lunches and dinner to keep your child’s energy up throughout the day., Prepare balanced snacks because they help with energy needs and keep children...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Know what foods to serve at each meal.
A child’s nutritional needs change throughout the day.
Each meal and snack are planned to give your child the most optimal mix for that time of day.
Each meal should be nutrient rich, especially for younger children and toddlers, to keep up with their bodies’ demands as they grow rapidly.
Below are some minimum amounts to serve.
Every child is different and some may need more.
Also, some children may require more calories on certain days due to heightened activity or growth spurts.
It is important to follow your child’s lead on how much they eat because they are learning how to regulate calories and listen to their bodies. -
Step 2: Start each day with a balanced breakfast.
Eating breakfast does more than break the fast.
It sets the stage for the day.
When breakfast is eaten, children are better able to focus and learn.
Breakfast also tells the body to start burning calories and keep burning calories throughout the day.
Each age group has different needs.
Children aged 1 to 2 years old should have 1/2 cup of milk or 1/4 cup of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice, and 1/4 cup or 1/2 slice of enriched or whole grains (bread, bagels, oatmeal, grits, etc.) for breakfast.
Children aged 3 to 5 years old should have, 3/4 cup of milk or 1/2 cup of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice , and 1/4 cup or 1/2 slice of enriched or whole grains (bread, bagels, oatmeal, grits, etc.) or 1/3 cup cold cereal for breakfast.
Children aged 6 to 12 years old should have 1 cup of milk or 1/2 cup of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice, and 1/4 cup or 1 slice of enriched or whole grains (bread, bagels, oatmeal, grits, etc.) or 3/4 cup cold cereal for breakfast. , Children need to eat a healthy lunch and dinner with minimal refined sugars to keep their energy going throughout the day and night (they grow while they sleep).
Complex carbohydrates found in whole grain bread or brown rice help children sleep at night because the body takes longer to digest and use the complex carbohydrates than it would a simple carbohydrate found in candy or white bread.
Children aged 1 to 2 years old should have 1/2 cup of milk, 2 servings consisting of 1/4 cup each of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice, 1/4 cup or 1/2 slice of enriched or whole grains, and 1 oz. (28 g) of protein for lunch and dinner.
Protein should be a lean meat or meat alternative (cheese, beans, etc.).
Children aged 3 to 5 years old should have 3/4 cup of milk, 2 servings consisting of 1/2 cup each of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice, 1/4 cup or 1/2 slice of enriched or whole grains or 1/3 cup cold cereal, and
1.5 oz. (43 g) of protein for both lunch and dinner.
Protein should be a lean meat or meat alternative (cheese, beans, etc.).
Children aged 6 to 12 years old should have 1 cup of milk, 2 servings consisting of 3/4 cup each of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice, 1/2 cup or 1 slice of enriched or whole grains or 3/4 cup cold cereal, and 2 oz. (56 g) of protein for lunch and dinner.
Protein should be a lean meat or meat alternative (cheese, beans, etc.). , Maintaining a consistent fuel supply in the body helps children avoid urges to overeat after prolonged hunger periods, and it also helps avoid stomachaches and acid reflux.
Children aged 1 to 2 years old should have any combination of two from the following as a snack throughout the day, with the exception of milk and juice (will not provide enough calories): choose from 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice, 1/4 cup or 1/2 slice of enriched or whole grains, and 1/2 oz. (14 g) of protein.
Protein should be a lean meat or meat alternative.
Children aged 3 to 5 years old should have any combination of two from the following, as a snack throughout the day with the exception of milk and juice (will not provide enough calories): choose from 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice, 1/4 cup or 1/2 slice of enriched or whole grains or 1/3 cup cold cereal, and 1/2 oz. (14 g) of protein.
Protein should be a lean meat or meat alternative.
Children aged 6 to 12 years old should have any combination of two from the following as a snack throughout the day, with the exception of milk and juice (will not provide enough calories): choose from 1 cup of milk, 3/4 cup of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice, 1/2 cup or 1 slice of enriched or whole grains or 3/4 cup cold cereal, and 1 oz. (28 g) of protein.
Protein should be a lean meat or meat alternative. -
Step 3: Prepare balanced lunches and dinner to keep your child’s energy up throughout the day.
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Step 4: Prepare balanced snacks because they help with energy needs and keep children from becoming too hungry by the next meal.
Detailed Guide
A child’s nutritional needs change throughout the day.
Each meal and snack are planned to give your child the most optimal mix for that time of day.
Each meal should be nutrient rich, especially for younger children and toddlers, to keep up with their bodies’ demands as they grow rapidly.
Below are some minimum amounts to serve.
Every child is different and some may need more.
Also, some children may require more calories on certain days due to heightened activity or growth spurts.
It is important to follow your child’s lead on how much they eat because they are learning how to regulate calories and listen to their bodies.
Eating breakfast does more than break the fast.
It sets the stage for the day.
When breakfast is eaten, children are better able to focus and learn.
Breakfast also tells the body to start burning calories and keep burning calories throughout the day.
Each age group has different needs.
Children aged 1 to 2 years old should have 1/2 cup of milk or 1/4 cup of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice, and 1/4 cup or 1/2 slice of enriched or whole grains (bread, bagels, oatmeal, grits, etc.) for breakfast.
Children aged 3 to 5 years old should have, 3/4 cup of milk or 1/2 cup of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice , and 1/4 cup or 1/2 slice of enriched or whole grains (bread, bagels, oatmeal, grits, etc.) or 1/3 cup cold cereal for breakfast.
Children aged 6 to 12 years old should have 1 cup of milk or 1/2 cup of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice, and 1/4 cup or 1 slice of enriched or whole grains (bread, bagels, oatmeal, grits, etc.) or 3/4 cup cold cereal for breakfast. , Children need to eat a healthy lunch and dinner with minimal refined sugars to keep their energy going throughout the day and night (they grow while they sleep).
Complex carbohydrates found in whole grain bread or brown rice help children sleep at night because the body takes longer to digest and use the complex carbohydrates than it would a simple carbohydrate found in candy or white bread.
Children aged 1 to 2 years old should have 1/2 cup of milk, 2 servings consisting of 1/4 cup each of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice, 1/4 cup or 1/2 slice of enriched or whole grains, and 1 oz. (28 g) of protein for lunch and dinner.
Protein should be a lean meat or meat alternative (cheese, beans, etc.).
Children aged 3 to 5 years old should have 3/4 cup of milk, 2 servings consisting of 1/2 cup each of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice, 1/4 cup or 1/2 slice of enriched or whole grains or 1/3 cup cold cereal, and
1.5 oz. (43 g) of protein for both lunch and dinner.
Protein should be a lean meat or meat alternative (cheese, beans, etc.).
Children aged 6 to 12 years old should have 1 cup of milk, 2 servings consisting of 3/4 cup each of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice, 1/2 cup or 1 slice of enriched or whole grains or 3/4 cup cold cereal, and 2 oz. (56 g) of protein for lunch and dinner.
Protein should be a lean meat or meat alternative (cheese, beans, etc.). , Maintaining a consistent fuel supply in the body helps children avoid urges to overeat after prolonged hunger periods, and it also helps avoid stomachaches and acid reflux.
Children aged 1 to 2 years old should have any combination of two from the following as a snack throughout the day, with the exception of milk and juice (will not provide enough calories): choose from 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice, 1/4 cup or 1/2 slice of enriched or whole grains, and 1/2 oz. (14 g) of protein.
Protein should be a lean meat or meat alternative.
Children aged 3 to 5 years old should have any combination of two from the following, as a snack throughout the day with the exception of milk and juice (will not provide enough calories): choose from 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice, 1/4 cup or 1/2 slice of enriched or whole grains or 1/3 cup cold cereal, and 1/2 oz. (14 g) of protein.
Protein should be a lean meat or meat alternative.
Children aged 6 to 12 years old should have any combination of two from the following as a snack throughout the day, with the exception of milk and juice (will not provide enough calories): choose from 1 cup of milk, 3/4 cup of fruits or vegetables or 100 percent juice, 1/2 cup or 1 slice of enriched or whole grains or 3/4 cup cold cereal, and 1 oz. (28 g) of protein.
Protein should be a lean meat or meat alternative.
About the Author
Ashley Carter
Committed to making cooking accessible and understandable for everyone.
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