To plan nutritious meals for your kids, start with fresh fruits and vegetables, then add whole grains, dairy and healthy fats like olive oil. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends that children eat a balanced diet made up of the six food groups: grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, calcium rich foods and oils. The number of servings your child needs depends on her age, weight, height and level of daily activity.
Breakfast
A healthy breakfast provides kids with the energy necessary to have a productive morning. Cold and hot cereals are common breakfast foods in the United States. Choose cereals with at least 3 grams of fiber and less than 13 grams of sugar per serving, as recommended by MayoClinic.com. Look for calorie counts of 120 calories or less per serving. Add skim or soy milk and sliced fruit to balance the meal. Toasted whole grain waffles topped with fruit and yogurt make another quick and nutritious meal plan for your kids' first meal of the day.
Restrictive Vegetarian Diets
Vegetarian diets give parents a nutritionally sound way to create meal plans for kids, according to information from Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. However, parents who serve a restrictive vegetarian or vegan diet that excludes dairy products and eggs must take special care to provide calcium, complete proteins, vitamin D, iron, riboflavin and B12 in their children's meal plans. Serve foods high in protein, such as peanut butter and crackers, or beans and rice. Include fortified cereals, soy milk and orange juice. Iron deficiency can cause anemia, so incorporate iron-rich foods in a vegetarian meal plan by adding prunes, raisins and spinach to meals and snacks.
Type I Diabetes Diet
Kids with type I diabetes benefit from following a meal plan that keeps their blood sugar within the target range, according to information provided by Nemours Kids Health. Balancing the type and timing of your child's meals with his insulin dosage and activity level is essential to managing this condition successfully. Carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to increase the most, so the amount of carbohydrates in a meal or snack helps determine the amount of insulin kids need. Foods containing mostly protein and fats have less of an effect on blood sugar levels. Empty calories should be consumed at a minimum. Empty calories do not provide nutrition and can lead to weight gain, which can increasing a child's risk of diabetes complications.
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