Diet Plans for Children

Children's weight statistics continue to climb. There are four times more overweight kids ages six to 11 than there were four decades ago, and three times as many overweight adolescents ages 12 to 19. However, following a sensible diet plan of wholesome and nutritious foods, combined with physical activity every day, can keep your child at a healthy weight. While you are at it, why not feed the whole family healthier meals? Kids follow your lead, so be sure to set a good example as you implement new choices.

Vegetables

Kids actually enjoy eating vegetables when you get creative and offer a variety. Serve yellow or orange vegetables, like carrots or squash, which are high in Vitamin A. Other times, offer green vegetables, such as broccoli or asparagus, which have a variety of vitamins, including A, C and K, and several B vitamins.

Every meal should be half vegetable-based, whether that is a cooked veggie, a salad, or a combination of both. Also offer healthy and fun vegetable snacks, such as baby carrots, cherry tomatoes and sweet pepper strips with low-fat ranch dressing as dip, celery sticks that can be stuffed with cheese or peanut butter, and 100 percent vegetable juices.

Whole Grains

When preparing meals for your child, a fourth of his plate should contain a whole grain, like rice, whole grain pasta or bread. Occasionally you can substitute a healthy starch like a baked potato or sweet potato. Use plain yogurt instead of sour cream as a topping, and stay away from high-fat starches like French fries.

When purchasing breads and cereals, look for "whole grain" to show up first on the ingredient list. If it just says "flour" or even "wheat flour," that is just processed white flour, which has calories without the nutrients.

For breakfast, oatmeal or a whole grain cereal with low-fat milk is a good option. Other wholesome choices are whole grain bread, banana bread, carrot bread, raisin bread, cornbread, pumpkin bread, whole grain bagels and English muffins. For snacks, crunchy grain options include graham crackers, animal crackers, whole grain crackers, bread sticks or whole grain cookies.

Lean Protein

Protein should fill the final fourth of your child's plate at meal time, and a healthy serving is the size of a fist. Prepare fresh meat, like lean beef, baked chicken or grilled fish, instead of processed, fried and breaded meat dishes like chicken nuggets and fish sticks. For lunch, make sandwiches with whole grain bread or pita bread, low-fat mayonnaise or mustard, lettuce, and lean deli meats or canned tuna.

For a protein-rich snack, make some hard-boiled eggs, or offer your child a handful of nuts. Other sources of protein include peanut butter, beans, legumes, tofu, soy milk and dairy products.

Low-Fat Dairy Foods

Calcium is required for growing bones, and dairy foods contain lots of it. Kid also need the healthy fats in dairy, but choose low-fat options when possible. With meals and snacks, serve a glass of low-fat milk, and keep string cheese, cottage cheese and yogurt on hand. Plain yogurt is best, because you can add your own food. If buying yogurt with fruit in it, choose one without a lot of added sugar.

Fruit

Fruit is a natural way to satisfy cravings for sweets, and make good snacks or desserts. Fresh fruit can be dipped in peanut butter or yogurt, or you can make quick smoothies by blending fresh or frozen bananas or berries with ice and low-fat yogurt.

Keep apple wedges, pieces of melon and chunks of banana cut and ready to grab in your fridge. This removes the temptation of other less healthy, but more convenient, snacks. Also stock up on unsweetened applesauce, seedless grapes, and fresh or canned apricots, peaches, plums and pears. Choose canned fruit packed in juice rather than heavy syrup.

If giving your child fruit drinks, opt for those that are 100 percent juice. However, juice is high in calories, so serve it sparingly and dilute it 50 percent with water. Dried fruit is also higher in calories than fresh, since it is denser, but it is still healthier than candy. Fruit roll-ups, apple rings, raisins and dried apricots are good choices to keep around.