Nutrition for kids follows the same principles as nutrition for adults, except kids need different amounts of specific nutrients depending on their age, because they are still growing and developing. For example, young children need more calcium to form healthy bones. In addition to age, nutrition requirements vary between girls and boys, and kids who are more active need to eat more calories, too. Although there is no one-size-fits-all recommendation for all kids, there are some general principles for healthy eating that apply to all kids.
The Food Guide Pyramid
In 2005, the United States Department of Agriculutre (USDA) created a new Food Guide Pyramid with a special version for kids. The Pyramid has five vertical stripes to represent the five different food groups: grains; vegetables; fruits; milk and dairy products; and meat, beans, fish, and nuts; as well as a narrow stripe for fats and oils.
A balanced diet for both adults and kids includes all the food groups, although it is better to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy foods and limit the amount of meat and protein and oils.
How Much Kids Should Eat
The USDA has some general recommendations for how much a kid should eat from each food group:
Each day, 4- to 8-year-olds need four to five servings of grain, 1.5 cups of veggies, 1 to 1.5 cups of fruit, 2 cups of milk or another calcium-rich food, and three to four servings of meat, beans, fish, and nuts.
Older kids have slightly different recommendations based on gender. Each day, 9- to 13-year-old girls need five servings of grain, whereas, 9-to-13-year-old boys need 6 servings. Otherwise, 9-to-13-year-old kids need 2 cups of veggies, 1.5 cups of fruit, 3 cups of milk or another calcium-rich food, and five servings of meat, beans, fish, and nuts.
Choosing Healthier Options
The USDA also provides seven tips for families to eat right. First, choose whole-grains over processed or refined grains, like whole-wheat bread instead of white bread, or brown rice instead of white rice. Whole grains provide more nutrients and more fiber. Second, eat a variety of vegetables, especially dark green and orange veggies. Eating foods of different colors ensures that kids get all the different nutrients they need to grow and develop. Next, eat fruits at meals and snack time.
Kids also need calcium-rich foods to build strong bones. Pre-teens need the equivalent of 3 cups of milk each day. Kids should also eat lean or lowfat meat, and get protein from non-animal sources like beans and lentils. Finally, limit food and drinks that have sugar as one of the first ingredients, and choose a healthy cooking oil without saturated or trans fats like canola or olive oil.
Limit Salt Intake
Although the Food Guide Pyramid does not specifically mention salt, it is important to know the maximum amount of salt children should have by age. Each day, 4- to 6-year-olds need no more than 3g of salt per day, 7- to 10-year olds need no more than 5g of salt per day, and older kids need no more than 6g of salt a day. In general, no salt needs to be added to a child's food. Many foods, like meat, and especially processed foods, already contain salt.
Strategies to Improve Nutrition
An important step towards encouraging smart family eating habits is to have regular family meals. Parents can allow their kids to help plan the menu and prepare the meals. This will help establish an eating schedule and promote family bonding.
Eating together also gives parents an opportunity to be role models, to show kids how to eat well, by eating fruits and vegetables, and serving appropriately-sized portions, and not overeating.
Another important strategy to improve nutrition is to make it easy for kids to choose healthy snacks by stocking the kitchen with healthy foods, such as whole-grain breads and cereal, fruits and vegetables, and lean meats. Kids should also limit the amount of sugary drinks like soda.
Above all, kids need good role models and access to healthy foods, not just at home, but also at school.
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