Most children love junk foods like French fries, cookies, soda and chicken nuggets. These types of foods are an acceptable part of your child's diet as long as they are only consumed on special occasions. Your child's daily diet should include a variety of foods that contain different nutrients that are crucial for health. KidsHealth reports that the foods you feed your child now will benefit their health far into the future.
Whole Wheat Pasta
Most children enjoy the taste of noodles and whole wheat pasta is a healthy way to serve them. Whole wheat pasta contains several grams of fiber, which will keep your child's stomach and intestines healthy and working efficiently. Healthy Children recommends providing your child between six and 11 servings of pasta, bread and cereal each day. One serving of whole wheat pasta is a 1/2 cup and this will help him reach this goal. Combine cooked pasta with tomato sauce and cooked vegetables such as carrots, peppers and zucchini. Drizzle olive oil over cooked pasta and sprinkle with herbs, such as oregano, rosemary or sage as another way to serve whole wheat noodles.
Cantaloupe and Carrots
Deep orange fruits and vegetables are often lacking in children's diets because there are so few varieties of them. Carrots and cantaloupe both contain beta-carotene, which your child's body will use to keep her vitamin A levels normal. Vitamin A helps with eye health as well as the health of your child's muscles. Healthy Children reports that your child needs to consume two to four servings of fruit and three to five servings of vegetables each day. One of these should be an orange variety. Serve cubed cantaloupe with plain yogurt for breakfast or offer carrot sticks with low-fat ranch dressing for a snack as two simple ways to accomplish this goal.
Low-fat or Skim Milk
Many children lack sufficient amounts of calcium and vitamin D in their diets and low-fat or skim milk can increase how much your child consumes. Calcium is crucial for your child's bone and teeth maintenance and development and vitamin D helps your child's body retain plenty of calcium. Serve your child two to three servings of milk each day to help him get enough of each of these important nutrients, Healthy Children recommends. A serving of milk is 1 cup. Other dairy sources, such as cheese and yogurt, also supply calcium, but your child will need to drink milk in order to get enough vitamin D.
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