A nutritious diet for your child helps promote proper growth and brain development. It also supplies kids with energy and the ability to focus in school. Healthy meal plans for children include plenty of whole, unprocessed foods with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and low-fat dairy. Offer meals that appeal to a child's tastes and to your desire to provide them with the best diet possible. Exact serving sizes of foods depend on the age and activity level of your child, but in general, younger children need fewer calories than older ones.
Busy Monday
A busy weekday can make meal planning a challenge. Ensure your child has a healthy breakfast before school, because eating breakfast can improve performance. A bowl of cereal with at least 25 percent of most vitamins and minerals, 3g protein and 5g fiber and less than 5g sugar with skim milk, berries and a glass of orange juice is a quick option that provides carbohydrates for energy, fiber for healthy digestion, calcium for bone health and fruit for disease-preventing antioxidants. For lunch, pack a thermos with a cup of vegetable soup to pair with a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread. Include a small serving of low-fat milk, an apple and a low-fat pudding. Allow your child to snack on whole-grain crackers, peanut butter and fresh fruit after school. For a quick dinner, boil whole grain pasta and serve it with steamed broccoli and marinara sauce topped with low-fat mozzarella cheese.
Midweek Practice Day
If your child is involved in afterschool activities, planning a healthy day of meals can be a challenge because you seem to never be home. Serve a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, whole-grain toast, fresh fruit salad and yogurt. At lunch, pack a peanut butter and banana sandwich cut into a fun shape. Include a pouch of 100 percent juice, grapes and baked multi-grain chips. Pack portable afterschool snacks in the car -- including trail mix, low-sugar granola bars and dried fruit. For dinner, instead of hitting the drive-through, pick up a rotisserie chicken and serve it with whole wheat rolls and a salad made with pre-washed dark, leafy greens, grape tomatoes and sliced cucumber.
Friday Fun
Mark the end of the week with a breakfast pizza. Spread tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese on a whole wheat English muffin and serve it with a whole orange and a glass of low-fat milk. Make a lunch of snacks by packing low-fat string cheese, low-fat yogurt, whole wheat pita and a small container of hummus. For dinner, serve homemade chicken fingers prepared by dipping chicken tenders in egg whites and whole wheat bread crumbs. Place them on a baking sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray and bake them in a 400-degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crispy and cooked through. Serve it alongside potatoes mashed with low-fat milk and a bit of olive oil and baby carrots with low-fat ranch dip. As a snack, offer your kids chunks of apples, pineapple and peaches with a dip made by blending together low-fat cottage cheese and applesauce. After dinner, serve air-popped popcorn tossed with parmesan cheese during a family movie.
Lazy Sunday
Start Sunday with a brunch consisting of whole-grain pancakes, fresh fruit, applesauce and homemade sausage made from lean ground turkey sautéed with fennel, Italian seasoning and garlic salt. A midday snack might be quesadillas made by melting low-fat cheddar cheese on corn tortillas and eating with avocado slices and salsa. Have your child help you prepare a healthy pork tenderloin dinner. Put lemon juice, olive oil and rosemary in a zip-top bag and add a whole pork tenderloin. Have your child shake the bag to fully coat the pork and place it in the refrigerator to marinate it for one to five hours. Roast the pork in a 400-degree F oven for 20 to 40 minutes, depending on size, until cooked to desired doneness. Serve the pork sliced alongside mashed sweet potatoes sweetened with a drizzle of maple syrup and steamed baby peas. For dessert, serve apples baked with raisins and brown sugar.
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