Good health starts with a good diet, usually a priority for parents when it comes to their child. Providing a balanced and nutritious diet is key to healthy growth and energy. Eating well means providing your child with healthy foods from the major food groups and ensuring they get enough vitamins and minerals every day.
Basics
The U.S. Department of Education's Food Pyramid for kids aged 6 to 11 looks similar to pyramids for other age groups but with some variations based on the specific needs of young children. Grains, vegetables, meats and beans, fruits, dairy and some healthy oils are recommended every day for optimal nutrition. Grains, vegetables and dairy should make up a larger daily portion than fruits and meats and beans for young children. Six ounces of grains, 1 1/2 cups of vegetables, 3 cups of milk, 1 1/2 cups of fruit and 5 oz. of meats and beans are recommended daily. Also recommended is drinking enough water, dairy beverages or 100 percent fruit juice every day to keep well hydrated.
Good Foods
Whole grains, such as whole wheat bread, oatmeal and whole grain cereals, are a good way to start off the day. They're also a source of fiber and vitamins important for healthy growth. Vegetables should be a part of every meal. Make your vegetable choices colorful and varied, such as spinach, red bell peppers, zucchini, butternut squash, tomatoes, carrots and sweet potatoes. Fruits are a good way to add sweets as snacks without the empty calories. Keep fruits colored and varied, too. Apples, bananas, apricots, pears, peaches, plums, cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon and grapes are some choices. Dairy in the form of low-fat milk is recommended for children because it contains lots of calcium for bone strength. Cheese, eggs and yogurt can be added to foods for additional dairy intake. Low-fat meats, poultry and seafood are also recommended for healthy protein consumption. It's best to grill or bake, not fry, these foods for better nutrition. To top it off, give your child some nuts to snack on and cook foods with healthy canola or soybean oil, which these contain healthy fats.
Vitamins and Minerals
Eating the recommended foods in the major food groups, in the right amounts, should help your child meet her daily nutritional requirements. The Food and Nutrition Board recommends 25 to 45 mg of vitamin C per day for children 4 to 13 years old; vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, such as oranges and tangerines. Folate, found in green, leafy vegetables, should be consumed at levels of 200 to 300 micrograms per day. Calcium, essential for growth and bone health, should be consumed at 1,000 to 1,300 mg per day for children 4 to 13. Vitamin D, also important to bone health, is created by the skin with sunlight exposure and occurs in foods such as egg yolk and liver; 15 micrograms is recommended daily for children. Eating lean protein is important for daily iron consumption, 8 to 10 micrograms per day.
Sample Menu
Eating healthy food is more delicious than kids might think. Wake up your child to a meal of whole wheat toast with strawberry jam. Add diced fruit, such as melons and strawberries, to his plate to keep it colorful and sweet. For a snack, yogurt with fruit or low-fat string cheese is portable and healthy. If your child likes nuts, almonds and walnuts are great tasting, crunchy and fun to eat. Add some raisins to the nuts for more varied flavors. A lunch of a grilled tuna or chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes is an option. Add cheese to the sandwich to make it more tasty and serve with carrot sticks. Offer it with a glass of milk for a daily serving of dairy. A dinner of whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce is a good entree to end the day. Add cooked vegetables to the pasta to make the meal even more nutritious.
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