The original Food Guide Pyramid was unveiled in 1992 by the United States Department of Agriculture. The pyramid, a nutrition guide, remained unchanged until it underwent a major overhaul in 2005. It was renamed MyPyramid and physical activity was added to the recommendations of what to eat from each food group. There are six food groups MyPyramid makes recommendations on for children of all ages, as well as for adults.
Physical Activity
The biggest change with the new MyPyramid program was the addition of physical activity. It is suggested that young children get at least an hour of physical activity most days of the week. All of the recommendations for what to eat from each food group were calculated on the child getting approximately 30 minutes of exercise on a daily basis.
Grains
The grains food group contains items made out of any grain, such as wheat and oats. Common foods from this group are breads, cereal and rice. It is recommended that at least half of the foods from this group be whole-grain foods, such as whole-wheat bread or brown rice or low-fat popcorn.
Children 2 and 3 years old should consume three ounces of grains daily, while children 4 to 8 years old should eat four to five ounces daily.
Vegetables
Vegetables are a necessity for healthy kids and it is recommended that a variety of different vegetables be eaten, with added emphasis on dark green vegetables and orange vegetables.
Kids 2 to 3 years old should eat one cup of vegetables per day, while kids 4 to 8 should get one-and-a-half cups of vegetables daily.
Fruits
All types of fruit are recommended for children, even canned, dried or frozen varieties. It is suggested that canned fruit not be packed in syrup and the amount of fruit juice consumed be limited.
Children 2 to 3 years old should eat one cup of fruit per day, while kids 4 to 8 should get one to one-and-a-half cups each day.
Milk
The milk group consists of dairy foods, such as milk, yogurt and cheese. Cream cheese and butter are not considered part of the milk group because they contain little to no calcium.
Children 2 to 8 should consume two cups of milk group products per day.
Meat and Beans
Meat and beans are the major protein source for children. It is recommended that lean meat be consumed, as well as a variety of beans. Eggs and peanut butter are also good sources of protein and are considered part of the meat and beans food group.
Children 2 to 3 years old should eat two ounces from this food group, while 4- to 8-year-olds should eat three to four ounces from this group daily.
Oils
A slight amount of oil is needed on a daily basis and it is recommended that oil come from fish and nuts or from cooking oils, such as canola or corn oil. These oils have less bad fats than butter or shortening.
Children 2 to 3 years old should get three teaspoons of oils daily, while those 4 to 8 years old should get four teaspoons per day.
Member Comments