The Calorie Needs Per Meal For Children

Children's caloric needs are based on their age, body composition, sex and physical activity level. While the first three factors are fixed, physical activity level is easily manipulated and therefore plays a significant role in determining caloric requirements for children. The USDA provides estimates of the caloric needs for children of all ages and activity levels, which you can use to plan the amount of calories to serve with each meal. For a balanced diet, simply divide your child's total caloric needs by the number of meals you serve each day.

Active Children

Active children are those who obtain the physical equivalent of walking at least three miles each day, at a speed of 3 to 4 miles per hour, according to the USDA. Active boys need about 1,600 to 2,000 calories from ages 4 to 8, 2,000 to 2,600 from 9 to 13, and 2,800 to 3,200 from 14 to 18. Active girls need about 1,400 to 1,800 from 4 to 8, 1,800 to 2,200 from 9 to 13, and 2,400 from 14 to 18.

An active boy aged 9 to 13 who eats three meals each day would need about 800 calories at each meal.

Moderately Active Children

The USDA considers moderately active children as those who obtain the physical equivalent of walking 1.5 to 3 miles each day at a speed of 3 to 4 miles per hour. Moderately active boys need about 1,400 to 1,600 calories from ages 4 to 8, 1,800 to 2,200 from 9 to 13, and 2,400 to 2,800 from 14 to 18. Moderately active girls need about 1,400 to 1,600 from ages 4 to 8, 1,600 to 2,000 from 9 to 13, and 2,000 from 14 to 18.

A moderately active female aged 14 to 18 who eats three meals with two smaller snacks would need about 500 calories with each meal along with two 250-calorie snacks.

Sedentary Children

According to the USDA, sedentary children are those who only get the physical activity associated with everyday life, such as errands and walking to class. Sedentary males need about 1,200 to 1,400 calories from ages 4 to 8, 1,600 to 2,000 from 9 to 13, and 2,000 to 2,400 from 14 to 18. Sedentary females need about 1,200 to 1,400 calories from 4 to 8, 1,400 to 1,600 from 9 to 13, and 1,800 from 14 to 18.

A sedentary boy aged 4 to 8 who eats four meals each day would need about 325 calories at each meal.

Individual Caloric Requirements

While the USDA's caloric guidelines provide reasonable estimates for the needs of the majority of the population within each respective age group, your child's needs may be different. You can calculate your child's individual caloric requirements using an online calorie calculator (see Resources). The calculator will determine your child's basal metabolic rate, or the amount of calories she expends performing basic vital functions at rest, along with her typical daily physical activity level.

Specific Nutrient Calories

You can also determine the amount of calories to serve your child from each of the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein and fat. According to the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, children should obtain 45 to 65 percent of their daily calories from carbohydrates, 25 to 35 percent from fat, and 10 to 30 percent from protein.

An active male aged 14 to 18 who eats three meals a day would need about 550 calories from carbohydrates, 300 from fat, and 150 from protein at each meal.