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Nutrition Reference Guide For
Busy Parents: What Should Kids Eat Every Day?
Children need appropriate amounts of energy,
protein, vitamins and minerals to grow and to feel their best every
day. But how do parents balance a healthy diet for their children
within a hectic schedule?
These tips can help make healthy
eating goals a manageable, everyday practice to fit today’s busy
lifestyle.
Daily Recommended Servings
Based on an 1800 Calorie Diet
Children have varying daily calorie needs based
on age, gender and activity level. To find the level right for your
child go to
www.mypyramid.gov/kids/index.html
Grains
-
Buy whole grain breads. Make sure it’s whole
grain by checking that the first ingredient has “whole” in the
name.
Then make sure a serving provides at least 2 grams of dietary
fiber.
-
Serving sizes should be approximately 1 oz.
—equivalent of 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of dry cereal, or 1⁄2 cup
of cooked pasta or rice.
Vegetables
-
Vary the vegetables and choose from the
rainbow of colors — dark green, light green, orange and red—to
get a variety of vitamins and minerals.
-
Cut up vegetables in bite size pieces for
hungry little mouths. Stock up on cherry or grape tomatoes, baby
carrots and precut broccoli. Use them for school lunches
or afternoon snacks. Slice up red peppers, cucumbers and pea
pods and let children dip them into their favorite salad
dressing.
Meat, Poultry, Fish and Beans
-
Choose lean meats and prepare them low fat.
Make burgers or meatloaf with ground turkey or lean ground meat,
and take the skin off poultry. Fill sandwiches with sliced
turkey, ham or roast beef rather than high fat cold cuts such as
bologna and salami.
-
Serving sizes should be approximately 1oz.
—the size of a child’s fist (e.g. 1 egg, 1⁄4 cup of dry beans, 1
tablespoon
of peanut butter).
Fruits
-
Select whole fruit—fresh, canned or dried.
-
Have a variety of fruit ready-to-eat—grapes,
clementines, sliced kiwi, mango, apples or cubes of melon.
-
Juice can be enjoyed in moderation.
Dairy Foods
-
Make it milk (fat-free or low-fat) to drink
at meals, whether you eat in or out
-
Snack on dairy foods—yogurt, string cheese,
or smoothies.
Nutrition Reference Guide for Busy Parents
Adobe Reader
The Child Nutrition Program in Newberry County
employees 100 cafeteria workers. Cafeterias prepared 776,230
breakfast and over 814,000 lunches during SY 2007-08. Breakfast is
provided in the classroom free of charge. |
