ADVERTISEMENT
Healthy Diet Plans  >>  Questions Asked  >>  Food Nutrition

Dietary advice for kids

what is diet chart of 1 to 5 year child
(October 5, 2010)

Balanced Diet Chart For Children

Healthy eating is very important for kids especially because they are at a growing stage and need the right kind of nutrition to build the foundation for a healthy life. With proper nutrition, many different health problems like childhood obesity and underdevelopment of the body can be avoided. If children are given the right kind of diet, they grow to their full potential and become healthy individuals.
food chart for kids can help promote healthy eating habits by promoting a variety of foods in the diet and balancing it with regular and meaningful physical activity. A diet chart for kids can also help parents prepare the right kind of meals for their children which are nutritional and contain the right amounts of foods from all the various food groups.


Choose a diet which has a lot of vegetables and fruits in them so that children can be taught good eating habits right from their childhood.

A diet chart for kids typically contains meal plans and diets which conform to the daily nutritional requirements for children. The amount of food that children eat is not as important in their age as the variety of foods that they consume. If you do not expose your child to a variety of foods, they tend to become picky and choosy about what to eat as they grow older. As long as your child has a normal activity level and continues to grow, you have nothing to worry about. However, if your child is putting on a lot of weight, perhaps it is time to consult a diet chart for kids.
A diet chart for children takes into account all the major food groups and makes selection for each meal fro these groups. Apart from the types and varieties of foods that can be used to prepare various meals for the children, a diet chart for kids can also define the serving sizes and the number of healthy portions that should be consumed by the child.

Here’s what a typical meal of your child should constitute:

1. Grains: Each of the meals should have at least one serving of grains. If you can, try to use whole grains. Half a cup of rice, one slice of bread, half a cup of cooked pasta or cereal, one cup cooked oats, or one ounce of breakfast cereals are usually the right amount of grains portion for your child.
2. Vegetables: According to any child diet chart, three servings of vegetables are mandatory throughout the day. For each meal, you can use half a cup of chopped vegetables in their raw form. A single cup of raw leafy vegetables is also a healthy option for each meal.
3. Fruits: Fruits are very important since they contain a lot of vital nutrients required for the healthy growth of the body. Hundred percent fruit juice with pulp can be substituted for fruits. A minimum of two servings of fruits per day is important according to a typical healthy diet chart for kids.
4. Milk: Calcium is very important for the building of the skeletal structure of the child’s body. Two servings of milk and dairy products are important. You can include two ounces of low fat cheese or one cup of milk in the morning and evening.

Submitted by R J on October 5, 2010 at 04:07

 

Diet Chart For Kids between 1 to 5 Years

The recommended allowance is 1300 calories for children in the age group of 1-5 years. It is slightly more or 1400 calories for children who are 5 years. Eating a variety of foods yourself, helps in increasing the eating of your child. A standard diet chart cannot be generalised, as each child has their own eating pattern. General guidelines remain the same from which personalized diet charts are prepared.

The serving sizes of children are smaller than adults. Two to three servings of animal foods are recommended. These include meat, fish, egg and chicken. Lean meat and skinned chicken are easy to digest. Fruits and vegetables provide complex carbohydrates, antioxidants and phytonutrients and are recommended as 2 to 4 servings and 3 to 5 servings respectively. They can be given in the mashed state, initially, after which the entire fruit is consumed, as a whole.

Fats and sweets are used with care. Fats help in metabolic processes and in the absorption of fat soluble vitamins. Research reveals the capability of a year old child in consumption of foods that are eaten by an adult. The diet of children is less acidic and less spicy. Saturated fats and Trans fats are better avoided, as they are difficult to digest.
Submitted by E L on April 4, 2008 at 11:17

 

Read more questions in Food Nutrition
 
Log In Here Close