We at Indo American Montessori Pre School
Believe that Good nutrition is fundamental to healthy living. Good nutrition is also
associated with :
· Increased focus and attention, improved test scores, better classroom
behavior, and a better understanding of healthy eating behaviors.
· Improved cognitive function (especially memory) and improved mood.
Moreover, with the summer vacations beginning, your kid is going to spend more
time in the sun, engaging in physical activities, leaving him/her tired and hungry. In
fact, an international study conducted last year tracking 5,380 children through
kindergarten and first grade found that the Body Mass Index (BMI) accelerated at a
faster rate during the summer break than the school year. While it is essential to
inculcate healthy eating habits in your kid through the year, it becomes even more
important during the summer time. Here's your guide to creating a healthy summer
diet plan for your kid.
Balanced Diet Chart for Children
A balanced diet is essential for children of all ages. Parents must
ensure that children eat meals consisting of all food groups to ensure
healthy children. Therefore, some balanced diet charts for children
are listed here.
A balanced diet consists of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and
minerals and also meets the daily caloric needs of the body. This
means, 50% of your calorie needs should be derived from
carbohydrates, 20% from protein and 30% from fats. Children should
be provided daily, with a diet consisting of all the above mentioned
vitamins and minerals. This chart indicates what percentage from
each food group you should be providing to the children.
Table 1 - Nutrition Needs for Children
Table 1 provides a summary of the food chart for a clearer idea of
nutrition for children.
Nutrition Food Group Recommended %
Carbohydrates Cereals and grains, etc. 33%
Vitamin & Minerals Various fruits and vegetables 33%
Meat Proteins Fish, meat and eggs 12%
Milk Proteins Dairy products 15%
Fatty foods,
Fat & Sugar sugary sweets etc 7%
Table 2 - Food Examples for Children
Table 2 displays some foods examples with appropriate serving size
and amount of serving per day. Parents can choose one food or two
with smaller potion from each food category for their children.
Food Group Foods Serving Daily Serve
Example Size
Rice 1 cup Age 2-5 years, 4
Pasta 1/2 -1 cup servings
Grains Cereal 1/2 -1 cup For school
Bread 1-2 slices children, 5-9
Rolls 1/2 -1 roll servings
Wheat Biscuit 1
Noodles 1/2 cup
Cooked vegies
Half a cup cooked Age 2-3, 2
Cauliflower servings
vegetables or one
Medium potato Age 4-7, 2-4
cup raw, leafy servings
Vegetables Carrot (sliced)
vegetables. Age 8-11, 3-5
Spinach servings
Broccoli Age 12-18, 4-9
Tomato servings
Salad
Dates Half a cup frozen Age 2-3, 2
Berries for raw fruits, or 6 servings
Apricots ounce fruit juice, Age 4-7, 1-2
Grapes or1/4 cup dried servings
Bananas fruits Age 8-11, 1-2
Fruits Peaches servings
Oranges Age 12-18, 3-4
Mangoes servings
Melons
Pineapples
Milk 250ml Age 2-3, 1 serving
Yogurt 200g Age 4-7, 2-3
serving
Cheese 40g
Dairy Age 8-11, 2-3 2/2
Custard 250ml servings
Products Age 12-18, 3-5
servings
Meat 100 g (2 slices), cooked Age 2-3, 1/2 serving
Beef 3/4 cup, chopped
1 chicken leg Age 4-7, 1/2-1 serving
Chicken 1 medium fillet
Fish 1 Age 8-11, 1-1 2/2
3/4 cup canned or
Lean Proteins Eggs
servings
Dried beans cooked beans, lentils
Peas Age 12-18, 1-2
or peas
Lentils servings
1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon
Peanut butter
Low-fat 1 tablespoon oil or 1 serving
mayonnaise mayonnaise
Light salad
Fats,
Sweets and dressing
Soft margarine
Oils Vegetable oil
(canola, safflower,
olive or corn)
Table 3 - Meal Plan for Children
Table 3 gives examples of meal plan with proper meal time and
menu for children.
Time Meal Menu
Medium bowl of semi-skimmed milk with
wholegrain cereal
7.30 Breakfast A glass of fresh orange juice
A banana
A small box of raisins
9.30 Morning Break
A bottle of unsweetened fruit smoothie
Time Meal Menu
Cheese, salad, jacket potato
An apple
12.30 Lunch
A bottle of water
A grass of semi-skimmed milk
16.30 After School Snacks
A small packet of low-fat crisps
Salad
Whole wheat pasta
Spaghetti Bolognese (without oil, more
19.30 Dinner
vegetable, less meat)
A glass of juice (with canned fruit and one
scoop ice cream)
21.30 Evening Snacks A slice toast (wholemeal) with peanut butter
Age Water (Serves)
4-8 1 - 1.2L (approx. 5 glasses)
9 - 13 1.4 - 1.6L (approx. 5 to 6 glasses)
14 - More 1.6 - 2L (approx. 5 to 8 glasses)
* A glass is 250ml
Balanced Nutrition for Children
The nutrition shown below is essential for the healthy growth of a
child, include:
Carbohydrates - Children require the right amounts of carbs
for energy. Therefore, their daily intake of carbohydrates can be
derived from wholegrain foods, such as, pasta, bread and cereals.
Proteins - Meat, eggs and fish and dairy products are high in
protein, and, therefore, ideal and necessary for your child's diet.
Protein is essential for muscle building and repair and growth and
building antibodies.
Calcium - Calcium is essential for strong bones. Dairy
products like cheese or yogurt, vegetables like collard greens,
cauliflower, spinach, broccoli and celery are rich in calcium. If a
child doesnot consume enough calcium, it can lead to
osteoporosis later his life.
Vitamins - A child needs vitamins for the body to function
properly. They help boost the immune system, support growth
and development and help cells and organs function properly.
Vitamin A is essential for vision and a deficiency can lead to
blindness. Vitamin C, a definite immune system booster, helps
with brain function and prevents problems that occur with free
radicals. Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption.
Other Nutrition - Apart from carbohydrates, protein,
calcium and vitamins, your child requires the proper amounts of
iron, Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, and amino acids to ensure good
health.
NOTE:
The above stated facts are just for reference purpose.
Modifications can be done depending upon the taste and habit of
your child. Kindly consult your family doctor/ dietician before
strictly following the diet for your kids.
