A balanced diet consists of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals and also meets the daily caloric needs of the body. This means that 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 nutrients. This chart indicates what percentage each food group you should be providing to the children.
Balanced Diet Chart for Children
Table 1 - Nutrition Needs for Children
Read Table 1 below carefully and know what nutrients you should be providing your children. Get details:
|
Nutrition |
Food Group |
Recommended % |
|---|---|---|
|
Carbohydrates |
Cereals and grains, etc. |
33% |
|
Vitamins and Minerals |
Various fruits and vegetables |
33% |
|
Meat Protein |
Fish, meat and eggs |
12% |
|
Milk Proteins |
Dairy products |
15% |
|
Fat and Sugar |
Fatty foods, sugary sweets, etc. |
7% |
Table 2 - Food Examples for Children
Table 2 displays some food 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 Example |
Serving Size |
Daily Serve |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Grains |
Rice Pasta Cereal Bread Rolls Wheat biscuit Noodles |
1 cup 1/2 -1 cup 1/2 -1 cup 1-2 slices 1/2 -1 roll 1 1/2 cup |
Age 2-5 years, 4 servings For school children, 5-9 servings |
|
Vegetables |
Cooked vegies Cauliflower Medium potato Carrot (sliced) Spinach Broccoli Tomato Salad |
Half a cup cooked vegetables or one cup raw, leafy vegetables. |
Age 2-3, 2 servings Age 4-7, 2-4 servings Age 8-11, 3-5 servings Age 12-18, 4-9 servings |
|
Fruits |
Dates Berries Apricots Grapes Bananas Peaches Oranges Mangoes Melons Pineapples |
Half a cup frozen for raw fruits, or 6 ounce fruit juice, or1/4 cup dried fruits |
Age 2-3, 2 servings Age 4-7, 1-2 servings Age 8-11, 1-2 servings Age 12-18, 3-4 servings |
|
Dairy Products |
Milk Yogurt Cheese Custard |
250ml 200g 40g 250ml |
Age 2-3, 1 serving Age 4-7, 2-3 serving Age 8-11, 2-3 2/2 servings Age 12-18, 3-5 servings |
|
Lean Proteins |
Meat Beef Chicken Fish Eggs Dried beans Peas Lentils Peanut butter |
100 g (2 slices), cooked 3/4 cup, chopped 1 chicken leg 1 medium fillet 1 3/4 cup canned or cooked beans, lentils or peas
1 tablespoon |
Age 2-3, 1/2 serving Age 4-7, 1/2-1 serving Age 8-11, 1-1 2/2 servings Age 12-18, 1-2 servings |
|
Fats, Sweets and Oils |
Low-fat mayonnaise Light salad dressing Soft margarine Vegetable oil (canola, safflower, olive or corn) |
1 tablespoon oil or mayonnaise |
1 serving |
Table 3 - Meal Plan for Children
As for the best balanced diet chart for children, Table 3 can never be missed, which gives examples of meal plan with proper meal time and menu for children.
|
Time |
Meal |
Menu |
|---|---|---|
|
7:30 |
Breakfast |
Medium bowl of semi-skimmed milk with wholegrain cereal A glass of fresh orange juice A banana |
|
9:30 |
Morning break |
A small box of raisins A bottle of unsweetened fruit smoothie |
|
12:30 |
Lunch |
Cheese, salad, jacket potato An apple A bottle of water |
|
16:30 |
After school snack |
A grass of semi-skimmed milk A small packet of low-fat crisps |
|
19:30 |
Dinner |
Salad Whole wheat pasta Spaghetti Bolognese (without oil, more vegetable, less meat) A glass of juice (with canned fruit and one scoop ice cream) |
|
21:30 |
Evening snack |
A slice toast (wholemeal) with peanut butter |
Table 4 - Amount of Fluids for Children
Water plays a vital role in almost every tissue and process in human body, involving eliminating wastes and maintaining proper body temperature. Children should drink fluids of any kind, as a daily need. The amount of fluids a child needs is based on the weather and the level of activity. Generally, the amount of fluids a child should drink is shown below:
|
Age |
Water (serves) |
|---|---|
|
4-8 |
1-1.2L (approx. 5 glasses) |
|
9-13 |
1.4-1.6L (approx. 5 to 6 glasses) |
|
14 and more |
1.6-2L (approx.5 to8 glasses) |
|
*A glass is 250mL |
|
Balanced Nutrition for Children
Except the balanced diet chart for children mentioned above, the nutrients shown below are also essential for the healthy growth of a child, which 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 building, repairing and growing muscle and building antibodies.
- Calcium: Calcium is essential for strong bones. Dairy products like cheese or yogurt, and vegetables like collard greens, cauliflower, spinach, broccoli and celery are rich in calcium. If a child doesn't consume enough calcium, it can lead to osteoporosis later in life.
- Vitamins: Children need vitamins for their body to function properly. They help boost the immune system, support body 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 Nutrients: Apart from carbohydrates, protein, calcium and vitamins, your child also requires the proper amounts of iron, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and amino acids to ensure good health.
Many children have poor eating habits, which can lead to various long-term health complications, such as obesity, heart disease, type 1 diabetes and osteoporosis. Follow the information mentioned in the balanced diet chart for children and other tips mentioned above to ensure that your child learns the importance of eating a balanced diet, which means ensuring he or she is free of these diseases and grows up to be a healthy adult.