Food Guide For Kids
Many kids today are more informed than the kids of yesterday (the adults now). And they are as health-conscious as their adults. They are concerned about which are the right kind and the right amount of food to eat. To help them, we can first think of foods divided into six groups: Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Fats and oils, Milk and dairy products, and Protein-rich foods such as meat, beans, fish, and nuts.
And second, we must remember that the amount of these foods that should be consumed would depend on age of the kids. The nutrition needs of a six-year-old will have different from those of a ten-year-old. Also, the food that must be eaten by a twelve-year-old boy is slightly different from that of a twelve-year-old girl.
Let us start with grains. Grains provide carbohydrates. When thinking about how much carbohydrates you should have, it is best to base it on serving sizes or “ounce equivalents”. One ounce equivalent of carbohydrate is equal to one piece of bread or one-half cup of cooked cereal, or one-half cup of rice or pasta.
Meats, beans, fish, and nuts also have their ounce equivalents. One ounce equivalent of protein is equal to one ounce (one small cut) of meat, poultry, or fish. This is also equivalent to one-fourth cup of cooked fry beans, or one piece of egg, or a tablespoon of peanut butter or a small handful of nuts.
As for the rest of the food groups, we will refer to their amounts in cups.
If you are between the ages of four and eight, you must eat 4-5 ounce equivalents of grains in one day. This does not mean that you should eat 5 pieces of bread. You may eat 1 cup of cereal at breakfast, 1 cup of rice at lunch, and 1 piece of bread at snack time. At the same time, in a day, you should also have 3-4 ounce equivalents of protein, 1 1/2 cups of vegetables (yep, that much), about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of fruits (fresh ones and not fruit juice, okay?), and 1-2 cups of milk (or other calcium-rich foods like yogurt and cheese).
If you are a girl who is between nine to thirteen years old, you should have, in one day, eat five ounce equivalents of protein, five ounce equivalents of grains, two cups of vegetables (you need more as you grow older), 1 1/2 cups of fruits, and 3-4 cups of milk.
If you are a boy who is between nine to thirteen years old, you should eat five ounce equivalents of protein, six ounce equivalents of grains (you need a lot of energy source), 2 1/2 cups of vegetables, 1 1/2 cups of fruits, and three cups of milk. All these must be eaten in one day.
And lastly, remember two more things. One, eat a variety of food, eating
cereal everyday for one year may not be good for you. And two, exercise.