How to Plan a Healthy Diet for Children

Kids need a balanced, nutritious diet for healthy mental and physical development. Planning the right diet for your child doesn't have to be difficult. Offer your child a range of different foods across all recommended food groups to encourage healthy habits.

Instructions

    • 1

      Eat a healthy diet yourself. Children learn by imitation and will naturally be curious about what's on your plate. Let your kids see you eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and whole grains and they may want to try it themselves. Drink plenty of water and keep junk food, sugary treats and soda to a minimum. Encourage the whole family to sit down and eat meals together. Serve the same healthy dishes to everyone and regularly try new healthy foods together. Make meal times an enjoyable bonding experience.

    • 2

      Stick to recommended guidelines for daily intake of sugar and salt. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 3 teaspoons of sugar per day for a child. Be aware of "hidden" sugar in foods like bread, canned goods and ketchup. Guidelines for maximum salt intake for a child depends on age. Fast foods and processed meals typically have lots of sodium as well as high amounts of fat and sugar. Avoid these and opt for fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned. Make it easier to choose low-salt or reduced-sodium foods by getting into the habit of reading all food labels before you put something in your shopping cart.

    • 3

      Give your child the recommended amounts of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, protein and dairy. Toddlers and preschoolers should have two servings of fruit and vegetables, four servings of whole grains, two servings of protein and three servings of dairy every day. School-age kids should have a wide range of these foods and plenty of different fruits and vegetables.

    • 4

      Stock up on healthy snacks instead of junk food. Replace soda, chips and candy with fruits, whole-grain snacks, water and milk. Your kids will get used to reaching for something nutritious when they're hungry between meals. If there's no junk food in the house, they can't eat it.

    • 5

      Enter your child's sex, age, height, weight and activity level into the Health Eating Plan Calculator from Baylor College of Medicine. Click "Calculate" to generate the nutrients and energy your child needs to develop and maintain a healthy weight. Use this information when planning your child's meals. For example, a 4-year-old boy who is 40 inches tall, weighs 40 pounds and spends about an hour a day doing physical activity such as running or riding a bike should eat 1600 calories per day, including 2 cups of vegetables, 5 ounces of grains and 22 grams of oils.

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