5 FOOD GROUPS  FOR A HEALTHY  KIDS MEAL PLANNING

5 FOOD GROUPS FOR A HEALTHY KIDS MEAL PLANNING

Jul 02, 2022LivGood Team

There are 5 food groups that should be included in your kids meal plan to set them on a path towards a healthy future.

1.Fruits

Make half their plate consist of fruits and vegetables every day.

2.Veggies

Make half their plate consist of fruits and vegetables every day.

3.Whole grains.

Use oatmeal, whole wheat breads, or brown rice in meals.

4.Dairy

Use fat free or low fat milk or water instead of sugary drinks.

5.Lean protein.

Choose protein foods like beans, fish, lean meats, and nuts.

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1. Fruits:

Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of the Fruit Group. Fruits may be fresh, frozen, canned, or dried/dehydrated, and may be whole, cut-up, pureed, or cooked. At least half of the recommended amount of fruit should come from whole fruit, rather than 100% fruit juice.

Daily Recommendations*

Toddlers

12 to 23 months

½ to 1 cup

Children

2-4 yrs

1 to 1½ cups

5-8 yrs

1 to 2 cups

Girls

9-13 yrs

1½ to 2 cups

14-18 yrs

1½ to 2 cups

Boys

9-13 yrs

1½ to 2 cups

14-18 yrs

2 to 2½ cups

What counts as a cup of fruit?

In general, 1 cup of fruit or 100% fruit juice, or ½ cup of dried fruit can be considered as 1 cup from the Fruit Group.


2.Vegetables:

Any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice counts as part of the Vegetable Group. Vegetables may be raw or cooked; fresh, frozen, canned, or dried/dehydrated; and may be whole, cut-up, or mashed.

Based on their nutrient content, vegetables are organized into 5 subgroups: dark green; red and orange; beans, peas, and lentils; starchy; and other vegetables.

Daily Recommendation*

Toddlers

12 to 23 months

⅔ to 1 cup

Children

2-4 yrs

1 to 2 cups

5-8 yrs

1½ to 2½ cups

Girls

9-13 yrs

1½ to 3 cups

14-18 yrs

2½ to 3 cups

Boys

9-13 yrs

2 to 3½ cups

14-18 yrs

2½ to 4 cups

What counts as a cup of vegetables?

In general, 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, or 2 cups of raw leafy salad greens can be considered as 1 cup from the Vegetable Group.

3.Grains:

Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain is a grain product. Bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, grits, and tortillas are examples of grain products. Foods such as popcorn, rice, and oatmeal are also included in the Grains Group.

Grains are divided into 2 subgroups: Whole Grains and Refined Grains. Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel ― the bran, germ, and endosperm. Examples of whole grains include whole-wheat flour, bulgur (cracked wheat), oatmeal, whole grain cornmeal, and brown rice. Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life, but it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. Some examples of refined grain products are white flour, corn grits, white bread, and white rice.

Refined grain choices should be enriched. This means certain B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid) and iron are added back after processing. Fiber is not added back to enriched grains. Check the ingredient list on refined grain products to make sure that the word "enriched" is included in the grain name. Some food products are made from mixtures of whole grains and refined grains. Only foods that are made with 100% whole grains are considered a whole grain food.

Daily Recommendations*
Total Grains
in ounce-equivalents
Whole Grains in ounce-equivalents
Toddlers 12 to 23 months 1¾ to 3 oz-equiv 1½ to 2 oz-equiv
Children 2-4 yrs
5-8 yrs
3 to 5 oz-equiv
4 to 6 oz-equiv
1½ to 3 oz-equiv
2 to 3 oz-equiv
Girls 9-13 yrs
14-18 yrs
5 to 7 oz-equiv
6 to 8 oz-equiv
2½ to 3½ oz-equiv
3 to 4 oz-equiv
Boys 9-13 yrs
14-18 yrs
5 to 9 oz-equiv
6 to 10 oz-equiv
3 to 4½ oz-equiv
3 to 5 oz-equiv

What counts as an ounce-equivalent (oz-equiv) of grains?

In general, 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal, or ½ cup of cooked rice, cooked pasta, or cooked cereal can be considered as 1 ounce-equivalent from the Grains Group.

4.Protein foods:

All foods made from seafood; meat, poultry, and eggs; beans, peas, and lentils; and nuts, seeds, and soy products are part of the Protein Foods Group. Beans, peas, and lentils are also part of the Vegetable Group.

Select a wide variety of protein foods to get more of the nutrients your body needs and for health benefits. Meat and poultry choices should be lean or low-fat, like 93% lean ground beef, pork loin, and skinless chicken breasts. Choose seafood options that are higher in beneficial fatty acids (omega-3s) and lower in methylmercury, such as salmon, anchovies, and trout. The advice to consume lean or low-fat meat and poultry and a variety of seafood does not apply to vegetarians. Vegetarian options in the Protein Foods Group include beans, peas, and lentils, nuts, seeds, and soy products.

Daily Recommendation* in Ounce-Equivalents (oz-equiv)

Toddlers

12 to 23 months

2 oz-equiv

Children

2-4 yrs

5-8 yrs

2 to 5 oz-equiv

3 to 5½ oz-equiv

Girls

9-13 yrs

14-18 yrs

4 to 6 oz-equiv

5 to 6½ oz-equiv

Boys

9-13 yrs

14-18 yrs

5 to 6½ oz-equiv

5½ to 7 oz-equiv

What counts as an ounce-equivalent in the Protein Foods Group?

In general, 1 ounce of meat, poultry or fish, ¼ cup cooked beans, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or ½ ounce of nuts or seeds can be considered as 1 ounce-equivalent from the Protein Foods Group.

5.Dairy:

The Dairy Group includes milk, yogurt, cheese, lactose-free milk and fortified soy milk and yogurt. It does not include foods made from milk that have little calcium and a high fat content, such as cream cheese, sour cream, cream, and butter.

Daily Recommendation*

Toddlers

12 to 23 months

1⅔ to 2 cups

Children

2-3 yrs

2 to 2½ cups

4-8 yrs

2½ cups

Girls

9-13 yrs

3 cups

14-18 yrs

3 cups

Boys

9-13 yrs

3 cups

14-18 yrs

3 cups

What counts as a cup in the Dairy Group?

In general, 1 cup of milk, yogurt, or soy milk, or 1 ½ ounces of natural cheese can be considered as 1 cup from the Dairy Group.

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