Child Nutrition

• Child Nutrition Articles

Different foods contain different nutrients and other healthful substances. No single food can supply all the nutrients in the amounts that you need. For example, oranges provide vitamin C and folate but no vitamin B12; cheese provides calcium and vitamin B12; but no vitamin C. To make sure you get all the nutrients and other substances you need for health, the USDA recommends building a healthy base by using the food pyramid as a starting point. The food pyramid visually demonstrates how many servings of each of the basic food groups an individual should consume daily for good health.

It is important to remember that children, teens, most men, and active men will need the higher number of servings in the servings range. Also, older adults, children, and women have greater calcium needs. Americans are typically deficient in calcium and iron. People following more limited diets (i.e. vegetarian) need to be sure that they are getting, from other sources, the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that would be given by the food group(s) that they aren't eating from. There are five basic nutrients in food: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. All are necessary for good nutrition. Any diet that excludes one of these nutrients is dangerous.

What Counts As A Serving?

Grains Group (Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta Group - whole grain and refined)

• 1 slice of bread
• About 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal
• 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta

Vegetable Group

• 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables
• 1/2 cup of other vegetables cooked or raw
• 3/4 cup of vegetable juice

Fruit Group

• 1 medium apple, banana, orange, pear
• 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
• 3/4 cup of fruit juice

Milk Group (Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese Group)

• 1 cup of milk or yogurt
• 1 1/2 ounces of natural cheese (such as Cheddar)
•  2 ounces of processed cheese (such as American)

Meat and Beans Group (Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts Group)

• 2-3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish
• 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans or 1/2 cup of tofu counts as 1 ounce of lean meat
• 2 1/2-ounce soyburger or 1 egg counts as 1 ounce of lean meat
• 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or 1/3 cup of nuts counts as 1 ounce of meat

Tips To Reduce Fat And Cholesterol In The Diet

• Steam, boil, bake, or microwave vegetables rather than frying.
• Season vegetables with herbs and spices instead of fatty sauces, butter or margarine.
• Try flavored vinegars or lemon juice on salads or use smaller servings of oil-based or low-fat salad dressings.
• Try whole-grain flours to enhance flavors of baked goods made with less fat and fewer or no cholesterol-containing ingredients.
• Replace whole milk with low-fat or skim milk in puddings, soups and baked products.
• Substitute plain low-fat yogurt or blender-whipped low-fat cottage cheese for sour cream or mayonnaise.
• Choose lean cuts of meat, and trim fat from meat and poultry before and after cooking. Remove skin from poultry before or after cooking.
• Roast, bake, broil, or simmer meat, poultry and fish rather than frying.
• Cook meat or poultry on a rack so the fat will drain off. Use a non-stick pan for cooking so added fat is unnecessary.
• Chill meat and poultry broth until the fat becomes solid. Remove the fat before using the broth.
• Limit egg yolks to one per serving when making scrambled eggs. Use additional egg whites for larger servings.
• Try substituting egg whites in recipes calling for whole eggs. Use two egg whites in place of one whole egg in muffins, cookies and puddings.

Daily Recommended Servings

• Bread/ Grain Group 6-11
• Vegetable Group 3-5
• Fruit Group 2-4
• Milk Group 2 or 3
• Meat/ Bean Group 5-7oz

Nutritional Guidelines To Remember

• Eat sweets and fats sparingly
• Choose low fat options from the milk and meat groups
• Eat whole grains (refined grains do not provide the same amount of fibers and nutrients)
• Choose a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate in total fat
• Choose beverages and foods to moderate your intake of sugars
• Choose and prepare foods with less salt

Some Sources Of Calcium

• Yogurt
• Milk
• Natural cheeses such as Mozzarella, Cheddar, Swiss, and Parmesan
• Soy-based beverage with added calcium
• Tofu, if made with calcium sulfate (read the ingredient list)
• Breakfast cereal with added calcium
• Canned fish with soft bones such as salmon, sardines
• Fruit juice with added calcium
• Pudding made with milk
• Soup made with milk
• Dark-green leafy vegetables such as collards, turnip greens Some

Sources Of Iron

• Shellfish like shrimp, clams, mussels, and oysters
• Lean meats (especially beef), liver and other organ meats
• Ready-to-eat cereals with added iron
• Turkey dark meat (remove skin to reduce fat)
• Sardines
• Spinach
• Cooked dry beans (such as kidney beans and pinto beans), peas (such as black-eyed peas), and lentils
• Enriched and whole grain breads