Recommendations for healthy eating
- Limit your child's eating to three meals and 1 - 2 snacks each day. Snacks
should be less than 150 calories each or a total of 300 calories per day. A
fruit serving = approximately 70 calories.
- Nothing to eat or drink between meals or snacks (except water).
- Do not allow regular soda, juice, punch or Kool-Aid. Your child needs at
least 4 cups of water each day.
- Allow 2 - 3 glasses of low fat milk (skim, 1%, 2%) each day.
- Allow only 1 plate of food at mealtimes (or two ½ portions). If your child
is still hungry, allow more fruit or vegetables. Encourage one serving of each
food group (1-2 grain/starch servings) with each meal, especially fruit and
vegetable.
- Keep less high-fat foods at home: sausage, hotdogs, lunchmeat, cheese,
fried food, mayonnaise, butter, margarine, salad dressing, chips, ice cream,
cookies, etc. Try low-fat versions of these foods. Use less oil, butter and
margarine in cooking. Make lower fat choices or share food at restaurants.
- Eat all meals at the table without the television on.
Suggested food portion sizes
| Food group |
Servings |
1-3 Yrs Old |
3-6 Yrs Old |
6-12 Yrs Old |
12 yrs-Adults |
|
Breads, cereals, pasta & grains |
7-11 |
½ slice or ¼ cup |
½ slice or 1/3 cup |
1 slice or ½ cup |
1 slice or ½ cup |
|
Vegetables |
3-5 |
¼ cup |
1/3 cup |
½ cup |
½ cup |
|
Fruits |
2-4 |
¼ cup |
1/3 cup |
½ cup |
½ cup |
|
Milk & milk products |
2-3 |
½ to ¾ cup |
¾ cup to 1 cup |
1 cup |
1 cup |
|
Meat & meat alternates |
2-3 |
1 oz or ¼ cup |
1-1/2 oz or 1/3 cup |
2 oz or ½ cup |
2-3 oz or ½ cup |