Nutritional Balance:

To ensure good nutrition in your child and that they grow up healthy, they will need to eat a variety of foods. The amount of food that they eat is much less important. Remember that your child's appetite may decrease and become more selective over the next few years as their growth rate slows. As long as they are gaining weight at a normal rate and have a normal activity level, then you have little to worry about. You can still offer them a variety of foods, but can decrease the serving sizes if they don't eat a lot.

Grains:

Servings may include 1 slice of bread, 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta, 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, or 1 ounce of ready to eat cereal. Your child should eat 6 servings daily from this group.

Vegetables:

Servings may include 1/2 cup of chopped or raw vegetables, or 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables. Your child should eat 3 servings daily from this group.

Fruit:

Servings may include 1 piece of fruit or melon wedge, 3/4 cup of 100% fruit juice, 1/2 cup of canned fruit, or 1/4 cup of dried fruit. Your child should eat 2 servings daily from this group. 

Dairy:

Servings may include 1 cup of milk or yogurt or 2 ounces of cheese. Your child should eat 2 servings daily from this group.

Meats:

Servings may include 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry or fish, 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans. You can substitute 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or 1 egg for 1 ounce of meat. Your child should eat 2 servings from this group.

Snacks:

It is hard for preschoolers to eat enough in three meals to provide the nutrients and calories they need. We will offer snacks between meals to manage this need.  Snack time may be a good time to introduce new foods that the child may not be used to. Many times children will refuse food at mealtime, but accept them at snack time. Snacks should provide more than just calories.  They should be a regular component of the child’s overall nutritional program.

Fats, oils and sweets:

No more than 30% of your child’s diet should come from fats. For a 1600 calorie diet, that would equal 53g of fat each day, with most preschool children requiring even less. The type of fat that you eat is also important. Saturated fats in foods such as meats, dairy products, coconut, palm and palm kernel oil, raise cholesterol more than unsaturated fats, which are found in olive, peanut, and canola oils, or polyunsaturated fats in safflower, sunflower, corn, soybean and cottonseed oils. Limit saturated fats to no more than 10% of daily calories.

Sugars supply a large amount of calories, with little nutritional value. They include white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, honey and molasses and foods like candy, soft drinks, jams, and jellies.
Our goal in this area is to limit the intake of these fats and sugars by doing the following:

•    use lean meats and skim or low-fat dairy products
•    use unsaturated vegetable oils and margarines
•    limit foods that contain a large amount of saturated fats
•    limit foods high in sugar and avoid adding extra sugar to their foods

Your Role:

You can also help promote good nutrition by setting a good example. Healthy eating habits and regular exercise should be a regular part of your family's life. It is much easier if everyone in the house follows these guidelines, than if your child has to do it alone. You should also buy low-calorie and low-fat meals, snacks and desserts, low fat or skim milk and diet drinks. Avoid buying high calorie desserts or snacks, such as snack chips, regular soft drinks or regular ice cream.

 

Sample Daily Menu:

Breakfast:
Wheat toast
Cheddar Cheese
Sliced Strawberry & Apple
Milk and/or Water

a.m. Snack:
Sugar-free blueberry muffin

Lunch:
Turkey and Cheddar on Whole Wheat with lettuce & low-fat mayo.
Wheat Sun chips                                       Carrots                                                        Juice and/or Water 

p.m. Snack:
Celery sticks with peanut butter


Daily Meal Schedule:

Breakfast:
7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m.

a.m. snack:
10 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

Lunch:
12 p.m.-1 p.m.

p.m. snack:
3 p.m.-3:30 p.m.