Healthy eating rules
Everyone needs basic nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Children also need different amounts of these foods at different ages.
The best way to eat for a child's growth and development is to take into account the child's age, activity level and other characteristics.
A nutrient-dense diet—a diet with no or limited added sugar, saturated fat, or salt—is considered rich. Focusing on rich foods helps children get the nutrients they need by limiting total calories.
Consider these foods:
Protein. Seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans, peas, soy products, unsalted nuts and other snacks.
Fruits. Encourage your child to eat a variety of fresh, canned, frozen, or dried fruits. Look out for canned fruit that says it's light or packed in its own juice. This means there is less added sugar. Remember that 1/4 cup of dried fruit counts as one serving of fruit.
Vegetables. Use a variety of fresh, canned, frozen or dried vegetables. Choose peas or beans along with colorful vegetables each week. When choosing canned or frozen vegetables, look for vegetables that are lower in sodium.
Grain. You can choose whole grain products such as whole wheat bread or pasta, oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa, or brown or wild rice.
Dairy products. Encourage your child to eat and drink nonfat or low-fat dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese.
Aim to limit your child's calories by:
Added sugar: Naturally occurring sugars, such as those found in fruit and milk, have no added sugar. Examples of added sugars include brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, and honey. Check the product composition to avoid added sugar. Avoid fizzy drinks and other drinks with added sugar. Limit juice portions. If your child drinks juice, make sure it's 100% juice with no added sugar.
Saturated fats. Saturated fats come mainly from animal food sources such as red meat, hot dogs, poultry, butter and other full-fat dairy products. Pizza, sandwiches, burgers, and burritos are common sources of saturated fat. Desserts like cakes and ice cream are another common source of saturated fat. When cooking, try replacing saturated fats with vegetable oils that provide essential fatty acids and vitamin E.
Salt. Another name for salt is sodium. Salt can be hidden in sandwiches, where sodium accumulates in bread, meat, condiments and toppings. Processed foods like pizza, pasta dishes, and soups are often high in salt.
If you have questions about child nutrition or have specific concerns about your child's diet, seek help from your child's doctor or a professional dietitian.