Food is decisive for proper functioning of the body, good growth, optimal learning capacity and the prevention of diseases.
The effects of malnutrition in early childhood can be devastating and long-lasting. A healthy and balanced diet is essential for children’s health.
A varied and healthy diet always goes hand in hand with physical activity. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that children do 1 hour a day of some type of activity. Schools and childcare centers such as group and home daycare centers have activities in their curriculum where children have different physical activities.
It is important that parents share some activity during the time that their children are away from school or from their childcare providers, whether it is riding a bicycle, playing in the park, skating, swimming, dancing or soccer.
It is important to include foods that provide energy and everything necessary that a healthy child needs: foods with energy, carbohydrates, fats and protein. We must avoid juices, soft drinks, chocolates and candies or fried foods and greasy foods.
Serve foods by sizes and portions for different ages. Nutrition for children is based on the same ideas as nutrition for adults. We all need the same types of elements, such as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein and fat. All of them together are called nutrients.
Children need different amounts of specific nutrients depending on their ages:
For 2 year old children:
- Green group: vegetables and fruits combine 2 food groups ¼ cup
- Yellow group: combine 4 groups of food of ½ ounce
- Blue group: Dairy ½ cup
- Orange group: 1 ounce
For children 3-4 years old:
- Green group: vegetables and fruits combine 2 food groups ½ cup
- Yellow group: combine 4 food group of ½ ounce
- Blue group: Dairy ½ – ¾ cup
- Orange group: 1 ½ cup
For children 5-8 years old:
- Green group: vegetables and fruits combine 2 food groups ¾ cup
- Yellow group: combine 4 food groups of 1 ounce
- Blue Group: Dairy 1 cup
- Orange group: 2 ounces
Courtesy of Precious Moment Child Care
Reference: https://www.mayoclinic.org/
