LET'S START WITH THE BASICS
The amount of food your child needs depends on age, sex, and activity level. But all children need a variety of foods from different food groups.
You can make a healthy plate using the tips below.
- Fill half your child’s plate with fruits and veggies.
- Make one quarter of your child’s plate grains, choosing whole grains most often.
- Add a serving of protein. Choose lean protein like chicken, fish, lean beef, or beans.
- Offer fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk (instead of whole or 2% milk) to children once they are age two.
Some foods are easy for your child to choke on.
Skip hard, small, whole foods, such as popcorn, nuts, seeds and hard candy. Cut up foods such as hot dogs, grapes, and raw carrots into pieces smaller than the size of a nickel.
Let's Talk Servings
Young children need the same variety of foods as older children and adults, but since their body size is smaller, they need smaller amounts.
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Fruits
How Much?
1-2 Year Olds: 1 cup each day
2-5 Year Olds: 1-1½ cups each dayWhat Counts as a Serving?
½ cup of fruit
- ½ cup mashed, sliced or chopped fruit
- ½ cup of 100% fruit juice
- ½ medium banana
- 4-5 large strawberries
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Vegetables
How Much?
1-2 Year Olds: 1 cup each day
2-5 Year Olds: 1-2 cups each dayWhat Counts as a Serving?
½ cup of veggies
- ½ cup mashed, sliced, or chopped vegetables
- 1 cup raw leafy greens
- ½ cup vegetable juice
- 1 small ear of corn
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Grains
How Much?
1-2 Year Olds: 2-3 ounces each day
2-5 Year Olds: 3-5 ounces each dayWhat Counts as a Serving?
1 ounce of grains
- 1 bread slice or small tortilla
- 1 cup ready to eat cereal
- ½ cup cooked rice or pasta
- 5 crackers
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Protein Foods
How Much?
1-2 Year Olds: 2 ounces each day
2-5 Year Olds: 3-5 ounces each dayWhat Counts as a Serving?
1 ounce of protein foods
- 1 ounce of cooked meat, poultry, or seafood
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup cooked beans
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
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Dairy
How Much?
1-2 Year Olds: 2 cups each day
2-5 Year Olds: 2 cups each dayWhat Counts as a Serving?
½ cup dairy
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup yogurt
- ¾ ounce cheese
- 1 string cheese
Have any questions?
