Healthy Diets for Children: Overview

Eating well is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. It's something that should be taught to children at a young age. These are some general guidelines for helping your child eat healthy foods. It's important to discuss your child's diet and nutrition needs with your child's doctor before making any dietary changes.

• Provide 3 meals a day, with healthy snacks in-between.
• Increase fiber in your child's diet.
• Decrease the use of salt and salty foods.
• Encourage your child to drink water. Try to stay away from drinks and juices that are high in sugar.
• Don't put your child on a low-fat diet without talking to your child's doctor. Young children need healthy fats in their diet to help with the growth of their brain and nervous system.
• Serve balanced meals.
• Try to bake, grill, roast, or broil instead of frying.
• Decrease your child's added sugar intake.
• Offer fruit or vegetables for a snack.
• Use smaller amounts of butter, heavy sauces, and gravies. Choose unsaturated fats such as olive oil, canola oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados more often.
• Serve a variety of protein foods, including meat, chicken, fish, eggs, and beans.

The USDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have prepared the following guide for parents to help them select foods for children ages 1 year and older.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasize the nutritional intake of:

• Protein. Prioritize protein at each meal. Include a variety of meats and poultry, as well as eggs, seafood, nuts, seeds, peas, beans, and soy.
• Dairy. Milk products and many foods made from milk, like yogurt and cheese, are considered part of this food group. Choose those that are high in calcium. Offer whole-fat milk and yogurt to children starting at 12 months of age. Cow's milk is not recommended for children under 12 months of age as a replacement for human milk or infant formula.
• Vegetables. Choose a variety of vegetables, including dark green, red, and orange vegetables, legumes (peas and beans), and starchy vegetables. Fresh, frozen or canned vegetables may be included, preferably those low in sodium and without sauces or gravies.
• Fruits. Any fruit or 100% fruit juice counts as part of the fruit group. Fruits may be fresh, canned, frozen, or dried, and may be whole, cut-up, or pureed. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants should not have any juice before 12 months of age without a doctor's approval. They also recommend that children ages 1 to 6 have no more than 4 to 6 ounces of juice per day. For children ages 7 to 18, limit juice to 8 ounces (1 cup) per day.
• Fats. Fats are essential to healthy growth and development. Healthy fats, like nuts, seeds, olives, avocado, and plant oils, have vital nutrients and should be included in the diet. Use butter in small amounts. Limit saturated fats.
• Grains. Foods that are made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain are grain products. Examples include whole wheat bread, brown rice, quinoa, and oatmeal. Aim for mostly whole grains.

Exercise and daily physical activity should also be included with a healthy dietary plan.

Here are some tips to follow:

• Try to control when and where food is eaten by your child. Provide consistent daily meals and snacks with social interaction. Demonstrate healthy eating behaviors while reducing distractions, such as TV and tablets.
• Involve your child in selecting and preparing foods. Teach your child to make healthy choices by letting them choose foods based on the nutritional value.
• Select meals and snacks with a variety of nutritious foods. Explore different foods and flavors from other cultures and cuisines.
• Keep in mind: Most Americans need to cut the number of calories they consume. When it comes to weight control, calories do count. Controlling portion sizes and limiting highly processed foods helps manage calorie intake and increase nutrients.
• Try to serve recommended serving sizes for each child.
• Make an effort to limit a child's screen use to no more than 1 hour daily. Instead encourage activities that call for more movement.
• Promote physical activity. Children and teens need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity on most days for good health and fitness and healthy weight during growth.
• Encourage your child to drink fluid regularly during physical activity. They should also drink several glasses of water or other low- or no-sugar-added fluid after the physical activity is done to prevent dehydration.

To find more information about the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030, visit realfood.gov.

Always talk with your child's doctor regarding healthy diet and exercise requirements.