Toddlers and pre-school children grow and develop quickly! It’s an important time to make sure they are eating well to get all the energy and nutrients they need.
This is a great time for children to learn about food and eating, so they can get into the habit of having a healthy, varied diet.
In this section, you can learn what your toddler or pre-school child should be eating, and in what amounts.
Bread½-1 slice
Breakfast cereal3-5 tablespoons
Cooked pasta or rice2-4 tablespoons
Spaghetti Hoops2-4 tablespoons
Mashed potato1-3 tablespoons
Potato wedges2-4
Rice cakes or oatcakes1-2
Chapati½-1
Fruits and vegetables
Practical examples of portion sizes for toddlers
It might be useful to think about the colors of fruits and vegetables and to offer ‘a rainbow’ of options, selecting those that are purple/blue, orange/yellow, green and brown/white.
Some children may initially reject some fruit and vegetables, but do not give up offering these foods – sometimes you might need to offer them 5 -15 times before your child accepts them – keep persevering!
Encouraging toddlers to eat lots of fruits and vegetables will not only give them the nutrients they need but will also train their palate to like these foods. This means they will be more likely to eat lots of fruits and vegetables throughout childhood and into adulthood.
Grapes3-8
Vegetable sticks- 2-6
Cherry tomatoes- 1-3
Banana¼-1
Apple¼-½ – medium sized apple
Canned fruit- 2-4 tablespoons
Peas½- 2 tablespoons
Broccoli½- 2 tablespoons
Raisins½-2 tablespoons
Dairy foods
Practical examples of portion sizes for toddlers
Skimmed and 1% milks are not suitable for children under 5 years.
Milk100ml -(about 1 beaker)
Yogurt-125ml
Cheese- triangle1
Cheese sauce-1-3 tablespoons
Protein foods
Practical examples of portion sizes for toddlers try to serve these protein foods with another food or drink that is rich in vitamin C
(such as fruit and vegetables) as this will help with iron absorption. In addition, oily fish a dietary source of vitamin D.
Poached, boiled or fried egg½-1
Chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils or beans- 2-3 tablespoons
Baked beans- 2-3 tablespoons
How much toddler should drink
It is important to make sure your toddler is hydrated, because if not they may feel tired and not perform to the best of their abilities and in extreme cases may become seriously ill. Try to offer your toddler six to eight drinks per day (approx 1 litre).
It is best to give your child water as their main drink because it does not cause tooth decay, unlike drinks containing sugar, such as fruit squashes, fruit juices, sweetened milks and fizzy drinks. Also, to discourage your child from developing a preference for sweetened drinks, it is best not to offer these too often.
Fruit juice provides some nutrients but is also high in sugar and is acidic so, if you give your child fruit juice should be diluted with water and kept to mealtimes. To protect teeth from decay, toddlers should be consuming drinks (including milk) from a cup or free flowing beaker and not from a bottle. For more information see our resource on healthy hydration for children aged 1-4 years below.
Parent should get their child vaccinated as per scheduled. Services are available, You can go through the website link given below: https://drmayankpant.com/
Age group 6 to 9
Food Group
Suggested Servings
6- to 9-Year-Olds
Nutrients Provided
Milk/Dairy Milk Yogurt Cheese
4 daily
1 cup 1 cup 1 oz.
Calcium Riboflavin Protein
Eggs Peanut Butter
4 daily
3 oz. 1 oz. 2-3 Tbsp.
Protein Niacin Thiamin Iron
Fruit/Vegetables Fruit Fruit Juice Vegetables
3-5 daily
1 small piece 6-8 oz. 1/2 cup
Vitamin C Vitamin A
Breads/Cereals Whole grain bread Hot cereal, rice, pasta Ready-to-eat cereal Crackers
6 or more daily
2 slices 3 /4 cup 1-2 oz. 5-6
Thiamin Iron Niacin
Fats/Oils
3 daily – significant source of calories
1 tsp.
Fatty Acids Vitamins A, D, K, E
Other 1/3 c. pudding, ice cream, 2-3″ cookies, 1 oz. cake, 1/3 oz. pie, 2 Tbsp. jelly
100 calorie portions—use in moderation. This group is a significant source of calories from fat and sugar.
3 portions
Age Group 10-15
What to Eat in a Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It can help with memory and concentration at school, and give you energy to study and play. Regular breakfast eaters tend to have a healthier weight than those who skip breakfast.
Look for breakfast cereals that are high fibre and low fat and with not too much added sugar or salt. Here are some healthy breakfast options:
porridge with honey and cinnamon
muesli with yoghurt
fresh fruit and yoghurt
High fiber cereals like Weet-Bix, Vita Brits, Mini-Wheats, Just Right, Fiber Plus, Sustain or similar
multigrain toast with a boiled or poached egg
baked beans on toast
raisin toast
pita bread with olives and feta
melted cheese and vegemite on toast or an English muffin
crumpets with jam
banana milkshake or fruit smoothie
pancakes with yoghurt and fruit.
A Healthy School Lunch
If you don’t look forward to your school lunch, then change what you are preparing. School lunches don’t have to be boring. Does a parent or carrier usually make your school lunch? If you don’t like what they make for you, talk to them about what you would like instead. Tell them what sandwich fillings you like, or what your favorite healthy snacks are.
Here are some suggestions:
Chicken, grated carrot, cucumber and cream cheese pita bread
cheese and salad on multigrain bread with cranberry sauce
Vegetable and lentil soup in a thermos with a bread roll
Leftover pasta with lots of cooked vegetables
Cheese and salad sandwich
Boiled egg and salad on multigrain with a smear of mayonnaise
cheese and spinach wrap
Tomato and lettuce sandwich with tomato chutney or salsa
Pancakes made from lentils with lots of veggies in it.
vegetable idli, Upma, Poha (Flattened rice).
Eating for study
When at school or studying, your brain needs extra energy. Eating healthy foods is also linked to better concentration. Here are some tips for eating healthier when studying and during exams.
Eat small frequent meals.
Easy and convenient nutritious meals include: frozen dinners, tinned soups, peanut-butter sandwiches, breakfast cereal, cheese sandwiches, tuna or chicken and salad sandwiches, baked beans or eggs on toast.
Snack foods like chips can cause you to feel grumpy, irritable and low in energy. That’s not what you want while you are studying. Try healthier snacks such as yoghurt, nuts, dried fruit, fresh fruit, plain popcorn or vegie sticks with dip.
People use caffeine for a ‘pick me up’ to feel more awake or alert. Too much caffeine from coffee, tea, cola and energy drinks can disrupt your sleeping patterns, send your heart racing, make it difficult to focus and/or cause nervousness in some people. Try sticking to one or two cups of coffee or tea a day, or try decaffeinated coffee or herbal teas as an alternative. Enjoy cola or energy drinks only occasionally as they have too much sugar and little nutritional benefit.
Drink plenty of water. When you are dehydrated you can feel tired.
Eat only when you are hungry. Be aware of your hunger signals, like stomach pangs, grumbling guts, dry mouth etc. If you need a study break and do not have hunger pangs, have a drink of water or go for a walk.
Regular exercise helps to improve your blood circulation, which keeps oxygen and nutrients flowing to your body and brain helping you to concentrate.
Eating for sport and play
Eating good foods before exercise can boost stamina and endurance. The following foods will help:
breakfast cereal with milk and fruit
dried fruit and nuts
yoghurt and fruit
English muffin with peanut butter and honey
banana and peanut-butter sandwich
fresh fruit smoothie with milk and/or yoghurt
low-fat muesli bar
small muffins made with oats or whole-meal flour and fruit or vegetables
low-fat custard and fruit
raisin toast and cream cheese
sushi handrolls
fruit scone
Nuts, seeds and some choco chips.
Achieving a healthy weight
250 ml drink
No. of teaspoon sugar *
orange juice
4
coke cola
5
low fat milk
3
diluted cordial
4 ½
sports drink
3 ½
iced tea
4
energy drink
5
* Note: 1 teaspoon = 5g sugar
Here are some healthier alternatives to your usual snack foods.
Swap this …
For this …
Chocolate bar 50 g
Low-fat chocolate milk drink 250 ml
Lollies
Dried fruit
Large coffee
Small coffee
Ice-cream
Low-fat frozen yoghurt or sorbet
High-sugar breakfast cereal
High-fibre cereal e.g. untoasted muesli
Hot chips
Baked potato
Large soft drink
Small soft drink, diet soft drink or water with lemon or lime
Fried egg and sandwich
Poached egg
Burger meal deal
Burger and water or small soft drink/diet drink
Doughnut
Fruit scone
Eating disorders
People with an eating disorder experience extreme disturbances in their eating behavior and related thoughts and feelings. They have an overwhelming drive to be thin and a morbid fear of gaining weight and losing control over their eating.
Eating disorders can cause serious physical and psychological problems. They are not a lifestyle choice.
Eating disorders can be effectively treated and the earlier the treatment the better the recovery. Families and friends often need support and assistance too, and are involved in the treatment process.
A physical health check is essential to rule out possible medical complications that can arise from the condition. It is also very important to have the right information about your diet and about healthy eating, as there is plenty of wrong or misunderstood information about food and nutrition out there.
Talking with a professional counsellor is necessary to help change your thoughts, feelings and behavior related to the eating disorder, and to help deal with the stressful things that might be happening in your life, like relationship problems, school issues and other things.
Note: If you have complications like severe depression or anxiety, medications may be useful.
Preventing acne
No single food causes acne, but what you eat may influence acne. For some teenagers, foods like chocolate or greasy takeaways can have an effect on their skin. As a general rule to prevent acne, try to eat fewer processed foods, and eat and drink healthily.
