Believe it or not, the nutritional needs of children have not changed much in the last 20 years. However, the world they live in certainly has. It is quite a different childhood experience for kids and teens, with fast food restaurants on every corner, big-gulp colas, 50 or more TV channels to surf, text messaging, mall hopping, video games, and iPods. It is important that we update our parental nutrition lessons to help them form the best possible eating habits for life in the 21st century.
Blueprint for a Healthy Diet
The MyPlate model is currently the best blueprint for building a balanced diet. At http://www.choosemyplate.gov/, you can obtain a personalized nutrition plan for each member of the family. A healthy diet will help your children build bodies that go the distance. Here is what they need most each day.
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Food Group
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Serving Size
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# of Servings
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A Serving Looks Like...
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Grains
bread, cereal, rice, pasta
*Go for whole grains at least 1/2 of the time.
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- 1 slice bread
- 1 oz cereal
- 1/2 cup pasta, rice, grits, hot cereal
- 1/2 English muffin, bun, bagel
- 1 tortilla
- 1 small muffin |
Kids 6-12
6-9 servings
Teen Girls
6-9 servings
Teen Boys
9-11 servings
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1/2 cup = tennis ball
1 oz. = a large fist |
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Vegetables
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- 1/2 cup juice
- 1/2 cup cooked
- 1 cup raw, leafy |
Kids 6-12
3-4 servings
Teen Girls
3-4 servings
Teen Boys
4-5 servings
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1/2 cup = tennis ball
1 cup = a large fist |
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Fruits
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- 1/2 cup juice
- 1 medium fruit
- 1 cup berries
- 1/2 cup canned
- 1/2 grapefruit
- 1/4 cantaloupe
- 1/4 cup dried |
Kids 6-12
2-3 servings
Teen Girls
2-3 servings
Teen Boys
3-4 servings
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1/4 cup = golf ball
1/2 cup = tennis ball
1 cup = a large fist |
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Dairy Products
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- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 oz cheese
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese, pudding, frozen yogurt |
Kids 6-12
2-3 servings
Teen Girls
3+ servings
Teen Boys
3+ servings
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1 oz cheese = 4 dice |
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Meats & Beans
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- 2-3 oz cooked, lean meat or fish
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup nuts, seeds
- 1/2 cup cooked peas or beans |
Kids 6-12
2-2.5 servings
Teen Girls
2-2.5 servings
Teen Boys
2-3 servings
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3 oz meat = deck of cards
2 tbsp = ping pong ball
1/4 cup = golf ball
1/2 cup = tennis ball |
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