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HealthKick: The New Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children, By Jennifer Galea, MS, RD
Healthkick: Martial Arts Fitness Newsletter Articles © 2001 Professional Payment Systems
When it comes to nutrition, children's needs are not the same as adults': they have their own requirements, especially those nutrients required for growth. Children also differ as to their eating patterns and preferences. To help parents teach their children the basics of good nutrition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recently developed a special version of the Food Guide Pyramid, designed especially for kids ages 2 to 6.
It is extremely important to start your kids off on the right foot with diet and exercise habits. Studies have shown that children's early experiences with food determine their lifelong eating tendencies. The things that are different about this pyramid from the adult version:
The food groups have shorter names so children can more easily remember them; The number of servings is a single number rather than a range; The foods displayed are foods commonly eaten by children; The suggested portion sizes are smaller; And most importantly, the pyramid shows pictures of kids being active. This emphasizes how important physical activity is to good nutrition and health. And keep in mind that this is designed for 2 to 6 year olds, so exercise is important even for the very young!
So how can you use this new and improved food guide pyramid? First, use it to plan your child's meals. For example, plan each of your child's meals around three to four food groups. Try to incorporate at least two food groups in a snack. To reach the desired amount of carbohydrates (six "Grain Group" servings), you will probably need to include at least one in each meal and snack. To meet the three vegetable servings per day, it will probably be easiest to offer one as a snack, such as raw carrots or broccoli spears. Of the two fruit group servings, definitely make at least one of them actual fruit, not fruit juice! The milk and meat groups each require two servings per day. If your child drinks milk and eats meat, these are generally easy to fulfill; but if they don't, some inventiveness is in order. For example, try another "Milk Group" food, such as cheese or yogurt, as a snack. Experiment with adding cheese or meat (or a meal alternative, such as tofu) to your pasta sauce or other accepted entree.
Use the food guide to suggest variety. Try new foods that maybe even you would not have thought of. It might take many offerings before your child warms up to the new food, but don't give up. Show the child how much you enjoy the food. (Keep in mind that if you are choking down the liver you made for dinner, chances are your child isn't going to think it is yummy!)
Finally, be a role model, not just in what you eat, but also in your attitude toward food, meals, meal preparation, weight, and physical activity. This is another instance where you need to do what you say. Children learn what they live, and what they live with.