Menu Plans for Kids

A children's menu plan consists of meals throughout the entire day or week. You can plan day by day or plan ahead and write down an entire week's worth of meals; three sample days are below. Choose nutrient-dense foods your kids enjoy and change meals often because they usually get tired of the same food. Kids like variety, and new tastes help them appreciate a broader range of foods. Incorporate snacks into your menus and include lots of protein and vegetables to ensure your children get a wide range of nutrients. Dr. William Sears, author of "The Healthiest Kid on the Block," says to include plenty of brain foods like eggs, lean meats and healthy fats such as fish oil.

Monday

• Breakfast:

  Feed your children a nutrient-dense breakfast that includes lean protein such as turkey bacon and eggs. You can add low-fat cheddar cheese to scrambled eggs to make this food more flavorful.

  Snacks:

  Most kids love peanut butter; spread some on celery sticks so your kids eat some vegetables in addition to the peanut butter. If your kids are allergic to peanuts, choose another nut butter.

  Lunch:

  A simple turkey sandwich provides well-balanced nutrition for growing bodies. Prepare the sandwich on whole wheat bread with tomatoes, lettuce and mustard.

  Snacks:

  Feed your kids string cheese and one or two pieces of fruit. String cheese is high in calcium and protein.

  Dinner:

  Herbed salmon is high in nutrients, protein and healthy fats such as omega-3. Soak the salmon in grape seed oil and sprinkle fresh herbs such as basil on top. Place the fish on a baking dish and cook at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with spinach or another healthy side dish.

Tuesday

• Breakfast:

  Feed your kids something new today, such as a fruit bowl and whole grain toast. Spread butter or jelly on the toast. Include several favorite fruits such as blueberries, cantaloupe, strawberries and honeydew.

  Snacks:

  Offer your kids one cup of almonds and one or two pieces of fruit.

  Lunch:

  Chicken is a good source of protein to fuel your child's body. Make your child a chicken sandwich on a bread roll. Include tomatoes, lettuce, mustard and other favored condiments.

  Snacks:

  Give your kids watermelon or another type of fruit that is in season. Serve one or two snacks throughout the day, depending on how hungry your children are.

  Dinner:

  Buy ground buffalo, tomato sauce and green noodles made from spinach at a health food store. Cook the meat in a saucepan until it is fully cooked. When the meat is half done, place a pot filled with water on the stove and pour the green noodles in when the water comes to a boil. Drain out any excess fat from the meat. Add the sauce to the meat and continue to cook for a few more minutes. Strain the noodles when fully cooked. Serve the noodles with the meat on top just like a traditional spaghetti dish. Add shredded cheese to enhance the flavor.

Wednesday

• Breakfast:

  Blueberry flaxseed bran pancakes are another food favored by kids. Buy bran pancake mix and whole blueberries. Add 1 cup of blueberries to every 1 1/2 cups of bran mix. Add 1/2 cup of flax seeds into every 1 cup of bran mix as well. Follow the instructions on the box. The amount of ingredients vary depending on how many pancakes you need. One cup of mix usually makes three to four pancakes. Spread butter or jelly on the pancakes instead of syrup.

  Lunch:

  Many children enjoy green smoothies and this food is ideal for a light lunch. You can disguise the taste of greens with fruits and raw honey. Combine 1/2 cup of water, 1 cup of blueberries, 1 tbsp. cod liver oil, 1 cup of raw spinach, 1 tbsp. raw honey and 2 bananas in a blender. Add 5 ice cubes if your children enjoy chilled smoothies.

  Snacks:

  Mash two avocados to make dip and serve with blue corn chips. Avocados are rich in omega-3 fats, which are beneficial to brain health.

  Dinner:

  Serve homemade chicken fingers with mustard dip. Buy boneless chicken breast and crispy chicken topping mix. Cut the breasts into strips and soak them in olive oil. Roll the oil-dipped chicken in a bowl with the crispy chicken mix. Place on a baking pan and bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with steamed broccoli or other favorite vegetables.