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Healthy Meals Plans for Children

Children need healthy meal plans to reduce their risks of heart disease in life and to promote proper development. They often take their dietary cues from their parents or guardians. In general, children don't need special diets; they need a well-balanced diet that includes items from all food groups. Children's meal plans depend on their level of activity and any dietary restrictions. The USDA food pyramid serves as an excellent template for creating a healthy meal plan.

  1. Food Pyramid

    • The USDA food pyramid creates a visual hierarchy that separates food groups into different zones. The zones provide a suggested dietary meal plan. The guidelines set by the food pyramid are not set in stone. They are flexible, providing a suggested range of food servings to consume per day. The USDA food pyramid says a healthy diet includes getting 2 to 3 servings of vegetables, 2 to 4 servings of fruits, 2 to 3 servings of dairy, 2 to 3 servings of protein and up to nine servings of carbohydrates, including whole wheat breads, brown rice and grains. The USDA website has a tool to help parents create customized meal plans for their children.

    Mix it Up

    • Pick foods from every food group in different colors. There are thousands of fruits and vegetables from which to choose. Eventually, you will find something appealing to your child. Let your children help you prepare healthy meals and snacks, picking the vegetables of their choice. Add a different colored fruit or vegetable to each meal and substitute fruit for snacks like candy bars and potato chips. You and your children can pick out healthy recipes to add variety to chicken, fish and beef dishes.

    Eat Smaller Meals

    • Children need to eat six meals a day--breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks--to keep their energy levels up and blood sugar from spiking and dipping. Start the day with a balanced breakfast containing carbohydrates, fat and protein. A good breakfast helps children stay focused in school, be less grouchy and eat less throughout the day. You can prepare hot or cold cereals, eggs, fruit and milk. You can also mix fresh fruit smoothies with milk or yogurt for busy mornings. Pack nuts and fruit for mid-morning and afternoon snacks. Load sandwiches with vegetables, only using a small amount of meat.

    Junk Food and Fats

    • A healthy meal plan consists of reducing the amount of junk food and sodas in your kid's diet. You can save foods like candy, cakes, pastries and potato chips for special occasions and pick healthy snacks like string cheese, fruit and nuts most of the time. If you order hamburgers at restaurants, get them with lots of lettuce and tomatoes without condiments such as mayonnaise. You can also replace whole milk with 1 percent or skim milk. Choose lean ground beef or turkey when you make fun foods like tacos and hamburgers at home. Cook French fries in an oven instead of frying them.

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