Ask the Expert - Getting the "Right" Foods in Your Child's Diet

Ask The Expert is a weekly column on Littlestomaks.com. The idea is to have a reader-submitted question answered by a nutrition expert or a pediatrician. Feel free to submit your question in the comments section below.

This week, Registered Dietitian Elizabeth Rahavi offers some tips on how to ensure a balanced nutrition for your child through a mix of right foods such as meats, vegetables, fruits and nuts.

Elizabeth B. Rahavi, RD

Elizabeth is a member of the American Dietetic Association. She received her Bachelors degree in Dietetics & Institutional Administration from Texas Woman’s University. She is also a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer.
Elizabeth serves as the Associate Director, Wellness at the International Food Information Council
Elizabeth specializes in providing science-based communications about nutrition, health, and wellness. She has extensive knowledge in consumer understanding of nutrition and food safety.
Website: IFIC
Contact: via email Rahavi@ific.org

Question: Is eating too much meat harmful to our young children, not our baby for obvious reasons, but our 4 and 7 year olds? We do eat a lot of meat in our home, as well as lots of veggies and fruits, but I often wonder if there is such a thing with young kids as too much. What is the happy medium there?

Answer:

That’s a really good question and one that many parents of 4-7-year-old children may ask, especially when kids sometimes seem to want either all protein or no protein on their plates.

It sounds as though your family has a well balanced diet, but when thinking about whether our children are getting enough of the right kinds of food; it’s always a good idea to check with the experts just to be sure we’re on the right track.

First of all, it’s important that youngsters include animal protein (meat, chicken, fish, etc.), plant protein (grains, beans, soy, and nuts), carbohydrates (cereals, vegetables, and fruit) and some healthful unsaturated fat in their diet. Most youngsters need about 1200 to 1600 calories per day depending on their age, size, gender, and the amount of physical activity they get in a day. With regard to how much protein a child should be eating, the Institute of Medicine advises that for boys and girl’s ages 4 to 18, 10 to 30 percent of their daily calories should come from protein.

The key to healthy eating is really about balance. Many children aren’t getting enough of certain nutrients like calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E and fiber. Often times when a diet is too heavy in one food group, such as meat, it can be lacking in others. MyPyramid for adults and kids alike describe a healthy diet that provides a balanced approach for getting all of the important nutrients that children need.

To find more information specific to your child’s diet, you may want to go to these Web sites with information just for kids:

Teach kids about how to fuel their body with and have fun with physical activity through MyPyramid for kids:

The Kidnetic.com Web site also helps parents start conversations about healthy eating with their kids:

Make meal planning fun for kids with this kid-friendly chart for tracking their meat, vegetable, dairy and other food groups.

Disclaimer – Information provided in Ask The Expert column on Littlestomaks.com is intended to give you general guidance on a question related to toddler nutrition. It is not meant to be treated as medical advice. You are welcome to contact this expert for a detailed consultation on your specific situation to determine what actions, if any, you should take regarding nutrition and health of your toddlers. We do not recommend you to take any action based solely on the information presented in this column. Experts have agreed to provide their professional opinion on toddler nutrition related questions on a voluntary basis and no compensation is offered to them by Littlestomaks.com.