Menu plans for kids

please give me a healthy menu for a full day for my 5 and 9 yr old kids
(October 5, 2010)

The diet is one of the most important factors in the health of an individual. The food that is consumed determines what types of vitamins and minerals will be available to the individual’s body. Nutrition is an extremely important subject and is also extremely complicated. This being the case, it becomes very difficult to understand what actual nutrition is being received by the body. Every item of food consumed by an individual itself contains many different nutrients.


It is for this reason that packaged foods are sold with nutritional information printed on the packaging. Nutrition is very important at a young age. The bodies of children are continuously developing and increasing in size. Proper nutrition at this age is vital to ensure that the body has enough fuel that can be used to build tissues. Poor nutrition at this age can lead to many development-related problems, some of which will only be noticed later on in life. It is therefore very important to provide a child with good nutrition and so it is best to follow a kids’ menu plan. A complication when it comes to a menu for kids is the taste of the food. Many kids enjoy sweets and other goodies that are not necessarily healthy to consume. It is also common to find kids who enjoy eating large quantities of food. Both these conditions can lead to obesity which is a problem that causes many different health hazards during the life of the individual. 

Food for children should therefore be planned in a systematic manner to ensure that the child is receiving adequate nutrition. It should be noted that a few excesses are permitted at this age because the body can handle such things. However, there should be moderation when one is considering fast foods, snacks and foods that give instant sugar rushes to the child. A kids menu will change as the child grows as there are different nutritional requirements for boys and girls and these requirements also vary according to the age of the child. Keeping these factors in mind, a child care specialist will be able to help determine the right amount of nutrition for the child.

There are some changes that can be made in the menu plan for kids without consulting a doctor. Healthy options for normally consumed foods can be used in a kids menu. This means that whole grain breads can replace normal bread as whole grain breads are more nutritious and healthier. Breakfast is an important meal for both children and adults, and, keeping this factor in mind, it is important that the child has a wholesome and nutritious breakfast. This ensures that the day begins with sufficient energy and this sets the tone for the rest of the day. Many children leave behind their lunch time food especially when they are playing at school. This makes breakfast even more vital as it helps to sustain the child through the day. Children are naturally more prone to exercise as they play. However, some children are lazy and may spend more time with computer games and other such sedentary activities. Such children should be encouraged to exercise as that will help with their health.

Planning a day’s diet depends on various factors like sex, weight of a child, his/her physical activities, present daily intake and likes/dislikes.

Given below are the healthy tips that would improve your child’s nutrition.

• Give them small frequent and healthy meals instead of 2 large meals.
• Emphasize on whole cereals, whole wheat and its products, pulses and sprouts.
• Encourage milk and milk products, lean meat, de skinned chicken, fish and eggs in moderation.
• Include lots of fruits and vegetables in different forms. Try to incorporate at least one green leafy vegetable daily in any meal.
• Avoid too much of junk foods, fried/oily foods, sweets, chocolates, pastries, cold drinks. As children it is obvious that all these listed foods to be avoided will be their favorite foods, but it is important to learn the key to moderation and as parents you would teach them.