What is a healthy breakfast for a child?
It is important to regularly consult a doctor and a nutritionist for professional advice, taking into account the health of the child.
The feeding of children requires special care, especially in the amount of nutrients. Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit organization dedicated to clinical practice, education, and research, explains that a child’s diet is based on the same nutritional principles as adults. “However, children need different amounts of specific nutrients at different ages.”
The Kidshealth portal specialized in pediatric health indicates that, as in the other main meals, breakfast should include a variety of foods such as:
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Cereals (at least half should be whole grain)
- Proteins (meat in general, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds).
- Dairy products (skim or low-fat milk, cheese, and yogurt)
In that same sense, he explains that it is important that children eat breakfast. Some caregivers allow breakfast to be skipped because they get up late or because the children want to “be skinny.” Great care must be taken with this.
“In case you need more evidence to convince you that breakfast is very important, children who skip breakfast do less in school, get less iron (a very important nutrient) in their diets, and are more likely to have their body mass index (BMI) is high, which is a sign that they may be overweight,” says the specialized entity.
It is important to consult a nutritionist for professional advice and to obtain a meal plan for the child, taking into account their individual needs. It is not advisable to follow popular beliefs or ideas seen on social networks.
The Mayo Clinic provides daily guidelines for how much of each type of food a child needs based on age:
Girls from 2 to 4 years
- Calories: 1,000 to 1,400, depending on growth and activity level
- Protein: 2 to 4 ounces (57 to 113 g)
- Fruits: 1 to 1.5 cups
- Vegetables: 1 to 1.5 cups
- Beans: 3 to 5 ounces (85 to 142 g)
- Dairy: 2 to 2.5 cups
Children from 2 to 4 years
- Calories: 1,000 to 1,600, depending on growth and activity level
- Protein: 5 to 9 ounces (142 to 255 g)
- Fruits: 1 to 1.5 cups
- Vegetables: 1 to 2 cups
- Beans: 3 to 5 ounces (85 to 142 g)
- Dairy: 2 to 2.5 cups
Girls from 5 to 8 years old
- Calories: 1,200 to 1,800, depending on growth and activity level
- Protein: 3 to 5 ounces (85 to 142 g)
- Fruits: 1 to 1.5 cups
- Vegetables: 1.5 to 2.5 cups
- Beans: 4 to 6 ounces (113 to 170 g)
- Dairy: 2.5 cups
Children from 5 to 8 years
- Calories: 1,200 to 2,000, depending on growth and activity level
- Protein: 3 to 5.5 ounces (85 to 156 g)
- Fruits: 1 to 2 cups
- Vegetables: 1.5 to 2.5 cups
- Beans: 4 to 6 ounces (113 to 170 g)
- Dairy: 2.5 cups
Girls from 9 to 13 years old
- Calories: 1,400 to 2,200, depending on growth and activity level
- Protein: 4 to 6 ounces (113 to 170 g)
- Fruits: 1.5 to 2 cups
- Vegetables: 1.5 to 3 cups
- Beans: 5 to 7 ounces (142 to 198 g)
- Dairy: 3 cups
Children from 9 to 13 years old
- Calories: 1,600 to 2,600, depending on growth and activity level
- Protein: 5 to 6.5 ounces (142 to 184 g)
- Fruits: 1.5 to 2 cups
- Vegetables: 2 to 3.5 cups
- Beans: 5 to 9 ounces (142 to 255 g)
- Dairy: 3 cups
Girls from 14 to 18 years old
- Calories: 1,800 to 2,400, depending on growth and activity level
- Protein: 5 to 6.5 ounces (142 to 184 g)
- Fruits: 1.5 to 2 cups
- Vegetables: 2.5 to 3 cups
- Beans: 6 to 8 ounces (170 to 227 g)
- Dairy: 3 cups
Children from 14 to 18 years old
- Calories: 2,000 to 3,200, depending on growth and activity level
- Protein: 5.5 to 7 ounces (156 to 198 g)
- Fruits: 2 to 2.5 cups
- Vegetables: 2.5 to 4 cups
- Beans: 6 to 10 ounces (170 to 283 g)
- Dairy: 3 cups
