As a parent, I often wonder, ‘is my child eating right?’ Is my 8 year-old getting enough calcium? Is my 5 year-old
Boy cannot live on bread alone.
getting enough fruits and vegetables? Is my 3 year-old getting enough protein?
In our house, I’m not exactly worried about the amount of food they eat. They eat a lot. But are they are eating the right kinds of food?
I’ve often wondered how they would handle life if we suddenly faced food depravation. I’m really intrigued by the Live below the Line pledge. I think I could do it, and as a mom of three young children who tend to eat quite a lot, I think it could be a powerful lesson I thought, how would they react if I was only able to give them the minimum daily requirements?
Kids between the ages of 4-6 only need between 1,500-1,750 calories daily.
AGES 4-6 Sample Menu
Serve meals with 3/4 cup of low-fat milk; switch to water if your child is still thirsty. Have water or 100% juice at snacktime. Don’t exceed 6 ounces of juice daily.breakfast
1 small whole-wheat bagel spread with 1 tbs. nut or seed butter
1/2 cup fruit saladlunch
1/2 turkey-and-cheese sandwich on whole-wheat bread
Yellow pepper strips with 2 tbs. low-fat ranch dressing
1/2 cup sliced strawberriesdinner
2 oz. fish (such as cod or tilapia)
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
4 asparagus spears roasted in olive oilsnacks
1/4 cup hummus and 10 baby carrots
1 small box raisinsMenu from Parents.com “How Much Does My Child Need to Eat?”
Does this seem like the right amount of food for a child ages 4-6? Would your child eat these foods?
We use My Food Notebook to track the foods my children eat with the goal of helping them 1. learn to try 2. realize tasting new foods is fun. Even though my to-do as a mom is already pretty long, I’m considering tracking my children’s eating habits for a few days and learning if they are getting most of their calories from healthy nutritious sources. Have you ever tracked your child’s foods to see where they are getting their calories? Or do you just eyeball it?