No single food provides all the nutrients children need, so children must eat a combination of foods from five different food groups. The serving sizes do not have to be defined for children as serving sizes will get larger as they grow.

The five groups are:

1. Bread Cereals and Potato
   This group includes all types of bread, pasta, rice, couscous, potatoes, sweet potatoes, breakfast cereals and foods made from flour and other cereals such as rye, millet and sorghum.
   Recommendation: Base each meal on these foods and also include them at snack times. These foods should comprise about a third of the total meal.
2. Fruit and Vegetables
   This includes fresh, frozen, tinned and dried. Offer them at each meal so that your children learn they are always part of a meal. Over a day, aim for around five small portions, preferably a selection of different ones. They should make up about a third of the total food eaten. As the fibre in the fruits and vegetables is an important nutrient, juices which have had the fibre removed, can only be counted as one portion per day.
3. Milk and dairy foods
   This group includes milk, cheese and yogurt ie the dairy foods which are rich in protein, calcium and other vitamins and minerals. Butter and cream have no protein and little calcium, and are in the 5th group with fatty foods.
   Recommendation:Children need three servings a day. The serving sizes will increase as the child grows and their appetite increases, thus providing more protein and calcium as they grow. A glass of milk, as one serving, is about 120mls/4oz for a 1-3yr old and 150 – 250mls for older children. Always use full fat milk and yogurt for children under 2 years. If they are eating well you can change to semi-skimmed milk after 2 years and skimmed milk after 5 years.
4. Meat, fish and alternatives
   The foods in this group provide protein, iron and zinc as well as other minerals and some vitamins. Meat, fish, eggs, nuts and pulses are in this group.
   Recommendation: Children eating meat and fish need 1-2 servings per day. Vegetarian children who only eat eggs, nuts and pulses need 2-3 servings per day. This can be achieved by eating puddings and snacks containing eggs and nuts in addition to choosing savoury courses based on pulses, lentils and nuts.
   
   Nuts:
   Children under 5 should not be offered whole nuts as they may cause choking. Nut butters and ground or chopped nuts in recipes are fine. If either of the parents or any brothers or sisters suffer with hayfever, asthma, excema or food allergies then a child should not be given peanuts in any form until they are at least 3 years old. This is thought to reduce the risk of that child developing an allergy to peanuts.
5. Foods high in fat and sugar
   Young active children need some of these foods to provide calories, omega 3 & 6 fats and the Vitamins A, E & D. Only small quantities are advised as they provide a lot of calories and excess amounts can cause obesity. Use a mixture of the different oils, butter and margarine. Sugar, sweets, sweetened drinks, crisps, biscuits, cakes, and ice cream are also in this group. They can be eaten with, but not replace, foods from the other more nutritious groups.

Food Combining for Vegetarian diets
Making a vegetarian diet nutritious is simple if you use food combining. By eating pulses, lentils and nuts with starchy food the protein will be of good quality and provide your child with all the essential amino acids for growth. Include good sources of protein in main meals, snacks and puddings. These protein foods also provide some iron but need a good source of vitamin C to boost absorption. Choose breakfast cereals which are fortified with iron and offer them as snacks often. Dried fruit and seeds are also good sources of iron.

Note – whole nuts should not be given to children under 5 years of age.

Vegan diets do not include any foods of animal origin with eggs and milk products also excluded. Children on vegan diets may not get enough protein, iron zinc, calcium and Vitamin B12. Ask for a dietician to assess their diet and to recommend an appropriate supplement. More restricted diets will be deficient in many nutrients and are unsuitable for children.

More nutritional advice.

Contact Judy to discuss your individual concerns.