Dietary Recommendations for Healthy Children

The American Heart Association has dietary recommendations for infants, children and adolescents to promote cardiovascular health:

AHA Scientific Position

Start in infancy:

Breastfeeding is ideal nutrition and sufficient to support optimal growth and development for about the first 4-6 months after birth. Try to maintain breastfeeding for 12 months. The transition to other sources of nutrients should begin at about 4-6 months of age to ensure sufficient micronutrients in the diet.
Delay introducing 100% juice until at least 6 months of age and limit to no more than 4-6 ounces per day. Juice should only be fed from a cup.
Don’t overfeed infants and young children. They can usually self-regulate the number of calories they need each day. Children shouldn’t be forced to finish meals if they aren’t hungry. They often vary caloric intake from meal to meal.
Introduce healthy foods and keep offering them if they’re initially refused. Don’t introduce foods without overall nutritional value simply to provide calories.

The American Heart Association recommends this eating pattern for families:

Energy (calories) should be enough to support growth and development and to reach or maintain desirable body weight.
Eat foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt (sodium) and added sugars.
Keep total fat intake between 30% and 35% of calories for children ages 2-3 and between 25% and 35% of calories for children and adolescents ages 4-18, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils. Limit saturated fat intake to less than 7% of calories a day starting at age 2.
Choose a variety of nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits, vegetables and lean proteins, instead of high-energy-density/nutrient-poor foods, such as salty snacks, ice cream, fried foods, cookies and sweetened beverages.
Eat only enough calories to maintain a healthy weight for your height and build. Kids ages 6-17 should be physically active for at least 60 minutes a day. Preschool-age children, ages 3-5, are encouraged to engage in active play with a goal of three hours per day.
Serve whole-grain/high-fiber breads and cereals rather than refined grain products. Look for “whole grain” as the first ingredient on the food label and make at least half your grain servings whole grain. See the table below for daily recommendations according to age and energy requirements.
Serve a variety of fruits and vegetables daily while limiting juice intake. Each meal should contain at least one fruit or vegetable. See the table below for daily recommendations according to age and energy requirements.
Introduce and regularly serve fish as an entrée. Avoid commercially fried fish.
Serve fat-free and low-fat dairy foods. Children ages 1-8 need 2 cups of milk or its equivalent each day. Children ages 9-18 need 3 cups.
Don’t overfeed. Children within a normal BMI range shouldn’t be forced to finish meals if they aren’t hungry. Consult your health care professional for your child’s specific caloric needs.

This eating pattern supports a child’s normal growth and development. It provides enough total energy and meets or exceeds the recommended daily allowances for all nutrients for children and adolescents, including iron and calcium.

Information for Ages 1 Year and 2-3 Years

Calories/ Food	1 year	2-3 years	Detail

Calories kilocalories per day (kcal/d)	900 kcal/d	1000 kcal/d	Calorie estimates are based on a sedentary lifestyle. Increased physical activity will require additional calories: by 0-200 kcal/d if moderately physically active, and by 200–400 kcal/d if very physically active.
Fat	30% to 40%	30% to 35%
Milk / Dairy	2 cups	2 cups	Milk listed is fat-free (except for children under the age of 2). If 1%, 2% or whole-fat milk is substituted, this will use, for each cup, 19, 39, or 63 kilocalorie of discretionary calories and add 2.6, 5.1, or 9.0 grams of total fat, of which 1.3, 2.6, or 4.6 grams are saturated fat. For 1-year-old children, calculations are based on 2% fat milk. If 2 cups of whole milk are substituted, 48 kilocalories of discretionary calories will be used. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that low-fat or reduced-fat milk not be started before age 2.
Lean Meat and Beans	1.5 ounces	2 ounces
Fruits	1 cup	1 cup	Serving sizes are 1/4 cup for 1 year of age, 1/3 cup for ages 2-3.
Vegetables	3/4 cup	1 cup	Serving sizes are 1/4 cup for 1 year of age, 1/3 cup for ages 2-3. A variety of vegetables should be selected from each subgroup over the week.
Grains	2 ounces	3 ounces	Half of all grains should be whole grains.

Information for 4-18 Years

Calories / Food	4-8 years	9-13 years	14-18 years	Detail
Calories kilocalories per day (kcal/d)				Nutrient and energy contributions from each group are calculated according to the nutrient-dense forms of food in each group (such as lean meats and fat-free milk).
Female	1200 kcal/d	1600 kcal/d	1800 kcal/d
Male	1400 kcal/d	1800 kcal/d	2200 kcal/d
Fat	25% to 35%	25% to 35%	25% to 35%
Milk / Dairy	2 cups	3 cups	3 cups	Milk listed is fat-free (except for children under the age of 2). If 1%, 2% or whole-fat milk is substituted, this will use, for each cup, 19, 39, or 63 kilocalorie of discretionary calories and add 2.6, 5.1, or 9.0 grams of total fat, of which 1.3, 2.6, or 4.6 grams are saturated fat.
Lean Meat / Beans
Female	3 ounces	5 ounces	5 ounces
Male	4 ounces	5 ounces	6 ounces
Fruits				Serving size is 1/2 cup for children 4 and older.
Female	1.5 cups	1.5 cups	1.5 cups
Male	1.5 cups	1.5 cups	2 cups
Vegetables				Serving size is 1/3 cup for children 4 and older. A variety of vegetables should be selected from each subgroup over the week.
Female	1 cup	2 cups	2.5 cups
Male	1.5 cups	2.5 cups	3 cups
Grains				Half of all grains should be whole grains.
Female	4 ounces	5 ounces	6 ounces
Male	5 ounces	6 ounces	7 ounces