What Is Considered a Healthy Diet for My Child?

As a parent, knowing how to provide a nutritional diet for your child can make an impact on many facets of their health like the pace of their growth, the strength of their bones, and their weight. 

At Neighborhood Pediatrics in Shenandoah, Texas, we’re a team of board-certified medical professionals and nutrition experts who can give guidance on how to provide your child with a well-balanced diet. No matter how little you know about what to feed your child, we’re here to help.

The importance of a healthy diet

Your body uses food for fuel. When your child follows a healthy diet, it promotes their:

• Balanced energy levels
• Clarity of mind
• Strong bones
• Healthy teeth
• Weight management

Eating well also builds their immune system, which helps prevent sickness and disease.

Where to start

Your child needs a healthy balance of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein, and fat. As your child moves through different stages of growth, the amounts of each may vary.

Because each child is unique, when you schedule an appointment with our team, we assess every aspect of your child’s health to determine the proper ratio of what they need because diets aren’t always a one-size-fits-all.

What your child needs

Your child can get the nutrition they need when balancing out the recommended foods we suggest, which include:

Protein

When choosing foods high in protein, good options include lean meats, eggs, beans, unsalted nuts and seeds, and soy products.

Vegetables

Fresh vegetables are always an excellent choice. You can also serve vegetables if they’re canned, frozen, or dried. Adding color to their plate with vegetables provides variety and a healthy balance of nutrient-rich foods.

Fruits

It’s better for your child to eat fruit rather than drink fruit juices because of the added sugar they typically contain. Your child can enjoy fresh, canned, dried, or frozen fruit.

Grains

Healthy grains include oatmeal, whole-wheat bread, quinoa, and brown rice. As a rule, it’s best to stay away from white grains like pasta, rice, and white rice.

Dairy

For dairy products, keep your options on the fat-free or low-fat end. Milk, yogurt, and cheese are good choices to help keep their bones strong and healthy.

In addition to what you should provide for your child, it’s also important to limit your child’s intake of sugar, saturated fats, and sodium.

To learn more about the appropriate amounts of each food your child needs, book a consultation with our team. We can give you nutrition guidance to help you plan your child’s daily diet accordingly to give them a high quality of life. Just call today, or click here to book your visit.