Getting children to eat nutritious and healthy foods is not only a tricky process for most parents, but mealtimes can also quickly escalate to warzones if you don’t know how to go about it. The fact that young children tend to be picky eaters, which could sometimes lead to low weight and nutritional deficiencies, only worsens the struggle. But relax. You are not alone. If you are parent who is constantly looking up healthy food charts for kids online and worrying about your baby’s food habits, AskNestlé is here to help.
Our nutrition experts have created a meal plan or a food chart for kids that will make it easier for you to prepare dishes that are not just tasty, but also contain the right nutrients.
Here is a food chart for kids aged 2-4 years as well as diet chart for children aged 5-12 years that you can follow to whip up meals that your child will actually eat.
Healthy and Balanced Diet Chart for Kids aged 2-4
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Day 1 |
Day 2 |
Day 3 |
Day 4 |
Day 5 |
Day 6 |
Day 7 |
|
Early-
Morning
(7- 8 AM)
|
1 cup milk with dried fruits and 1 tsp. jaggery/ honey
|
1 cup banana milk shake with 1 tsp. jaggery/ honey
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1 cup milk with dried fruits and 1 tsp. jaggery/ honey
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1 cup milk with almonds and 1 tsp. Jaggery/ honey
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1 cup milk with 1 tsp. jaggery/ honey
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1 cup chikoo milkshake with 1 tsp. jaggery/ honey
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1 cup milk with dried fruits and 1 tsp. jaggery
|
|
Breakfast
(8:30-
9:30 AM)
|
Dosa: 1, groundnut chutney: ½ cup
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NESTLÉ CEREGROW™- 1 bowl
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Bread omelette: 1
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NESTLÉ CEREGROW™- 1 bowl
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Vegetable vermicelli upma: ½ cup
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NESTLÉ CEREGROW™- 1 bowl
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Onion Uthappam: 1, coconut chutney: ½ cup
|
|
Mid-
Morning
(11
-11:30 AM)
|
Beetroot Carrot soup: 1 cup
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Fruit salad: 1 bowl
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Chicken soup: ½ cup
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Orange: 1
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Papaya: 1 cup
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Lentil soup: 1 cup
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Grapes: 1 cup
|
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Lunch
(1-2 PM)
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Rice with green peas: ½ cup, chicken curry: ½ cup
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Chapatti: 1, scrambled egg with veggies: ½ cup
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Rice: ½ cup, tomato dal: 1 cup, chicken fry: 1 piece
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Egg paratha: 1
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Chapatti: 1, chicken with capsicum gravy: ½ cup
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Paratha: 1, egg curry: ½ cup
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Egg fried rice: ½ cup
|
|
Evening Snack (4:30-5:30 PM)
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Banana: 1
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Chicken cutlet: 1
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Banana & mango smoothie: ½ cup
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Paneer cutlet: 1
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Vegetable sandwich: 1
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Banana: 1
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Carrot kheer: ½ cup
|
|
Dinner (7:30-8:15)
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Methi Paratha: 1, curd: ½ cup
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Vegetable fried rice: 1/2 cup
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Chapatti: 1, palak paneer: ½ cup
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Chicken fried rice: ½ cup
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Jeera and peas pulav: ½ cup Raita & dal: ½ cup each
|
Mixed vegetable rice: ½ cup, dal: 1/2 cup
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Potato paratha: 1, curd: ½ cup
|
|
Post-dinner (9 Pm)
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1 cup milk with 1 tsp. jaggery/ honey
|
1 cup milk with 1 tsp. jaggery / honey
|
1 cup milk with 1 tsp. jaggery/ honey
|
1 cup milk with 1 tsp. jaggery/honey
|
1 cup milk with 1 tsp. jaggery/ honey
|
1 cup milk with 1 tsp. jaggery/ honey
|
1 cup milk with 1 tsp. jaggery/ honey
|
Food chart for kids aged 5-12
| |
Day 1 |
Day 2 |
Day 3 |
Day 4 |
Day 5 |
Day 6 |
Day 7 |
|
Early-
Morning
(7- 8 AM)
|
1 cup milk with dates and 1 tsp. jaggery/honey
|
1 cup apple-banana smoothie with 1 tsp jaggery/honey
|
1 cup milk with dates and 1 tsp. jaggery
|
1 cup strawberry - walnut milk shake with 1 tsp. jaggery/honey
|
1 cup papaya milkshake with 1 tsp. jaggery/honey
|
1 cup apple milkshake with 1 tsp jaggery/honey
|
1 cup milk with 1 tsp. jaggery/honey
|
|
Breakfast
(8:30-
9:30 AM)
|
Egg vegetable sandwich: 1
|
NESTLÉ CEREGROW™- 1 bowl
|
Masala dosa stuffed with potato filling: 1
|
NESTLÉ CEREGROW™- 1 bowl
|
Multi grain dosa: 1 mint chutney: 2 tbsp
|
NESTLÉ CEREGROW™- 1 bowl
|
Vegetable poha: 1 cup
|
|
Mid-
Morning
(11
-11:30 AM)
|
Fruit salad: 1 cup
|
Orange: 1
|
Mango lassi: 1 cup
|
Banana: 1
|
Grapes : 1 cup
|
Sweet corn vegetable soup: 1 cup
|
Pomegranate: 1 cup
|
|
Lunch
(1-2 PM)
|
Vegetable rice: 1 cup, dal: ½ cup, corn salad: 1/2 cup
|
Mixed Vegetable pulav: 1 cup, dal makhani: 1 cup
|
Lemon rice: 1 cup, dal palak: 1 cup
|
Rice: 1 cup, Dal with beans - 1 cup, fish fry: 1
|
Vegetable Khichdi: 1 cup, curd: 1 cup
|
Tomato rice: 1 cup, Cucumber raitha: 1 cup
|
Vegetable fried rice: 1 cup
|
|
Evening Snack (4:30-5:30 PM)
|
Grape fruits: 1 cup
|
Ragi cookies: 2
|
Chicken roll: 1
|
Dry fruits Suji porridge: 1 cup
|
Chicken and vegetable patties: 1
|
Fruit salad : 1 cup
|
Beetroot halwa: ½ cup
|
|
Dinner (7:30-8:15)
|
Chapattis - 1, Mutton curry:1 cup, Cucumber salad - 1 cup
|
Rice: 1 cup, Masoor dal: 1 cup, Cucumber: 3-4 slices
|
Potato paratha: 1, curd: ½ cup
|
Chicken fried rice with vegetables: 1 cup, cucumber salad: 1/2 cup
|
Palak and corn Paratha: 1, curd: ½ cup
|
Chicken noodles: 1 cup
|
Chapatti : 1, egg curry: 1 cup
|
|
Post-dinner (9 Pm)
|
1 cup milk with 1 tsp. jaggery/honey
|
1 cup milk with 1 tsp. jaggery/honey
|
1 cup milk with 1 tsp. jaggery/honey
|
1 cup milk with 1 tsp. jaggery/honey
|
1 cup milk with 1 tsp. jaggery/honey
|
1 cup milk with 1 tsp. jaggery/honey
|
1 cup milk with 1 tsp. jaggery/honey
|
Food groups that ensure a balanced diet for kids
Fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and protein are the four major food groups. The food chart for kids showcased above features foods from each of these groups. Let’s look at the nutrition quotient of each.
Fruit and Vegetables
Rich in vitamins, fibre, antioxidants and water, fruits and vegetables boost your child's energy levels. They are also known to protect kids from harmful diseases in the future.
Grains
Wholegrains and grains like rice, oats, pasta, noodles, and bread are some of the foods that fall under this category and must always be included in a balanced diet chart for kids.
Dairy
Dairy is well known for its excellent nutrient profile, which helps in growth & development of kids. Milk, cheese, paneer, curd and ghee belong to this category. All dairy products are rich in calcium and protein.
Protein
Protein is one of the most important nutrients to include in your child nutrition chart. It helps in the development of healthy bones and muscles in young children. Chicken, fish, mutton, eggs, nuts, lentils, etc. are rich sources of protein.
So, whether you are a parent looking for a baby food chart or a 4 to 5 year child food chart online, the above plans will help.
Importance of Following Meal Plan for Kids
- It ensures that they get to eat a variety of foods.
- It saves you time in planning what to feed your child.
- It reduces food waste.
- It avoids feeding your kids unhealthy food.
- It helps children develop a habit of eating at regular intervals.
Meal Plans for Kids: Tips to Remember
You can either make your own meal plan with the points mentioned below or follow the balanced diet chart for kids mentioned above.
- Include a variety of foods that are rich in nutrients.
- Make sure to include all the food groups.
- Take your child's hunger level into consideration.
- Set a schedule and ensure your child follows it.
- Consider your child's preferences.
Finally, remember that it is completely normal for kids to refuse to eat sometimes or reject certain items while they are growing up. It could be because they do not like eating the same food, or they are simply not as hungry. The idea is to create and follow a meal plan that features different kinds of foods and nutrients that promote healthy growth in your child. In case your child has any special requirements, do consult a paediatrician or nutritionist.
With this you can get daily-customized meal plans for your child. These healthy diet plans can easily take care of child's nutrition as per their age and food preferences.
