Knowing Your Children’s Daily Nutritional Requirements

Knowing your children’s daily nutritional requirements is just as important as remembering their birthdays. Fast foods and quick meals have become essential in today’s busy lifestyles. Sadly, these kinds of foods do not provide our kids with the vitamins and minerals their bodies need.

Of course, having these on their lunchboxes and tables are convenient but more often than not, they do not provide them with their daily nutritional requirements. Either they make them obese or malnourished.

children’s daily nutritional requirementsDaily nutritional requirements are something that we read on newspapers, food labels and even cookbooks. What is the fuss all about? Are these as important as what they claim to be?

The so-called daily nutritional requirements are a standard of all the nutrients which a person is supposed to have each day in his diet.

The requirement for each person varies depending on the age and the gender. Generally, it sets forth the total amount of nutrients and calories a healthy person should have.

Daily nutritional requirements of toddlers

Is your toddler a little bit picky? Don’t worry because you belong to a majority of mothers whose babies are not voracious eaters. What is important is whether he is able to meet his daily nutritional requirements.

Ideally, a baby about 3 feet tall should consume at least 1,300 calories each day. These daily nutritional requirements are best fulfilled if you give her a balanced meal.

A serving of about 2 to 3 cups of calcium such as milk, yogurt or cheese together with 4 tablespoons each of grains, fruits and vegetables will surely help. To keep the meal complete, top it off with two servings of proteins from legumes, meat, peanut butter or tofu.

Daily nutritional requirements for school-age children

Generally, school age children’s diet must be mainly composed of carbohydrates and lean proteins to meet their daily nutritional requirements. Thus, an average of 2000 calories is what every child should have in his meal.

This is a very crucial stage because it is at this age where many food habits are developed. Thus, sticking to the original food pyramid will guide you as to the kinds of foods you will give them in order to meet their daily nutritional requirements.

Fruits, vegetables, milk, cheeses, grains, lean meats, eggs, juices and nuts are among your healthy options.

Daily nutritional requirements of teens

Our teens have already minds of their own. They choose their own colors, pick their own outfits, watch their own movies but definitely not their foods! Otherwise, they will forever feed on burgers, fries and chips.

Every parent should prepare meals that are aimed at maintaining growth at the same time sustaining health. Foods that are rich in proteins and carbohydrates must be served in proportionate servings.

Meeting their daily nutritional requirements should also mean introducing them to different food choices such as tofu, legumes, nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables.

A healthy nation begins from a healthy family. Giving our children the right kind of foods that will meet their daily nutritional requirements can bring about a better nation.