The Recommended Daily Nutritional Needs for Pre-Schoolers 2 to 4 years of age

By: Justine OHernThe Recommended Daily Nutritional Needs for Pre-Schoolers2 to 5 years of age

1The 5 Basic Food GroupsGrainsVegetablesFruitDairyProtein

2Keep in MindThe daily nutritional recommendation scale is a range

Every child is different

Some are bigger or smaller

Some are more active than others

Some are younger some are older

Some may require more or less nutritents(Chevaux)

3Grains Consume 3 to 5oz daily

Rice Pastas Breads CrackersPancakes Cereals(Chevaux)

4Serve these to help meet your childs daily recommendation of grains

(equals 1oz of grain)

1 cup of cereal

1 slice of bread

5 whole wheat crackers

cup of cooked rice or pasta

of fresh bagel (Chevaux)

5Vegetables1 to 1 cups daily Broccoli Carrots Potatoes Vegetable JuiceBeans Spinach (Chevaux)

6 1 cup of cooked beans 2 medium carrots

1 cup of tomato juice

1 potato baked

1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables

These items can be served with a low-fat veggie dip or melt low-fat cheese on the vegetables

(Chevaux)

Serve these to help meet your childs daily recommendation of vegetables

7Fruits1 to 1 cups dailyApples Bananas Strawberries Grapes Plums Peaches Kiwis (Chevaux)

8Serve these to help meet your childs daily recommendation of fruits.1 apple equals a cup

1 banana equals a cup

8 large strawberries

32 grapes

1 cup of 100% fruit juice

2 kiwis

(Fresh, frozen, dried, and canned fruits are good choices and can be used too)

(Chevaux)

9Dairy2 cups daily MilkYogurt Ice cream Cottage cheese Cheese

(Chevaux)

10Try serving these foods to help meet daily recommendation of dairy1 cup of milk

8oz of yogurt

String cheese

2 cups of cottage cheese

1 cups of ice cream

(Serve milk with breakfast, lunch and dinner) (Chevaux)

11Protein2 to 4 oz daily Chicken Turkey Fish Low-fat cuts of meats Eggs Beans Peas Seeds (Chevaux)

12Serve these to help meet your childs daily recommendation of protein

(Equals 1oz of protein)

1 Tbsp of peanut butter

1 egg

1 slice of sandwich meat

1oz of lean meats

cup of cooked beans

oz of seeds or nuts (Chevaux)

13Read Food LabelsMake sure your child is eating 100% of the daily value for each nutrient everyday

Try to make sure the nutrient value on the label is above 5% before serving the selected food

Read fast food labels many chains offer nutritional information on their packages or visit their website

Keep an eye out on sodium and sugar percentages.

(Kurtzweil)

14Tips to improve your childs eating habitsMAKE IT FUN!

Let children help you prepare food

Eat meals at the kitchen table together regularly

Experiment with different healthy recipes

Talk about how important it is to eat healthy

Dont bring home junk foods

Substitute ground beef with ground turkey

NEVER force a child to eat

ALWAYS offer the food again and again

15Try These Yummy Healthy Recipes

Banana Cookies3 ripe bananas2 cups rolled oats1 cup dates, pitted, & chopped1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla extract(make it healthier by substituting oil for applesauce)

Preheat oven to 350 Mash bananas, stir inoats, dates, oil & vanilla. Mix well, allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheetBake for 20 minutes or until lightly brown(Gailbrath)

Serve with milk!

16Raspberry Walnut Salad

1 (10oz) package mixed salad greens1 (8oz) package sweetened dried cranberries cup sunflower seed4 roma (plum) tomatoes , chopped1 avocado peeled, pitted and diced 8oz bottle raspberry walnut vinaigrette

In a large bowl, toss salad greens together, cranberries, sunflower seeds, and tomatoes. Top with avocado (add chicken strips for extra protein, if desired) add vinaigrette, and serve! (Haley)

17Spinach Quiche with Kid AppealIngredients1 (9 inch) refrigerated pie crust3 tablespoons olive oil1 small onion, thinly sliced and quartered1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well8 eggs1 clove garlic, minced1 teaspoon dried thyme1 teaspoon dried basil2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheesesalt and ground black pepper to tasteDirections1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring the pie crust to room temperature. 2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; add the onion and cook until onion becomes transparent, about 5 minutes. Combine the spinach with the onion, cover the skillet; turn off the heat, and set aside. 3. Unroll the crust and press to fit into a 9 inch pie plate. Trim the edges. 4. Beat the eggs in a large bowl until light colored and frothy. Add the garlic, thyme, basil, cheeses, and spinach mixture, and stir until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the spinach mixture into the prepared pie crust. 5. Bake in preheated oven until the top is golden brown, and an inserted tooth pick comes out clean, about 50 minutes. (Jilly)

18Feeding your pre-schooler the recommended amounts from the food groups will provide your child with a healthy development, that will last a life-time!

19BibliographyChevaux, Katie. Preschool Rock, The Food Guide Pyramid For Preschoolers. Retrieved October 10th, 2011 from: http://nutrition.preschoolrock.com/index.php/understanding_nutrition/the_food_guide_pyramid_for_preschoolers

Gailbrath, K. All Recipes; Healthy Banana Cookies. Retrieved October 11th, 2011 from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/healthy-banana-cookies/detail.aspx

Haley. All Recipes; Wonderful Raspberry Walnut Dinner. Retrieved October 11, 2011 from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/wonderful-raspberry-walnut-dinner-salad/detail.aspx

Kurtzweil, Paula. Baylor College of Medicine, Food Label Makes Good Eating Easier. Retrieved October 10th, 2011 from: https://blackboard.nwtc.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_752128_1%26url%3D

Silly Jilly. All Recipes; Spinach Quiche with Kid Appeal. Retrieved October 11, 2011 from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spinach-quiche-with-kid-appeal/detail.aspx

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