Nutrition for children from 2 to 13 years old: Healthy children – Mother rest assured

Children from 2 years old will enter the stage of learning and discovering the world around on their own . Therefore, for children to be able to develop comprehensively, nutrition is the top priority. This article will share with mothers about which nutrients are necessary, how much is sufficient for children from 2 to 13 years old. Please refer!

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1. Nutrition for children from 2 to 13 years old, what ingredients are needed?

In fact, nutrition for children is based on the same principles as nutrition for adults. This means that children and adults both need the same nutrients, including: vitamins, minerals, starches, proteins, and fats. However, the only difference is that each specific nutrient will require different amounts for different ages of children.

Nutrition for children from 2 to 13 years old: Healthy children – Mother rest assured

Children and adults both need the same nutrients, including: vitamins, minerals, starches, proteins, and fats

So what is the best formula to promote your child's growth and development? Please refer to the following foods:

  • Protein: Choose seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, beans, and peas. Soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds are also good choices.
  • Fruit: Instead of just drinking juice, encourage your child to eat a variety of fresh fruits. If your child prefers juice, make sure it's 100% juice with no added sugar. If your child likes to eat dried fruit, only give him ¼ cup, because a quarter cup of dried fruit counts as a cup of fresh, undried fruit. If you eat too much dried fruit, your child will unknowingly eat more calories and limit other portions.  
  • Vegetables: Encourage your child to eat fresh vegetables. Also, for more variety, let your child eat a variety of vegetables of different colors and types, including: Dark greens, reds and oranges, peas and other legumes. 
  • Nuts: Nuts like chestnuts, peanuts, walnuts, almonds, flax seeds contain a lot of good nutrients for children.
  • Dairy products: Encourage your child to eat and drink fat-free or low-fat dairy products. Examples include milk, low-sugar yogurt, cheese, or fortified soy drinks.

2. What is enough nutrition for children from 2 to 13 years old?

2.1 Nutrition for girls and boys from 2 to 3 years old:

Calories 1,000 – 1,4000, depending on each child's growth and activity level
Protein 60 – 110 grams
Fruits 1 - 1.5 cups
Vegetable 1 - 1.5 cups
Seed 80 – 140 grams
Dairy products 2 cups

2.2 Ages 4 to 8 years old: A daily nutritional guide for girls

Calories 1,200 – 1,8000, depending on each child's growth and activity level
Protein 80 – 140 grams
Fruits 1 - 1.5 cups
Vegetable 1.5 – 2.5 cups
Seed 110 – 170 grams
Dairy products 2.5 cups

2.3 Ages 4 to 8 years old: A daily nutritional guide for boys

Calories 1,200-2,000, depending on growth and activity level per child
Protein 80 - 155 grams
Fruits 1-2 cups
Vegetable 1.5 – 2.5 cups
Seed 110 – 170 grams
Dairy products 2.5 cups

2.4 Ages 9 to 13: A daily nutritional guide for girls

Calories  1,400-2,200, depending on the child's growth and activity
Protein 110 – 170 grams
Fruits 1.5 – 2 cups
Vegetable 1.5 – 3 cups
Seed 40 – 195 grams
Dairy products 3 cups

2.5 Ages from 9 to 13 years old: A daily nutritional guide for boys

Calories  1,600-2,600, depending on the child's growth and activity
Protein 140 – 180 grams
Fruits 1.5-2 cups
Vegetable 2 – 3.5 cups
Seed 140 – 250 grams
Dairy products 3 cups

3. Tips on good food substitutions for children

You don't have to completely change the suggestions below. You can choose certain foods or products that you can change. The more changes, the better the child's nutrition will be and the stronger the village will be.

Instead of… Please try…
Whole milk Low fat milk
Soft drink Water or flavored water
White bread Whole wheat or whole grain bread
Cream Homemade smoothies
Animal butter Olive oil
Fries, fried food Nuts for snacks for kids

4. Some foods should be limited and enhanced for children

4.1 Road restrictions

Sugar is available naturally in many different foods. Even in fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy products. When children eat too much sugar, children will be at risk of mood disorders, obesity and diabetes later in life.

Here are some tips for reducing the amount of sugar in your child's diet.

  • Don't ban sweets: If you tell your child not to eat any sweets like cakes, donuts, etc., this will make them crave sweets even more. Instead, feed your baby on special occasions or as a reward. This will help children satisfy their cravings and limit their sugar intake instead of eating sweets every day.
  • Modify recipes : Try halving the amount of sugar in your child's diet. Sometimes the taste will be better than when adding more sugar.
  • Avoid sugary drinks: Children should eat no more than 12 grams of sugar per day (equivalent to 2.5 teaspoons of sugar). However, a regular can of soda has 40 grams of sugar (about 10 teaspoons). Therefore, limiting soft drinks is an effective way to reduce sugar.  
  • Eat more fruit: Fruit is high in natural sugars and is good for health. Eating more fruit will help satisfy your child's sweet tooth. Nutrition for children from 2 to 13 years old: Healthy children – Mother rest assured

    Eating fruit helps children relieve their sweet cravings

You can also make desserts with a lot of fruit, or a fruit smoothie instead of a glass of sweetened milk.  

4.2 Understanding healthy fats for children

Healthy fats are an important part of a child's diet. More importantly, fat also helps in brain development in children, good for memory and uplifting. However, mothers need to know which type of fat is good for children.  

Healthy fats are unsaturated fats. This type of fat is found in foods such as: olive oil, avocado, nuts (almonds, flaxseeds, walnuts, sesame, …), pumpkin or fish such as salmon, sardines.

Unhealthy fats are saturated fats. This type of fat can be found in: shortening, margarine, fried foods, baked goods, packaged foods like cookies or snack foods.

4.3 Make fruits and vegetables more attractive

The first step to making fruits and vegetables appealing is to limit your storage of unhealthy sweet and savory treats. Your child may crave snacks, like chips or candy in the fridge. But once those things are not stored at home, children will be more likely to eat the fruits and green foods in the refrigerator.

Then try some of these ideas:

  • Place fresh fruit in visible places: Keep whole fruit where your child can see it. Just a plate of apples and bananas on the kitchen table is an idea to get your child's attention. In addition, fruit can also be a snack for children to bring to school.
  • Let your kids make their own choices:  When you go shopping, let your kids choose the fruits and green foods they want. Nutrition for children from 2 to 13 years old: Healthy children – Mother rest assured

    When shopping, let your child choose the fruits and green foods they want

  • Use your imagination. For your little ones to eat more fruits and vegetables, make them more attractive and adorable. Decorate the fruit according to your imagination. For example, you can use broccoli for plants, cauliflower for clouds, and a slice of melon for the sun. Be creative and make it appealing to children. Nutrition for children from 2 to 13 years old: Healthy children – Mother rest assured

    Let's make the plate of vegetables and fruits more attractive and colorful. This will keep the child entertained. 

  • Hide vegetables in other foods:  Your child will never know he is eating vegetables if you hide them in other foods. You can chop or mash vegetables or roots like carrots, potatoes, etc. into stews, spaghetti sauce, meatloaf or casseroles. You can also bake vegetables like corn, sweet potatoes, etc. in pies or bread.

5. What are some things mothers should consider when feeding children from 2 to 13 years old?

The best way to encourage your child to eat nutritious foods is to encourage healthy habits.

  • Be a role model:  Children eat the way you eat. Follow the advice that you only teach your child, the child will get in the habit of imitating and following.
  • Feeding babies early: In fact, babies can start eating solid foods from 4 months of age. When feeding babies early and eating a variety of foods. Children will not be picky eaters when they grow up. In addition, chewing also helps the development of children's teeth better.
  • Limit ready-to-eat canned foods.
  • Know what your baby should eat: When we focus on foods to avoid, sometimes it will make mom feel pressured. Instead, focus on the foods your child should eat. This makes eating healthier a part of your daily routine.
  • Do not force the child to eat : Mother will still feed the child with adequate nutrients. However, do not force your child to eat all the rice or drink all the milk. Children need to learn to listen to their bodies. When children feel full, they will stop eating on their own. You can divide more meals during the day. This also makes the baby's stomach more comfortable.  
  • Set snack boundaries: Teach children to ask before snacking. Have your child sit at the table for snacks, not in front of the TV. Place snacks like cookies or popcorn on a plate or in a bowl. Do not let your child eat directly from the bag. This will make it easier for the mother to control the amount of food the baby eats.

Nutrition for children from 2 to 13 years old will sometimes give mothers a headache because this is the age when nutrition needs to be put first for the optimal development of children. However, you can make it simpler by focusing on remembering what foods your baby should eat and how much is enough. A little creativity from the mother and praise with children when they learn to eat will encourage children to have healthy nutritional habits.

Doctor Nguyen Trung Nghia 


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