Nutritional Needs
By: Daisey
Daily Requirements: Elementary School Students
Vegetables: 2 cups
Fruits: 1-1/2 cups
Grains: 5 to 6 ounces
Meats & Beans: 5 ounces
Dairy: 3 cups
Oils: 4 teaspoons
Fats & Sweets: Limit as much as possible
Daily Foods
Vegetables: Opt for bright and dark veggies. Spinach, sweet potatoes, and carrots are great choices. Starchy, whiter foods, such as baking potatoes and corn have lesser nutrients.
Fruits: Choose vitamin-rich fresh fruits, such as strawberries, peaches, mangoes and apples. Fruit juices should be consumed as little as possible. When offering juice, make sure it is 100 percent real fruit juice with no sugar added.
Grains: Use whole or multigrain flours, whole-grain breads, oatmeal, whole-grain low-sugar cereals, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta. Ban white bread and white rice from your house as much as possible.
Meats and Beans: Serve lean proteins every day, such as beef, pork, chicken, fish, beans, tofu, or eggs. When preparing any protein-rich food, opt to serve it steamed, baked or grilled, not fried.
Dairy: Serve lean sources of dairy, such as low-fat milk (check with your doctor to determine whether your child should have whole or reduced-fat milk), low-fat yogurt, ricotta, or cheese.
Oils: Use healthy oils, such as olive—preferably extra-virgin—safflower and vegetable oils. They provide vitamin E for healthy skin.
Fats and sweets: Limit intake of butter, cream, sugary cereals, soda, candy, and the like as much as possible.