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| Preparing Meals For Children (1 - 12 years old) |
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Children need enough energy and nutrients to feed their active play and growth. Healthy eating also helps to establish a foundation of good nutrition and it ensures that they get adequate amounts of all the nutrients they need for optimal health. | |
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| How Much Is Enough? |
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Children often have their own food preferences, and the amount of food they usually eat may leave you wondering whether they are getting enough. So the following is a guide to ensuring that your "baby" gets all the nutrients he or she needs. |
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Food group |
Age group (years) |
Nutrients provided |
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1 - 2 |
2 - 6 |
7 - 12 |
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Rice & alternatives |
4-6 servings * |
3-4 servings |
5-7 servings |
Energy, B vitamins, minerals and fiber (if wholegrain varieties are chosen) |
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Rice, noodles or pasta |
¼ medium bowl |
½ medium bowl |
½ medium bowl |
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Chapati or idli |
1 small |
2 small |
2 small |
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Bread |
1 slice |
2 slices |
2 slices |
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Plain biscuits/
Cream crackers |
2 pieces |
4 pieces |
4 pieces |
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Breakfast cereals (dry) |
½ medium bowl |
1 medium bowl |
1 medium bowl |
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Vegetables |
2 servings |
2 servings |
2 servings |
Vitamins A&C, folic acid, minerals, fiber, phytochemicals |
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Cooked vegetables |
1 - 2 tablespoons
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2 - 3 tablespoons
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4 - 5 tablespoons
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Fruit |
2 servings |
2 servings |
2 servings |
Vitamins A&C, folic acid, minerals, fiber, phytochemicals |
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Small size fruits (e.g. grapes, longan - cut into halves to reduce risk of choking) |
1 - 2 lychees/dukus
2 - 3 grapes/longans |
3 lychees/dukus
5 grapes/longans |
6 lychees/dukus
10 grapes/longans |
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Medium size fruits (apple, pear, orange, banana) |
¼ - ½ small apple/pear/ orange
½ - 1 small banana |
½ small apple/pear/ orange
1 small banana |
1 small apple/ pear/orange
1 medium OR 2 small bananas
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Large size fruits (papaya, watermelon, honeydew) |
¼ - ½ slice |
½ slice |
1 slice |
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100 % Fruit juice (limit to 1 serve a day) |
¼ cup (60ml) |
½ cup (125ml) |
1 cup (250ml) |
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Meat & alternatives |
2 servings |
2 servings |
3 servings |
Protein, iron, minerals, vitamin B12 |
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Meat, fish or chicken |
¼ palm-sized piece
(1 tablespoon) |
½ palm-sized piece
(45g OR 2 tablespoons) |
1 palm-sized piece
(90g) |
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Egg |
1 whole |
1 whole = one-third serving |
1 whole = one-third serving |
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Tauhu |
½ small block |
1 small block |
2 small blocks |
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Pulses,cooked
(peas, beans, lentils) |
2 tablespoons
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4 - 5 tablespoons
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¾ cup OR 9 tablespoons |
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Milk & dairy products |
4 servings |
2 servings |
2 serving |
Calcium, protein, vitamins A&D |
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Milk or yoghurt |
1 cup
(250ml) |
1 cup
(250ml) |
1 cup
(250ml) |
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Cheese |
2 slices |
2 slices |
2 slices |
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Hi-calcium soy bean milk |
1 cup
(250ml) |
1 cup
(250ml) |
1 cup
(250ml) |
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- *The number of servings is based on the age-appropriate serving size for the child
- Use fats & oils, sugar and salt sparingly in the child's diet
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| Grazers Versus Feeders |
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Because toddlers (1 - 2 years old) have small stomachs and yet need more calories per body weight, they tend to be "grazers". Therefore, serving smaller portions more frequently will be more ideal than 3 large meals. Hence, the number of servings for this age group appears to be more than the older age groups (i.e. 2-6 & 7-12 year olds) as the serving size is smaller. | |
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| Mix And Match Foods |
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It is also advisable to mix and match foods from the different food groups at each meal as the absorption of nutrients is inter-dependent. For example, vitamin C aids the absorption of iron. So you should serve your toddler fruit after lunch and dinner. Besides, mixing and matching food can make your child's meal more interesting as this gives variety in taste, texture and colour.
Sample menu: |
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1 - 2 years |
2 - 6 years |
7 -12 years |
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Breakfast
1 slice bread & cheese
1 cup milk |
Breakfast
1 – 2 small idli with 2 tablespoons dhal
1 cup milk |
Breakfast
1 medium bowl cornflakes
1 cup milk |
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Morning snack
½ cup milk |
Morning snack
1 chocolate wafer |
Morning snack
1 chicken pau |
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Lunch
¼ - ½ medium bowl macaroni
1 egg
1 tablespoon of spinach
½ tablespoon shredded carrot
¼ cup apple juice |
Lunch
½ medium bowl rice
2 tablespoons (½ palm-sized piece) fish
2 tablespoons lady's fingers
½ small apple |
Lunch
1 medium bowl noodles
4 fishballs
4 tablespoons chye sim
1 slice watermelon |
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Afternoon snack
2 pieces biscuits
½ cup milk OR ½ small carton yoghurt |
Afternoon snack
2 - 4 plain crackers
½ cup soya bean milk |
Afternoon snack
4 plain biscuits
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Dinner
¼ - ½ medium bowl rice
1 tablespoon fish
1 - 2 tablespoons mixed vegetables
½ small banana |
Dinner
2 small chapati
2 - 3 tablespoons chicken
2 tablespoons spinach
½ slice papaya |
Dinner
1 medium bowl rice
1 chicken drumstick
4 tablespoons stir-fried vegetables
1 small apple |
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Bedtime
1 cup milk |
Bedtime
½ cup milk |
Bedtime
1 cup soya bean milk | | |
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| Decisions, Decisions, Decisions |
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Get children to participate in food selection as children will enjoy the experience of decision making. Older children can also help in food preparation and setting the table. Children are more likely to eat the food they had helped to select and you can even use this moment to explain why the food is good for them. In this way, you can help ensure that they have a healthy balanced diet from young, as this is the time of rapid physical growth and mental development. | |
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