Healthy eating in childhood reduces your child’s chance of developing health problems as they get older.
A healthy, balanced diet includes foods from all 5 food groups: fruit, vegetables, grains, proteins and dairy.
Foods high in sugar, saturated fat and salt aren’t necessary for a healthy diet and should be limited.
Cooking and eating healthy foods together as a family can help your child develop healthy eating habits for life.
If your child has specific dietary needs or restrictions, your doctor or dietician can help you make sure their diet is healthy and balanced.
What is healthy eating?
Healthy eating is essential for your child's good health, growth and development. Healthy eating in childhood means they will have less chance of developing chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers. It will also mean they feel better and enjoy life more.
To stay healthy and maintain a healthy weight, children need to be physically active and eat the right amount of nutrients to balance the energy they use.
grain (cereal) foods, including breads, rice, pasta and noodles, mostly wholegrain or high cereal fibre types
lean meat, fish, poultry and/or alternatives
milks, yoghurts, cheeses or alternatives — children under 2 should have full-fat milk, but older children and adolescents should choose mostly reduced-fat varieties
Children should limit their intake of foods that contain saturated fat, added salt or added sugar. They should also be encouraged to choose water to drink.
2 to 3 years: 1 serve of fruit; 2½ serves of vegetables; 4 serves of grains; 1 serve of meat/poultry; 1½ serves of dairy
4 to 8 years: 1½ serves of fruit; 4½ serves of vegetables; 4 serves of grains; 1 ½ serves of meat/poultry; 1½ to 2 serves of dairy
9 to 11 years: 2 serves of fruit; 5 serves of vegetables; 4 to 5 serves of grains; 2½ serves of meat/poultry; 2½ to 3 serves of dairy
12 to 13 years: 2 serves of fruit; 5 to 5 ½ serves of vegetables; 5 to 6 serves of grains; 2 ½ serves meat/poultry; 3 ½ serves dairy
How can I encourage healthy eating habits?
Teaching your child how to eat healthily now means they will be more likely to make their own healthy choices as they get older. Here are some tips to encourage healthy eating habits:
Sit together as a family at mealtimes, without any screens.
Make healthy foods fun, for example by cutting fruit or sandwiches into interesting shapes.
Serve a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Learn together about how different foods are grown.
Let your children help with food shopping and preparation.
Try new foods and recipes.
Limit the amount of junk food you keep in the house.
Keep a bowl of fruit handy for snacks.
Which foods should I limit in my child’s diet?
Some foods are not essential in children's diets. These are called 'discretionary foods' and are generally high in kilojoules, saturated fat, added sugars or added salt.
While it’s okay to eat small amounts of discretionary foods occasionally as part of a balanced diet, you should try to limit these foods in your child’s daily diet. Eating large amounts of discretionary foods can lead to children becoming overweight or developing diseases in later life.
Examples of foods to limit are:
sweet biscuits, cakes and desserts
processed meats and sausages
ice-cream, confectionery and chocolate
store-bought burgers, pizza, hot chips, and fried foods
crisps and other fatty and/or salty snacks
cream and butter
sugar-sweetened cordials and soft drinks
Here are some tips to help you limit foods for children:
Instead of using a lot of butter, cooking margarine, cream or coconut or palm oil, choose vegetable oils, spreads, nut butters/pastes and avocado.
Read labels and always choose low-salt options.
Don't add salt to foods during cooking or at the table.
Offer water rather than sugary soft drinks, cordial, energy drinks or sports drinks.
What if my child is intolerant or allergic to certain foods?
It may be more difficult to eat a wide variety of healthy foods if your child is allergic or intolerant to certain foods, such as lactose in dairy products. Your doctor or dietitian can advise you about how to manage food allergies or intolerances while maintaining a healthy diet.
Healthy eating is essential for your child's good health, growth and development. Healthy eating in childhood means they will have less chance of developing chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers. It will also mean they feel better and enjoy life more.
Establish a predictable schedule of meals and snacks. It's OK to choose not to eat when both parents and kids know when to expect the next meal or snack.
Toddlers should be eating between a quarter to a half-sized serving portion of what an adult eats at each meal. Some red flags of malnourishment include weight loss, fatigue, and persistent constipation. Contact your pediatrician or a pediatric nutritionist if you're concerned about your toddler's eating habits.
Eating a wide variety of nutritious foods helps mood, attention and learning. Eating regular meals also helps promote good mood and attention. Including foods that are rich in dietary fibre may also help. Nutritional supplements may help some children.
Foods high in salt (sodium), such as some canned foods, processed meats (e.g., lunch meats, sausages, hot dogs, ham), and frozen dinners should be avoided. Some snack foods and store-bought packaged toddler foods are high in salt.
A healthy diet is essential for good health and nutrition. It protects you against many chronic noncommunicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Eating a variety of foods and consuming less salt, sugars and saturated and industrially-produced trans-fats, are essential for healthy diet.
Give your child something to eat or drink about every 2 to 3 hours, or about 5 or 6 times a day. This will give your child about 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks every day.
Organize a community food drive: Work with your child's classroom or afterschool programs to start a food drive. Your child will experience the good feeling of giving back and will be inspired by how eager others are to help. Check out this list of healthy foods to donate to a food bank.
Food plays a vital role in preparing children and students to learn and making sure they are healthy enough to attend school each day. Nutrition impacts brain development, memory and cognitive function, energy, attention and focus, which are all critical to the ability to absorb and retain information.
Start with low calorie foods (fruits, vegetables, salads) and then move on to higher-calorie foods (breads, pastas, meats). Don't snack near mealtime. Snacks should be at least an hour away from a meal, and two to three snacks per day are enough for most children. Eat at least one meal together every day.
Children should eat 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks each day. Only offer water between meal and snack times. Serve snacks that are mini meals. Use foods from 2 or 3 food groups to create balanced snacks.
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