Balanced Nutrition chart

A balanced diet consists of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals and also meets the daily caloric needs of the body. This means, 50% of your calorie needs should be derived from carbohydrates, 20% from protein and 30% from fats. Children should be provided daily, with a diet consisting of all the above mentioned vitamins and minerals. This chart indicates what percentage from each food group you should be providing to the children.

Table 1 - Nutrition Needs for Children

Table 1 provides a summary of the food chart for a clearer idea of nutrition for children.

Nutrition	Food Group	Recommended %
Carbohydrates	Cereals and grains, etc.	33%
Vitamins and Minerals	Various fruits and vegetables
Meat Protein	Fish, meat and eggs	12%
Milk Proteins	Dairy products	15%
Fat and Sugar	Fatty foods, sugary sweets etc.	7%

Table 2 - Food Examples for Children

Table 2 displays some foods examples with appropriate serving size and amount of serving per day. Parents can choose one food or two with smaller potion from each food category for their children.

	Foods Example	Serving Size	Daily Serve
Grains	Rice Pasta Cereal Bread Rolls Wheat Biscuit Noodles	1 cup 1/2 -1 cup 1-2 slices 1/2 -1 roll 1/2 cup	Age 2-5 years, 4 servings For school children, 5-9 servings
Vegetables	Cooked vegies Cauliflower Medium potato Carrot (sliced) Spinach Broccoli Tomato Salad	Half a cup cooked vegetables or one cup raw, leafy vegetables.	Age 2-3, 2 servings Age 4-7, 2-4 servings Age 8-11, 3-5 servings Age 12-18, 4-9 servings
Fruits	Dates Berries Apricots Grapes Bananas Peaches Oranges Mangoes Melons Pineapples	Half a cup frozen for raw fruits, or 6 ounce fruit juice, or1/4 cup dried fruits	Age 4-7, 1-2 servings Age 8-11, 1-2 servings Age 12-18, 3-4 servings
Dairy Products	Milk Yogurt Cheese Custard	250ml 200g 40g	Age 2-3, 1 serving Age 4-7, 2-3 serving Age 8-11, 2-3 2/2 servings Age 12-18, 3-5 servings
Lean Proteins	Meat Beef Chicken Fish Eggs Dried beans Peas Lentils Peanut butter	100 g (2 slices), cooked 3/4 cup, chopped 1 chicken leg 1 medium fillet 3/4 cup canned or cooked beans, lentils or peas 1 tablespoon	Age 2-3, 1/2 serving Age 4-7, 1/2-1 serving Age 8-11, 1-1 2/2 servings Age 12-18, 1-2 servings
Fats, Sweets and Oils	Low-fat mayonnaise Light salad dressing Soft margarine Vegetable oil (canola, safflower, olive or corn)	1 tablespoon oil or mayonnaise	1 serving