Nutritious Foods and Drinks for Your Child

Providing your child with a variety of healthy foods supports their growth and gives them energy to learn and play. Including foods from all the food groups helps meet their nutrition needs.

Do you want to know more about eating from all the food groups? Here are some specific foods to try:

• Protein foods. This includes foods such as chicken, turkey, fish, lean meats, eggs, beans, lentils, and soy foods such as tofu.
• Dairy foods. Examples include milk, yogurt, and cheese. Children under age 2 should have whole milk. After age 2, low-fat or fat-free milk may be offered, depending on your child’s needs. If your child doesn't eat dairy, fortified non-dairy alternatives, like soy milk, are good options.
• Vegetables. Try to include a variety of colors. For example, your child might like tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peppers, squash, or corn.
• Fruits. Some options include apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, watermelon, berries, peaches, and pears.
• Healthy fats. Include foods such as avocados, nuts, seeds, nut butters, and oils like olive or canola oil.
• Whole grains. Offer grains such as brown rice, quinoa, oats, and breads, crackers, and pasta made with whole grains, such as those labeled whole wheat, whole corn, or whole oats.

When you stick to a few good ideas, you won't feel like there's too much to keep track of. Here are some other ideas to get you started:

• Have your child drink more water and milk. Water doesn't have to be boring! Offer kids fizzy water, add an orange slice, or make ice cubes with fun shapes. Growing kids also need milk. Milk gives kids calcium for strong bones and healthy growth. Be sure to give kids under age 2 whole milk, not skim or low-fat. If your child doesn't drink milk, fortified soy beverage (soymilk) is a good alternative, or choose low-fat yogurt as part of a meal or snack.
• Add more fruits and vegetables to your family's table. Fruits and vegetables can taste and look good. They can be easy to prepare and serve. Buy fruits and vegetables fresh, frozen, or canned. Or try growing your own. Serve fresh fruits and vegetables raw. Kids often like the taste of sliced raw fruits and vegetables. Vegetables can also be steamed, roasted, microwaved, or cut up and mixed into stews and soups.
• Limit highly processed foods, added sugars, and refined carbohydrates, such as packaged snacks, sugary drinks, and white bread. These also include foods and drinks like pastries, candy, chips, cookies, cheese-flavored snacks, ice cream, soda, fruit juice drinks, and sports drinks. Offer fruits for desserts and snacks when kids want something sweet. Limit salty snacks. And look for low-sodium or salt-free foods when possible.