Children’s dietary guidelines based on their age

4 Minutes Reading

19 August 2026

Hana

Not everything on your child's plate has to be super healthy, but kids need to eat each of the five main food groups every day: grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and protein. You need to be able to strike a balance between what your child needs to eat and what they want to eat.

Grains

At least half of your child’s grain intake should be unrefined, such as whole wheat or oatmeal. Whole grains have more fiber, iron, and B vitamins than their refined counterparts.

Some good sources of whole grains (and their serving sizes) include:

Whole-wheat bread (1 slice)
Whole grains (1 cup)
Whole-wheat pasta (1/2 cup)
Brown rice (1/2 cup)
Popcorn for kids ages 4 and up (3 cups)
Whole-wheat crackers (50 pieces)

Whole grains may also reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancers of the colon, pancreas, and stomach.2 If your family has trouble transitioning, look for breads and pastas made with a mix of whole and refined grains. Your kids may not notice the difference. However, it’s okay for children to eat regular pasta or white bread occasionally.

Recommended servings vary by age. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), children should consume the following amounts of grains daily:

Infants (1-2 years): 49 to 85 grams

Preschoolers (2-3 years): 85 to 141 grams

School-age children (4-8 years): 113 to 170 grams

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Healthy Fats

All types of fat help children grow; they carry vitamins around the body and provide vitamin E. But unsaturated fats (like those found in olive oil and peanuts) protect children’s hearts by keeping cholesterol levels low, while saturated fats (like butter) raise them.

You may not picture children with high cholesterol when you think of high cholesterol. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 7 percent of children ages 6 to 19 have high cholesterol.

Some good sources of healthy fats (and their serving sizes) include:
Peanut butter (1 tablespoon)
Avocado (1/2 medium)
Sunflower seeds (34 grams)
Nuts (34 grams)
Oil and vinegar salad dressing (2 tablespoons)
Olive, canola, peanut, or flaxseed oil (1 tablespoon)
Olives (4 large)

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends focusing on including polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as those found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. Additionally, they say to limit fats to:

Preschoolers (2-3 years): 30 to 35 percent of total daily calories
School-age children (4-18 years): 25 to 35 percent of total daily calories