The Healthy Eating Plan provides the nutrients and energy a child needs to grow and develop without excessive weight gains.

Amount Per Day

Equivalents

Fruit:
Equivalent of cups

Cup equivalents: 1 cup chopped, cooked, or canned fruit; 1 cup juice; 1/2 cup raisins or dried fruit

Vegetables:  
Equivalent of cups

Cup equivalents: 1 cup chopped, cooked, or canned vegetables; 2 cups raw, green leafy vegetables; 1 cup juice

Grains:
Equivalent of ounces

Ounce equivalents: 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta or hot cereal, 1cup ready-to-eat cereal, 1 slice bread, 1 small muffin, 1/2 small bagel

Note: 1/2 of grain servings should be whole grains like whole grain cereal, whole wheat bread, and oatmeal

Milk:
Equivalent of cups

Cup equivalents: 1 cup milk or yogurt; 1.5 oz. natural cheese or 2 oz. processed cheese (~ 1.5 deli slices or 2 thinner "singles" slices)

Note: Count added fat calories for all choices except fat-free milk. 

Lean Meat and Beans:
Equivalent of ounces

Ounce equivalents: 1 oz. lean meat, fish or pountry; 1 egg; 1/4 cup cooked beans, lentils or tofu; 1 Tbsp peanut butter; 1/2 oz nuts or seeds

Oils: grams per day

( ~ tsp.)
(1 tsp oil = ~ 4.5 grams)

Includes the amount of oils and trans-fat free soft margarines found in foods, used in cooking, food processing, and at the table. Because a small amount of oils are needed to provide vitamin E and essential fatty acids, the amount of oil listed here is not included in the discretionary calorie allowance below.

Discretionary Calories:
Limit to about  calories per day   

Example:**       tsp. sugar and  tsp. (1 tsp solid fat = ~ 4.5 grams) or
                        grams of solid fat

Discretionary Calories are the calories 'left over' after substracting the caloric content of the child's healthy eating plan from from his or her energy needs. (To see how activity changes the number of discretionary calories kids can consume without gaining too much weight, change the activity level selected on the calculator)

Added sugars and syrups are the sugars and syrups added to foods and beverages in processing or preparation, not the naturally occurring sugars in fruits or milk.

Solid fat is the the fat found in crackers, pies, pastries, cakes, cookies; low-fat, reduced fat, or whole milk or milk products; cheese; and higher fat meats, such as ground beef with more than 5% fat by weight, poultry with skin, higher fat luncheon meats, and sausage.

**This example is NOT a specific recommendation for consuming solid fats and sugars, but rather is intended to help parents understand how to fit some sweet or higher fat foods and/or beverages into a healthy diet for a child without exceeding the child's energy needs. If you prefer, discretionary calories can be 'used' to increase the amount of food consumed from the food groups or to consume higher fat foods from the food groups, such as 2% milk.

See how a child can consume more discretionary calories without gaining weight by changing the physical activity level on the calculator.