Your Kids Can Strike Gold with the Food Pyramid at Any AgeBy Christina Jorgenson  When you’re a kid, you often want what you can’t have. For me, living in a house run by health nuts, I wanted my fill of junk food. I got it when I visited friends’ homes with cabinets stocked full of unhealthy, yet extremely delicious, treats. (Picture me inhaling an entire pan of taco dip and a bag of Doritos with just one friend to partake in the decadence.) I could have definitely benefited from an age-appropriate lesson on the food pyramid.
The familiar, rainbow-colored triangle that’s found on the majority of food boxes in today’s grocery store aisles is a guide to healthy eating. It originated in the 1960s by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the result of an increase in heart disease among Americans. While it has been updated several times since, the spirit of the pyramid remains: it’s a quick and easy way to understand how to eat right to improve your chances of living long and strong.
What It All MeansThe food pyramid’s rainbow of colored, vertical stripes represents the five food groups, plus fats and oils:
-Orange is grains
-Green is vegetables
-Red is fruits
-Yellow is fats and oils
-Blue is milk and dairy products
-Purple is meat, beans, fish and nuts
The kids’ version features a girl climbing a staircase up the side of the pyramid—showing that eating right and playing actively go hand in hand and that you can get healthier “one step at a time.”
So what exactly are these steps?
• Eat a balanced diet—a variety of foods from every color, every day.
• Eat less of some foods (the skinnier bands in the pyramid, like meat and oils), and more of others (the wider bands, like fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy foods).
• Eat closer to the source—for instance, choose a whole apple versus a slice of apple pie.
How Much For My KidsAccording to www.kidshealth.org, the amount your kids should eat to stay healthy depends on their age, gender and how active they are. Kids who are more active burn more calories, so they need more fuel.
Here are estimates (also care of www.kidshealth.org ) for how much they need of each food group, including a breakdown by age:
• Grains are measured in ounce equivalents, which is just a more complicated way of saying “a serving size.” For common grain foods, an ounce equivalent equals one piece of bread; one-half cup of cooked cereal; one-half cup of rice or pasta; or one cup of cold cereal. Also, choose your grains wisely—whole grains, such as 100 percent wheat bread, brown rice and oatmeal, are the smartest choices.
Breakdown by age:
-4- to 8-year-olds need 4 to 5 ounces each day.
-9- to 13-year-old girls need 5 ounces each day.
-9- to 13-year-old boys need 6 ounces each day.
• Vegetables, especially dark green and orange ones, are essential to a healthy diet. Servings are measured in cups.
Breakdown by age:
-4- to 8-year-olds need 1 1/2 cups of veggies each day.
-9- to 13-year-old girls need 2 cups of veggies each day.
-9- to 13-year-old boys need 2 1/2 cups of veggies each day.
• Fruits are another key part of a healthy diet. They are also measured in cups.
Breakdown by age:
-4- to 8-year-olds need 1-1 1/2 cups of fruit each day.
-9- to 13-year-old girls need 1 1/2 cups of fruit each day.
-9- to 13-year-old boys need 1 1/2 cups of fruit each day.
• Milk and other calcium-rich foods, like cheese and yogurt, do a body good by helping to build strong bones. They are also measured in cups.
Breakdown by age:
-4- to 8-year-olds need 1-2 cups of milk (or another calcium-rich food) each day.
-9- to 13-year-old girls need 3 cups of milk (or another calcium-rich food) each day.
-9- to 13-year-old boys need 3 cups of milk (or another calcium-rich food) each day.
• Meats, beans, fish and nuts contain iron and other important nutrients. These are measured in ounce equivalents. That might be: 1 ounce of meat, poultry or fish; one-fourth cup cooked dry beans; one egg; one tablespoon of peanut butter; or a small handful of nuts or seeds.
Breakdown by age:
-4- to 8-year-olds need 3 to 4 ounces each day.
-9- to 13-year-old girls need 5 ounces each day.
-9- to 13-year-old boys need 5 ounces each day.
While that’s certainly a lot for even an adult to “digest,” don’t underestimate your child, no matter how young he or she is. Go online (see box) to print out your own copy of the pyramid and use this article as a resource to start a discussion. For a younger kid, you might talk about what foods are healthy that they want to eat lots of so they can play lots. Take your kid to the store and have him/her pick out healthy foods he/she likes. For older kids, you can get into amounts of each food group so they can make smart food choices when they’re at school or out with friends. The earlier you start talking about healthy eating, the better chance you have of finding gold (great health) and the end of the rainbow (pyramid)!
| Visit the United States Department of Agriculture’s site MyPyramid.gov and click on the “kids” link. You’ll find materials created specifically for 6- to 11-year-olds, including a MyPyramid blast off game, kids poster and worksheet to track healthy eating, that will help you talk to your FitKid about eating right. |
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