HOW MUCH SHOULD WE EAT?
Everyone should eat only until they are full, especially children. "What" is eaten
is much more important than "how much".
Canada 's Food Guide recommends the following daily "minimums" for children 4 and
over. A child may eat more than these minimums, but we should try to maintain the
same balance between the groups. A good rule
of thumb is that children should have approximately twice as many
servings from the Grains group and the Vegetables & Fruit group as they
have from the Milk & Alternatives group and Meat & Alternatives group.
Recommended Daily Servings:
|
Ages 4 – 8, Girls & Boys |
|
Vegetables & Fruit
|
5 |
|
Grain Products
|
4 |
|
Milk & Alternatives
|
2 |
| Meat & Alternatives |
1 |
| |
|
Ages 9 – 13, Girls & Boys |
|
Vegetables & Fruit
|
6 |
|
Grain Products
|
6 |
|
Milk & Alternatives
|
3 – 4 |
|
Meat & Alternatives
|
1 – 2 |
|
|
|
Ages 14 – 18 years, Females |
|
Vegetables & Fruit
|
7 |
|
Grain Products
|
6 |
|
Milk & Alternatives
|
3 – 4 |
|
Meat & Alternatives
|
2 |
|
|
|
Ages 14 – 18 years, Males |
|
Vegetables & Fruit
|
8 |
|
Grain Products
|
7 |
|
Milk & Alternatives
|
3 – 4 |
|
Meat & Alternatives
|
3 |
Other Foods
When it comes to pop, candy and salty snacks, less is better. Every serving of these
foods is a missed opportunity for the child to eat something with health-building
nutrients. Plus, the excessive amounts of sugar, fat and salt in these foods can
cause weight gain and tooth decay.