1. Nutritional requirement of children birth to 7 years
Sam Emsley

2. LO3. Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 3.4]
Discuss the nutritional requirements of children
The nutritional requirements for children aged:
1–2 years
Fruit – 1 cup
Vegetables – ¾ cup
Starchy foods (cereals) – 3 oz equivalents
Meat/fish/eggs and beans – 2 oz equivalents
Milk and dairy foods – 2 cups
Fat and sugar – limit to ½–2 child size portions
2–3 years
Fruit and veg – 4 servings a day
Starchy foods (cereals) – 4 servings a day, e.g. 1 slice of bread, ½ cup of porridge
Meat/fish/eggs and beans – 1 serving from this food group per day
Milk and dairy foods – 2–3 servings a day
Useful resources:
Nutritional guidance for early years
Nutrition for kids: Guidelines for a healthy diet
Nutrition for your child aged 2 years
Nutrition guidelines for children from the Heart Foundation
Australian website: Meeting Children’s Nutrition Requirements in Care

3. Discuss the nutritional requirements of children
LO3. Understand the nutritional needs of children [AC 3.4]
Discuss the nutritional requirements of children
The nutritional requirements for children aged:
3–5 years
Fruit and veg – 3 servings of veg and 2 of fruit a day
Starchy foods (cereals) – 5 servings a day
Meat/fish/eggs and beans – at least 1 serving every day
Milk and dairy foods – 2–3 servings a day
Fat and sugar – limit to ½–2 child size portions
5–7 years
Fruit and veg – 4–8 servings of veg and 2–4 of fruit a day
Starchy foods (cereals) – at least 6 servings a day
Meat/fish/eggs and beans – 1–2 servings every day
Milk and dairy foods – 4–6 servings a day
Fat and sugar – limit to 1–2 child size portions
Useful resources:
Nutritional guidance for early years
Nutrition for kids: Guidelines for a healthy diet
Nutrition for your child aged 2 years
Nutrition guidelines for children from the Heart Foundation
Australian website: Meeting Children’s Nutrition Requirements in Care