How Much Your Child Should Eat (Pictures Included)

As your child grows, it’s important to keep up with their increasing demand for nutritious food. Portion control is extremely important to ensure they are getting all the nutrients they need, without putting them at risk of becoming overweight. Use our portions guide below to see how much they should be eating from each nutrient and how they can meet their daily requirements smartly.

Protein
Protein is the most important nutrient for your growing child, as it is considered the building block for all our cells and it is the most essential nutrient for efficient growth and development.

Good Sources: Chickpeas, lentils, chicken, quinoa, nuts, fuul, eggs

Serving Size:

• 1 protein serving = 1 egg
• 1 tennis ball of beans, chickpeas, lentils
• ¼ cup nuts
• ¼ cup cooked quinoa
• 75g chicken/lean meat

Serving Size Samples:

Fat

Good Sources: Avocado, nuts, chia seeds, olive oil, coconuts/coconut oil, salmon

Serving Size:  

• ¼ cup nuts
• ¼ avocado
• 3 teaspoons oil
• 1 tablespoon nut butter
• ¼ cup seeds
• 1 salmon steak

Serving Size Samples:

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide the energy that fuels children’s metabolism, supports growth, keeps their brain and nervous system working and maintains overall health.

Good Sources: Quinoa, sweet potato, banana, brown rice, brown pasta, baladi bread

Serving Size:

• ½ baladi bread
• 4 tablespoon pasta, brown rice
• ¼ cup cooked quinoa
• 1 banana
• 1/3 cup raw oats/ ½ cup cooked oats
• 1 sweet potato/  ½ large sweet potato

Serving Size Samples:

Note – the requirement figures above are average guidelines; exact requirements may vary depending on children’s weight and height.