Family-Friendly Nutrition: A Guide to Feeding Kids Well
Raise your hand if you struggle with mealtime and figuring out how to feed your kids well. I see you! The goal here is to take some of the guesswork and stress out of feeding your kids with some simple guidelines, helpful tips, and age-appropriate portion sizes. Let’s focus on the good over the perfect.
Think Food Groups, Not Calories
When you think in terms of food groups, it makes meal planning easier and presumes adequate calories and nutrients will be consumed. Here are the food groups to keep in mind: fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats, and dairy (or dairy alternatives). From there, you can build a balanced plate: half with fruits and vegetables, a quarter with whole grains, and a quarter with protein. Dairy and healthy fats can be added as appropriate.
Within each food group, offer a variety of options throughout the week but avoid being a short order cook. As much as possible, your kids should eat the same dinner as you are eating. A fun idea here is to post a menu in the kitchen of what meals your kids can expect in the week ahead. Keep in mind that repeated exposure builds acceptance. Even if your child doesn’t taste a new food, continue to add it to their plate and encourage taking a bite without forcing or bribing.
Recommended Portion Sizes by Age Group
It can be common for parents to think that their children are not eating enough. Below are helpful tables divided by food group and age range to use as a reference. Remember that children’s appetites vary daily—these are general guidelines, not rigid rules.
Toddlers – Ages 1-3
| Grains | ¼–½ slice bread or ¼ cup cooked rice/pasta |
| Vegetables | 1–2 tablespoons per year of age |
| Fruit | ¼ cup |
| Protein | 1 ounce (egg, beans, yogurt, nut butter) |
| Dairy | ½ cup milk or yogurt |
| Tip: Toddlers do better with 3 small meals + 2–3 snacks daily. | |
Children – Ages 4-8
| Grains | ½–1 slice bread or ½ cup rice/pasta |
|---|---|
| Vegetables | ½–1 cup per meal |
| Fruit | ½ cup |
| Protein | 2-3 ounces |
| Dairy | 1 cup |
| Tip: Let kids serve themselves when possible, to build internal hunger cues. | |
Youth – Ages 9-13
| Grains | 1 slice bread or ½–1 cup grains |
| Vegetables | 1-2 cups |
| Fruit | 1 cup |
| Protein | 3-5 ounces |
| Dairy | 1–1½ cups |
| Tip: Foster independence and develop life skills by involving your kids in cooking for the family. Note: Growth spurts increase appetite—especially in active kids. | |
Simple Strategies for Busy Families
With the right approach, a healthy food environment fits into even the busiest schedule. Have two or three “go to” balanced dinners each week that you can prep easily and that your family generally enjoys. Don’t put pressure on yourself to always come up with new meals. Prep healthy snack boxes with produce, protein sources, and whole grains. Some ideas are apples, broccoli, hummus, mini beef sticks, mixed nuts, and popcorn. As much as you can, make the connection that food is fuel rather than associated with a reward or punishment.
Healthy feeding is about patterns over time, not perfect meals. Focus on consistency in creating a positive food environment, rather than getting every choice “right.” You are the most powerful influence on your child’s eating habits. When you model balanced, healthy eating, you’re shaping their relationship with food for years to come.
Mango-Berry Yogurt Bark
This easy freezer snack doesn’t require measuring – just eyeball the ingredients and let kids help add the toppings. Greek yogurt and chia seeds support healthy brain development being a good source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, choline, and iodine, not to mention the probiotics in the yogurt. You can replace the fruit with whatever you have on hand.
- 2-3 big scoops of plain Greek yogurt, minimum 2% fat content
- A drizzle of honey, or Grade A maple syrup
- A handful of blueberries
- A handful of diced mango
- A sprinkle of chia seeds
- A sprinkle of sweetened coconut flakes, lightly toasted (optional)
Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the yogurt and honey in a bowl. Spread the yogurt on the prepared baking sheet into a thin layer (about the thickness of a pancake). Scatter blueberries and mango across the yogurt. Sprinkle chia seeds (coconut flakes, if using) over everything. Freeze for about 3–4 hours, until completely firm. Break into pieces and enjoy straight from the freezer.
Written by Amanda Rohwedder. Amanda is a degreed nutritionist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She holds a B.S. Nutritional Science and an M.S. Medical Science with a concentration in Women’s Health. She founded Temple and Table in 2017 as a way to nourish our culture by drawing a connection between physical and spiritual health. For more information on T+T’s mission, visit templeandtable.com. Order a copy of Amanda’s recipe book published by CCL, Food for Fertility: Recipes to Improve Health and Manage PCOS. Check it out in the store here.