Best Practices for Healthy Eating Guide - Nemours

Children 3 through 5 Years:
Grains & Breads
Recommended Limit Not Recommended
n Make half of grain servings whole
grains*
n Grain foods that have more than
3 grams of fiber per serving, as
labeled
n Foods should have zero grams of
trans fat
n Whole grain pasta
n Whole grain bread
n Whole grain cereal
n Brown rice
n Oatmeal
n Bulgur
n Quinoa
n Added fat, sugar or salt n Cereals or grains with more than 6
grams of sugar per serving, as labeled
n Sweet grains (cakes, cupcakes,
donuts, Danishes, cinnamon rolls,
toaster pastries, granola bars,
cookies, commercially-prepared
muffins, etc.)
*To determine if a product is a whole grain, look on the ingredients list. A whole grain should be the first ingredient listed, or the first ingredient
after water. Examples include whole wheat flour (not just “wheat flour”), whole grain corn, whole cornmeal, brown rice, oats or whole oats, etc.
Rationale
Why serve whole grains
n The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend
making half of grain servings whole grains.
n Whole grains are good sources of dietary fiber, several
B vitamins and minerals.
n Children and adults should eat about 14g of fiber for
every 1,000 calories consumed. Diets high in fiber
have a number of beneficial effects, including lowering
the risk for heart disease and preventing constipation.
Portion Size
n Choosing foods that are free of added sugars helps
people meet their nutrient needs without eating too
many calories, sugars and fats.
n Added sugars supply calories but few or no nutrients.
n Discretionary calorie allowance for children 2 – 5 years
of age allows for only 4 – 5 tsp of added sugars each day.
n Limiting cereals to 6g of sugar (1.5 tsp) or fewer will
help to keep added sugars low in children’s diets.
n Minimizing trans fat consumption reduces the risk of
cardiovascular disease.
Item Meals Snacks
Bread items (bread, rolls, bagels, etc.) ½ slice ½ slice
Cereals, cold ¹⁄3 cup (2.5 oz.) ¹⁄3 cup (2.5 oz.)
Cereals, hot ¼ cup (2 oz.) ¼ cup (2 oz.)
Pasta, noodles or grains ¼ cup (2 oz.) ¼ cup (2 oz.)
Best Practices for Healthy Eating 23