Children and Adolescents need sufficient nutritious foods to grow and develop normally
Growth should be checked regularly for young children
Physical activity is important for all children and adolescents
Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods. Children and Adolescents should be encouraged to:
Eat plenty of vegetables, legumes and fruits
Eat plenty of cereals (including breads, rice, pasta and noodles), preferably wholegrain
Include lean meat, fish, poultry and/or alternatives
Include milks, yoghurts, cheese and/or alternatives. Reduced fat milks are not suitable for young children under 2 years, because of their high energy needs, but reduced fat varieties should be encouraged for older children and adolescents
Choose water as a drink. Alcohol is not recommended for children
And care should be taken to:
Limit saturated fat and moderate total fat intake. Low fat diets are not suitable for infants
Choose foods low in salt
Consume only moderate amounts of sugars and foods containing added sugars.
Care for your child's food:
prepare and store it safely
(National Health and Medical Research Council, 2003 "Food For Health: Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents in Australia: A Guide to Healthy Eating")
