If there is one recurring ‘theme’ for my nutrition column each year, it’s my ‘Back to School’ piece in August. Just about every year at this time, I try to impart some helpful hints for busy parents getting ready to send their kids to school. This year, in honor of my ‘back to basics’ series inspired by the book Lessons in Chemistry, I’ll address childrens’ nutritional needs and how to meet them with common, packable foods.
Please note, I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. Every child’s energy needs will be different based on their age, weight and activity level. I’m presenting general guidelines from which you can work, and any specific concerns should be directed to your child’s pediatrician or a pediatric dietitian.
According to UCHealth, an online publication connected to a Colorado-based healthcare system, childrens’ energy (i.e. calorie) needs are as follows:
-6-10 year olds: 2,000 cals/day
-11-15 year old boys: 2,500 cals/day
-11-15 year old girls: 2,200 cals/day
-older teens: 3,000 cals/day
-very active teens: up to 5,000 cals/day
Alternatively, there are calculations you can do to get a more specific idea of your child’s energy needs based on their weight:
-4-5 year olds: 70 kcals per kilogram (kg) of body weight
-6-8 year olds: 60-65 kcals per kg body weight
-9+ year olds: 35-45 kcals per kg body weight
Please note: ‘Kcal’ is used above but indicates calories in the traditional sense, and the decline in calorie needs at age 9 reflects a decrease in calorie needs after a period of rapid growth in children. Again, these are average numbers and should be used to calculate an average energy need, before taking into account a specific child’s activity level, etc.
Additionally, I do not present these figures and calculations expecting or even recommending you (as a parent) figure out your child’s energy needs down to the calorie. However, some data-driven (and perhaps curious!) parents may want to get a better idea of how much their child should be consuming and what they actually ARE consuming.
In addition to calorie needs, protein is also incredibly important for growing children. To keep it simple and not introduce yet another set of calculations, the recommended amount of protein is about 15 grams per meal for young children, and 20-30 grams for older and more active children/teens.
I can’t move on without addressing fat, which is also important for both healthy development and satiety. Children should consume about 25-30% of their daily calories from healthy fats, such as avocados, olive oil and full-fat yogurts.
Lastly, about 50% of your child’s daily calorie intake should come from carbohydrates. Carbs include anything that has sugar (natural or added), so fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy. Aim for most of this intake to come from ‘real’ food, (an apple) instead of highly processed grains (Cheeze-Its).
Now, onto the food! I’ll give a few common foods and their nutritional profiles, which should give parents and caregivers and idea of what’s in the food their kids are eating.
At breakfast, be sure to provide a low-added-sugar (skip the sugar cereals, Pop Tarts and flavored oatmeal packets!), high protein and fat option to help keep kids full until lunchtime:
One egg: 78 calories, 6 grams protein, 5 grams fat
One piece whole-grain bread: 69 calories, 3.6 grams protein, 1 gram fat
Half an avocado: 160 calories, 2 grams protein, 15 grams fat
Half-cup whole milk: 75 calories, 4 grams protein, 4 grams fat
Half-cup orange juice: 60 calories, 1 gram protein, .25 gram fat
When packing a lunch, try to balance your child’s preferences with nutritional options; the best lunch is one your kid will actually eat! Also, don’t feel tied to the traditional sandwich-and-chips combo; consider hard-boiled eggs, leftovers and smoothies.
One cup cut-up peppers: 5 calories, 0.1 grams protein, 0 grams fat
Quarter-cup hummus: 120 calories, 4 grams protein, 8 grams fat
Deli turkey (3-4 slices): 50 calories, 11 grams protein, 1 gram fat
One slice cheese: 70 calories, 4 grams protein, 6 grams fat
One apple: 95 calories, 0.5 grams protein, 0.3 grams fat
Two tablespoons peanut butter: 188 calories, 8 grams protein, 16 grams fat
Whew! That was A LOT of numbers. I know it may have felt a bit like a fire hose of information, and perhaps a bit intimidating, but I hope you also feel more able to figure out what your kiddo is consuming. I’ll say it again: every child is different, and so are their energy needs.
Use these figures as a jumping-off point to determine if they are getting enough of their calorie, protein and fat needs. If you think they’re lacking in an area, it’s an opportunity to provide more of that type of food. For example, if you find that your child doesn’t eat many foods that are high in fat, start offering peanut (or another nut) butter as a dip for sliced apples.
The goal is to offer a variety of nutritious foods at every meal to encourage both intake and the trying of new foods.
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