What Are the Principles of Balanced Diet for Toddlers?

The diet of young children should not be adult-oriented. Many foods that adults can eat are not suitable for young children. When parents are feeding their children, the principles of dietary collocation for young children should include diversity, reasonable collocation, appropriate cooking methods, and attention to dietary hygiene.

The diet provided for young children should be diversified, ensuring a complete range of nutrients with sufficient quantity and appropriate proportion. This can not only meet the physiological needs of children but also avoid nutritional imbalance.

When configuring the diet for young children, attention should be paid to the collocation of foods to achieve a balanced diet. It is necessary to ensure that protein accounts for 10% to 15% of the total heat energy supply, fat accounts for 25% to 35%, and carbohydrates account for 50% to 60%. The principles of high-quality breakfast, high-quality and high-calorie lunch, and light and digestible dinner should be followed.

When cooking food for young children, it is necessary to preserve the nutrients of various foods as much as possible. Based on the chewing and digestive abilities of young children, the food should be as crushed, fine, soft, and tender as possible, with good color and taste to enhance their appetite.

Safety should be the top priority. It is necessary to ensure that the food provided to young children, the production process of the diet, and the tableware all meet hygiene standards. For example, dietary ingredients should be selected from foods with high nutritional value and freshness. It should be ensured that the food is not contaminated by toxic and harmful substances to prevent food poisoning. The kitchen and its equipment should be kept clean. Tableware should be washed and disinfected in time. Staff members should pay attention to personal hygiene, etc.