Food group
Potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates
Examples
Bread, breakfast cereals, potatoes, pasta, rice, noodles, chapattis and yams
Quantity
At least one serving with each meal and as some snacks
Key nutrients
Carbohydrate
B vitamins
Fibre
Tips
Small portions of these foods make great snacks
Give a mixture of white, brown and wholegrain varieties. Wholegrain includes wholemeal bread and bread products, wholewheat pasta, brown rice, oats and wholegrain breakfast cereals
Food group
Fruit and vegetables
Examples
All fresh, frozen and tinned fruit (in natural juice) and vegetables (in unsalted water), and dried fruit
Quantity
Aim for 5 ‘child-sized’ portions a day. One portion is about the amount they can fit in the palm of their hand
Key nutrients
Vitamins – especially vitamin C
Dark green vegetables provide some iron
Fibre
Tips
Dried fruit should be kept to mealtimes only as it has higher concentrations of sugar that can contribute to the development of tooth decay
Vegetables can be easily added to soups and stews. Or some children prefer to eat their vegetables raw
Food group
Milk, cheese and yogurt
Examples
Milk, hard cheese, yogurt, fromage frais
Quantity
3 portions of dairy a day: 100-120ml (small glass) milk, 125g (small pot) of yogurt, or 2-3 tablespoons (15g) of grated hard cheese
Key nutrients
Calcium
Protein
Phosphorus
Iodine
Tips
Milk can be used in custard, milk puddings, sauces and soups
Try yogurts as a pudding or snack
Food group
Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins
Examples
Meat, poultry (e.g. chicken, turkey), fish (e.g. tuna, fish fingers), eggs, nuts*, seeds, pulses (e.g. peas, baked beans, chickpeas, lentils) and soya products such as tofu
Quantity
Try to provide 2 servings each day for young children eating meat and fish or 2 or 3 servings of a variety of alternative protein sources each day for vegetarian young children
Key nutrients
Protein
Iron (especially red meat and liver**)
Other important vitamins and minerals including zinc and vitamin B6
Tips
Even small amounts of meat or fish are useful to help keep iron levels topped up
Lean meat, tinned salmon, tuna, peanut butter*, houmous and eggs all make ideal sandwich fillings
*Nuts
Safety: children under five should not be given whole nuts because of the risk of inhaling and choking.
Peanut allergy: as long as there is no history of food or other allergies in your family, you can give your toddler peanuts, as long as they are crushed or ground into peanut butter. Otherwise if your child already has a known allergy or there is a history of allergy in your child’s immediate family (either parent or sibling) you should speak to your healthcare professional before you give peanuts or foods containing peanuts for the first time.
**Liver
If you give liver or liver products to your child, they should be given in very small amounts no more than once a week.
