1. How many calories should school aged kids have?
Once in school, recommended calorie levels rise further to 1970 for boys 7 years to 10 years old and 1740 calories for girls of the same age group. Boys can start raiding the refrigerator between 11 to 14 years, simply because their physiological needs are about 2220 calories per day. Hunger drives them to do so.
For the next 4 years, you better buy enough for second and third servings; your boy’s requirements are at 2755! After age 18, your young man will still be eating quite a bit of the food in the refrigerator, searching for his 2550 calories per day.
Girls might be hungry but they probably won’t be raiding the refrigerator. Their needs are only about 1845 calories between the ages of 11 and 14, 2110 for 15-18 years, and about 1940 calories after age 18.
2. A Sample Meal Plan for your School Aged Kids
Here is a sample meal plan to help you plan to meet your child’s caloric needs.
Breakfast : 554 cals, 10 grams protein, 257 mg calcium, 3 mg iron 197 RE Vitamin A, 13 mg vitamin C
- 8 oz (240 ml) milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) juice, fruit or vegetable
- 1 slice whole grain bread or roll or 3/4 cup (170 grams) cereal
- 1 oz (28 grams) meat, poultry or fish OR 1 oz (28 grams) cheese or 1 large egg or 2 tablespoons peanut butter or other nut butter or 4 tablespoons cooked dry beans and peas or 1 oz (28 grams) nuts and/or seeds or 4 oz (113 grams) yogurt
This will give your child a good start for the day. There’s enough of the right amounts of energy and nutrients to keep him from falling asleep during morning classes,
Lunch : 633 cal, 9 grams protein, 267 mg calcium, 3.3 iron, 200 RE Vitamin A, 15 mg vitamin C, not to exceed 30% fat, 10% from fat
- 8 oz (240 ml) milk
- 1-1/2 oz (43 grams) meat or 1-1/2 oz (43 grams) cheese or 3/4 large egg or 3/8 cup (85 grams) dry beans or peas or 3 tablespoons nut butter or 6 oz or 3/4 cup (170 grams) yogurt or 1/4 oz.(7 grams) nuts
- 3/4 cup (170 grams) veggies, fruits, 2 servings
- 2 serving grains (slice bread, roll, ½ cup (113 grams) rice, 1 small pita bread, ½ English muffin)
In the meals above, it won’t hurt to add a little protein and an extra vegetable.
Dinner and Snacks make up the rest of the calories. Here’s a sample of what you can include in these feedings:
- 8 oz (240 ml) milk
- 6 oz (140 grams) protein
- 2 serving grain with one teaspoon (5 ml) butter
- ½ cup (113 grams) vegetable one (non-starchy vegetable)
- ½ cup (113 grams) vegetable two (non-starchy vegetable)
- ½ cup (113 grams) vegetable three (non-starchy vegetable)
- 1 tablespoon salad dressing
- 3 servings fruit for snacks during the day (1 apple, orange, peach, pear, nectarine, or 10 grapes)
- 2 oz (57 grams) cheese (can go with snack)
This means your child can eat what you’re having for dinner (fish, 2 non-starchy vegetables, rice and butter, spinach salad with a fruit) and save a little protein of the 140 grams protein for bedtime snack, maybe with a small pear. He or she can also have a fruit right after walking in the door from school.
3. Don’t worry if you can’t fit in all these calories!
Sometimes it’s difficult to eat all these calories in a day! Don’t worry! The human body can actually subsist on 60% of its caloric needs for the day. In fact, eating less calories but still getting the right amount of nutrients is a way to extend your life. That’s why it’s always important to take a good multivitamin/mineral tablet and give them to your children.
Before taking on any medical or nutritional advice consult your family doctor.If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS
