All nutrition data taken from nutritiondata.self.com Table 1 continued: Menu for Toddler | Meal | Foods | Calories | Protein (g) | Fat (g) | Carbs(g) | Fiber (g) | Vitamin C (mg) | Vitamin D (mcg) | Vitamin B12 (mcg) | Calcium (mg) | Iron (mg) | Zinc (mg) | Snack | 3 avocado wedges | 47.00 | 1.00 | 3.00 | 2.00 | 2.00 | 2.50 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.60 | 0.20 | 0.20 | | 2 Tbsp. hummus | 50.00 | 1.00 | 2.00 | 4.00 | 2.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 11.40 | 0.80 | 0.60 | | 3 - 4 rye crispbread wafers | 28.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.40 | 0.00 | 0.00 | | 4 oz. water | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Dinner | Breakfast Pizza | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 whole wheat pita: | 74.00 | 3.00 | 1.00 | 15.00 | 2.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4.20 | 0.90 | 0.40 | | 2 Tbsp. scrambled egg: | 46.00 | 2.00 | 12.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.12 | 0.20 | 22.10 | 0.40 | 0.20 | | 3 Tbsp. spinach (mixed in with eggs) | 96.00 | 4.00 | 8.00 | 4.00 | 1.00 | 4.00 | 0.35 | 0.20 | 92.40 | 0.60 | 0.40 | | scrambled in 1 Tbsp. canola oil | 119.00 | 0.00 | 14.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | | 2 Tbsp. turkey sausage | 55.00 | 7.00 | 1.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.30 | 6.20 | 0.40 | 1.10 | | 4oz. Whole milk | 72.00 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 8.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.22 | 0.40 | 138.00 | 0.00 | 0.40 | Totals | 1155.75 | 37.75 | 72.5 | 150.50 | 21.75 | 193.60 | 3.14 | 1.93 | 644.40 | 9.38 | 6.60 |
All nutrition data taken from nutritiondata.self.com To begin discussing the diet, I will take a closer look at calorie and macronutrient needs for a toddler. First, as seen on Table 1, the total calorie intake for the toddler diet is 1155.75. This falls between the 1100-1200 range that is recommended by the AHA (2011).
Secondly, the diet contains 37.5 grams of protein, or 12% of total kcal consumption. This is almost three times the amount of protein recommended by the National Academy of Science (2011); however the AHA (2011) recommends that children between the ages of 1-8 years old should consume the equivalent of two eight-ounce glasses of milk a day. Given that 16 ounces of whole milk has 16 grams of protein, half of the recommended amount of milk contains more protein than is recommended; this does not count the protein from meat or some green, leafy vegetables. I decided that the other nutrients needed for a child’s growth and development outweighed the potential risk involved in eating too much protein.
Third, the fat intake at 72.50 grams may seem high, but it provides approximately 25% of the total kcals consumed. Given that the recommended amount is between 30-40%, this figure is slightly low; however, keep in mind that the menu does not include milk that a toddler may be given during the course of the day.
Fourth, the National Academy of Science (2011), recommends that a toddler should consume 130 grams of carbohydrates (carbs) a day. This is equal to approximately 45-65% of a toddler’s kcal consumption. As seen on Table 1, the diet provides 150 grams of carbs; while this slightly exceeds the recommended daily amount, the carbs are 52% of the daily kcal consumption, and is within the acceptable range.
Fifth, the recommended daily amount of fiber for a toddler is 19 grams (AHA, 2011), and the toddler diet shown on Table 1 includes 21.75 grams of fiber. While this is a little higher than the recommended amount, it should not affect the toddler’s overall health and well-being; considering that toddler’s do not always eat everything they are given, and that a toddler’s fiber intake may not remain consistent on a daily basis.
These macronutrients are essential components in the production of essential amino acids which help in cell repair and maintenance, cardiovascular health, and digestive health. The micronutrients that will be discussed next are also crucial to a toddler’s growth and development. The micronutrients, as shown in Table 1 on pp. 5-6 of this document are: Vitamins C, D, B12, calcium, iron, and zinc. These help support autoimmune health, cell repair and maintenance, promote healthy bones, and is needed to ensure oxygen delivery to cells. To begin, the recommended amount of Vitamin C, according to the National Academy of Sciences (2011), is 15 grams a day. The diet shown on Table 1 exceeds this amount with 193.60 grams. While this may seem problematic, the National Academy of Sciences (2011) shows that toddlers can tolerate up to 400 mg of Vitamin C a day without adverse effects. If adverse effects are noticed, a parent could buy juices that are not fortified with ascorbic acid.
Next, the recommended amount of Vitamin D is 15mcg per day. The toddler’s menu shown on Table 1 has 3.14 mcg of Vitamin D; mostly from the whole milk on the menu. While it seems that this amount is very low, parents should keep in mind that Vitamin D is produced when a person is exposed to sunlight. Unless the toddler is not exposed to any sunlight, the body should produce enough Vitamin D on its own to sustain the health of the toddler. If the toddler is unable to spend time outdoors, or be exposed to sunlight, parents should consult their toddler’s doctor to see if a supplement is appropriate.
Third, the recommended amount of B12 for a toddler is 0.90 mcg/day (National Academy of Science, 2011). The toddler diet consists of 1.93 mcg/day, and is more than the recommended amount; however, the NAS doesn’t have any data regarding upper limit intakes since overconsumption of this vitamin is rare.
Fourth, the National Academy of Science (2011) recommends that toddlers consume 700 mg of calcium a day. The diet shown on Table 1 has 644.40 mg of calcium, which is less than the recommended daily amount, but does not include fortified juices and milk given to the toddler throughout the day.
Fifth, the recommended amount of iron is 7 mg a day (National Academy of Science, 2011), and the toddler diet I’ve created contains 9.38 mg of iron. Again, these amounts assume that the toddler is eating all the food that is offered, while keeping in mind that toddlers can tolerate up to 40 mg of iron a day without adverse effects (National Academy of Science, 2011).
Finally, the adequate amount of zinc for toddlers is 2 mg a day, and the National Academy of Science recommends that the daily amount does not exceed 7 mg a day. The amount of zinc in the toddler diet shown on Table 1 equals 6.60 mg. Surprisingly most of the zinc was consumed in the Cheerios cereal and the turkey sausage. Parents who are concerned about this could find a whole grain cereal with less zinc, or omit the turkey sausage in the breakfast pizza. While I stand by the toddler diet I created, I will admit that I had trouble deciding which nutrients to “trade off” for other essential nutrients. In my research on the Internet, I found contradictory information; for instance, the AHA (2011) says that 1-8 year olds should consume the equivalent of 2 glasses of milk daily, while the National Academy of Sciences (2011) recommends that toddlers consume 13 grams of protein a day. After sifting through what seemed to be endless amounts of conflicting facts and tips, I came across AskDrSears.com (2011) website that says, “We now realize that our job is simply to buy the right food, prepare it nutritiously (steamed rather than boiled, baked rather than fried), and serve it creatively. We leave the rest up to the kids. How much they eat, when they eat, and if they eat is mostly their responsibility; we 've learned to take neither the credit nor the blame.” I realized that I had been forgetting one important factor, the toddler; s/he may decide she likes calcium-rich foods early on in the week, and then decides s/he wants carbohydrates for the next three days. The purpose of the assignment wasn’t to find the “perfect” diet for a toddler; it was about trying to figure out the nutritional needs of a toddler, and then trying to find a diet that could meet those unique needs to the best of my ability. I think the diet I created meets a toddler’s needs, while allowing for a toddler’s inconsistent likes and dislikes.
References American Heart Association. (2011). Dietary recommendations for children. Retrieved October 11, 2011 from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/Dietary-Recommendations-for-Healthy-Children_UCM_303886_Article.jsp.
AskDrSears.com. (2011). Feeding the picky eater: 17 tips. Feeding Infants Toddlers. Retrieved October 11, 2011 from http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/feeding-infants-toddlers/feeding-picky-eater-17-tips).
Conde Nast Digital (2011). SelfNutritionData. Retrieved October 11, 2011 from http://nutritiondata.self.com/
Malley, C. (1991). Toddler development. Family Day Care Facts, Retrieved October 11, 2011 from http://www.nncc.org/child.dev/todd.dev.html#anchor172854.
National Academy of Sciences. Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board. . (2011). Dietary reference intakes: Recommended intakes for individuals. Retrieved October 11, 2011 from http://www.iom.edu/Activities/Nutrition/SummaryDRIs/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Nutrition/DRIs/5_Summary%20Table%20Tables%201-4.pdf.
Tucker, S., Pruitt, J., Stein, J., Cummings, B., Blake, J.S., & Thompson, J. (2010). Nutrition through the lifecycle: Childhood to late adulthood. In Nutrition, Health, and Wellness: An Applied Approach (pp. 740-746). New York, NY: Pearson Learning Solutions.
References: American Heart Association. (2011). Dietary recommendations for children. Retrieved October 11, 2011 from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/Dietary-Recommendations-for-Healthy-Children_UCM_303886_Article.jsp. AskDrSears.com. (2011). Feeding the picky eater: 17 tips. Feeding Infants Toddlers. Retrieved October 11, 2011 from http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/feeding-infants-toddlers/feeding-picky-eater-17-tips). Conde Nast Digital (2011). SelfNutritionData. Retrieved October 11, 2011 from http://nutritiondata.self.com/ Malley, C. (1991). Toddler development. Family Day Care Facts, Retrieved October 11, 2011 from http://www.nncc.org/child.dev/todd.dev.html#anchor172854. National Academy of Sciences. Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board. . (2011). Dietary reference intakes: Recommended intakes for individuals. Retrieved October 11, 2011 from http://www.iom.edu/Activities/Nutrition/SummaryDRIs/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Nutrition/DRIs/5_Summary%20Table%20Tables%201-4.pdf. Tucker, S., Pruitt, J., Stein, J., Cummings, B., Blake, J.S., & Thompson, J. (2010). Nutrition through the lifecycle: Childhood to late adulthood. In Nutrition, Health, and Wellness: An Applied Approach (pp. 740-746). New York, NY: Pearson Learning Solutions.
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