The South Asian Food Pyramid for Children (age 1 to 6)
The South Asian Food Pyramid for Children has been created by PAMF pediatricians and nutritionists to help organize South Asian cuisine into categories based on serving size. It has been designed for children 1 to 6 years of age. A table has been provided below the pyramid to help you estimate how much of each major food group you should provide for your children based on age. The food portions are listed as one serving size, so be sure to multiply by the recommended servings for each group.
For example, for a 1 year old, one half of a small banana is considered one serving, but two servings of fruit are recommended per day, so this means one banana would fulfill this requirement. Remember, this is just a rough guideline to help you understand how much food your child needs each day.
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Below are suggested meal ideas for a South Asian diet based on the USDA nutrition pyramid.
Note: The following serving recommendations are for one day. They should be divided among the day's meals.
Food Group |
1 Year |
2-3 Years |
4-6 Years |
Milk Group
|
One Serving Is: -1 cup whole milk, lassi or yogurt -1oz cheese/paneer Calcium needs : 500 mg/day
|
One Serving Is: -1 cup low-fat milk, lassi or yogurt -1 oz cheese/ paneer Calcium needs : 500 mg/day |
One Serving Is: -1 cup low-fat milk, lassi or yogurt -1 oz cheese/paneer Calcium needs: 800 mg/day |
Vegetable
|
-2 tbsp chopped, raw or cooked vegetables
|
-1/4 cup cooked vegetables -½ cup raw or leafy vegetables
|
-½ cup chopped, raw or cooked vegetables -1 cup raw or leafy vegetables
|
Fruit
|
-1/2 small apple, banana, plum, orange, pear, etc. -1/2 cup juice |
-1 small apple, banana, plum, orange, pear, etc. -1/2 cup juice
|
-1 small apple, banana, plum, orange, pear, etc. -1 cup juice |
Protein
|
-2 tbsp (1oz) cooked lean meat,poultry,fish -1 egg -¼ cup cooked beans or lentils
|
-1 to 2oz cooked lean meat,poultry,fish -1 egg -1/2 cup cooked beans or lentils -2 tbsp peanut butter |
-2 to 3oz cooked lean meat,poultry,fish -1 egg -1/2 to ¾ cup cooked beans or lentils -3 tbsp peanut butter -1/8 cup walnuts or almonds
|
Grains *see below for more on grains
|
-½ slice bread, roti or chapati -1/4 naan -1/4 cup rice or upma -1/4 cup cooked dalia, oats, upma, cereal -1/3 cup ready to eat cereal
|
-1 slice bread, roti or chapati -1/2 naan -1/3 cup rice or upma -1/3 cup cooked dalia, oats, upma, cereal -1/2 cup ready to eat cereal
|
-1 slice bread, roti or chapati -1/2 naan -1/2 cup rice or upma -1/2 cup cooked dalia, oats, upma, cereal -3/4 cup ready to eat cereal
|
Fats & Oils Limit calories from fats and sweets |
For fats, cook with olive or canola oil rather than butter or ghee. Replace sweets with fresh fruits. | ||
*Replace refined grains such as white rice, maida and all purpose flour with brown rice and whole wheat grains which naturally contain more fiber, B-vitamins and iron. A diet high in fiber aids in reducing cholesterol, heart disease risk and prevents constipation. Limit calories from fats and sweets. For fats, use monounsaturated fats such as olive or canola oil rather than using saturated fats such as butter or ghee. Replace sweets with fresh fruits.