Green Body & Home - How much should my kid be eating?

How much should my kid be eating?

Rule of Thumb:

Children should be eating about 1000 calories per day plus 100 for each year of age.  So a 4 year old should be eating about 1400 calories per day, and an 8 year old should be eating 1800 calories per day, and a 16 year old about 2,600 calories per day.  They should also be eating about 1g of protein for every two pounds of body weight. So a 60lb child needs about 30g of protein per day.

To get ideas about things to feed your kids to equal that in calories visit www.eatthismuch.com and plug in your #'s. 

Children who don't get enough total calories show irritability, anxiety, lethargy, crying easily, difficulty focusing/inattention, behavioral rigidity and/or insomnia.    

Adapted from Judy Converse's book "Special-Needs Kids Eat Right"

Here's another link to great recipes that are yummy and can be adapted to food allergies/sensitivites/intolerances:

https://www.facebook.com/mykidslickthebowl/posts/

The “Green Body & Home” blog posts are brought to you by the PTA. They provide general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment.