USDA Food Pyramid Guidelines for Young Children Aged 2-6

Here is what the USDA recommends for young children. Four- to 6-year-olds can eat these serving sizes. Offer 2- to 3-year-olds less, except for milk. Two- to 6-year-old children need a total of 2 servings from the milk group each day.

Grain Group (6 servings)

• 1 slice of bread
• 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta
• 1/2 cup of cooked cereal
• 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal

Vegetable Group (3 servings)

• 1/2 cup of chopped raw
• or cooked vegetables
• 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables

Fruit Group (2 servings)

• 1 piece of fruit or melon wedge
• 3/4 cup of juice
• 1/2 cup of canned fruit
• 1/4 cup of dried fruit

Milk Group (2 servings)

• 1 cup of milk or yogurt
• 2 ounces of cheese

Meat Group (2 servings)

• 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish.
• 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans, or 1 egg counts as 1 ounce of lean meat.
• 2 tablespoons of peanut butter counts as 1 ounce of meat.

Fats and Sweets

• Limit calories from these.

Borrowed from U.S. Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, January 2000, Program Aid 1652. Accessed on March 8, 2005 at: http://www.usda.gov/cnpp/KidsPyra/.

Additional resources for parents:

USDA Food Pyramid handout for parents Link to USDApyramid_pt on DAV

The American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to your Child's Nutrition, edited by William H. Deitz, and Loraine Stern, 1999.