The following examples of meals and snacks give an idea of the types of foods and amounts of foods, that meet the nutritional needs of 5 -11 year olds.
Did you know your stomach is roughly the size of your fist? Using an open hand can be a helpful visual guide for portion sizes eg a palm size for protein, a cupped hand for carbs, and a fist for vegetables.
Aim for portion sizes of meals to be the same size as your child’s open hand.
For more meal ideas visit The Caroline Walker Trust – www.cwt.org.uk
Daily meal plan 1
Breakfast
- Cornflakes with milk and raisins or banana
- Orange juice
Mid-morning
- Apple or grapes
- Carton of milk
School lunch
- Spaghetti and Bolognese sauce
- Cucumber and tomato
- Fruit yogurt
- Water
Packed lunch
- Wholemeal bagel with ham and soft cheese
- Pot of cherry tomatoes
- Frozen cherries mixed with fromage frais
- Bottle of water
After school
- Toasted crumpet with soft cheese
- Glass of milk
Tea
- Sweet and sour chicken with rice
- Fruit jelly
Daily meal plan 2
Breakfast
- Weetabix with milk and berries
- Orange juice
Mid-morning
- Banana
- Carton of milk
School lunch
- Jacket potato with Cheddar
- cheese and baked beans
- Apple crumble and custard
Packed lunch
- Wholemeal sandwich with low fat mayonnaise chicken, lettuce and tomato
- Pot of fruit yoghurt
- Bottle of water
After school
- Popcorn
- Glass of milk
Tea
- Fish pie, broccoli and peas
- Fruit jelly
The Eatwell Guide
The guide shows how much of what we eat overall should come from each food group to achieve a healthy balanced diet. It highlights the importance of fruits, vegetables, starchy foods, proteins and dairy.
Looking at your child’s meals, do you think they get a good mix of the different food groups? What small changes do you think could help make their meals more balanced?
Additional information and support
NHS
www.nhs.uk
Portion sizes (search ‘portion sizes’). Eatwell Guide (search ‘Eatwell Guide’)
