Kids MD - Kids’ Food Pyramid

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Yvette J. Brown | CWK Network

"By using the food guide pyramid for kids, it can help parents have some more ideas about what to feed their kids."
- Kimberly Glenn, registered dietician -

Rachel, 2, is a small girl with a big appetite. "If she had her choice, she would eat cookies all the time," says her mom Dana Patton, "but she likes grains, breads — anything with milk in it. She eats a lot of cheese. She likes chicken and fruit."

Patton wants to make sure Rachel's meals are balanced and healthy. She uses the food pyramid from the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a guide, but according to health experts, it can sometimes be problematic.

"The food guide pyramid, even though it's widely recognized, it's still very confusing: What is a serving? How many servings a day? What variety of food do we need?" explains Kimberly Glenn, a registered dietician.

A better guide for parents is the food pyramid designed for kids age 2 to 6. It is specific, easy to read and shows what and how much kids should eat. The key is variety.

"It's better for the plate to have a little bit of fruit, little bit of vegetable, little bit of meat, little bit of starch," says Glenn.

Little kids can be picky, so experts say be patient, and don't fret so much about their daily eating habits. Glenn says: "The main thing is to know that kids' diets are gonna vary day to day. It's the overall picture you want to look at."

Rachel's mom says she has two goals in mind: the present and the future. "I want her to start good habits for later in life. I'd rather her go for the fish and the green beans when she's 20 because she's had that from the beginning."