Nutrition How much are children allowed to eat? Use child's hand for portioning

Delicious food for children: measure the portion by the hand
Health experts recommend consuming five servings of fruit and vegetables daily. This also applies to children. However, their needs are different from adults. Simple tricks can help you find the right portions.

Portion depends on the size of the child's hand
Unfortunately, studies have repeatedly shown that children are often fed unhealthily. Especially toddlers often take too many calories and proteins. However, it is advisable to eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. It is important here: the right amount is decisive. "The size of the portions depends on the hand size of the children", writes the consumer center North Rhine-Westphalia on their website. And the consumer information service aid explains: "The hand is always there when it comes to food. It is individual, grows with and thus takes into account the different needs of a person according to age and gender. "Small children who need less food, have smaller hands.

Children, like adults, should eat five servings of fruit and vegetables daily. The size of the portion depends on the size of the child's hand. (Image: yunava1 / fotolia.com)

Five servings of fruits and vegetables a day
According to the consumer advocates from North Rhine-Westphalia, it is recommended to consume at least three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit daily to meet the needs of all vitamins and minerals. A child's portion is about a small, palm-filling apple. For berries, small cut fruits or vegetables, peas and lettuce, one serving equals the amount that fits into two childish hands shaped into a bowl. With a slice of bread, the palm is taken as a benchmark. With flakes, rice and pasta should no longer land on the plate, as fits into two folded hands. For milk and milk products, one glass or one cup of yoghurt or quark corresponds to one serving. Since these also contain fat, "it is a good decision in the refrigerated section to grab the low-fat products with 1.5 percent fat," write the experts at the Consumer Protection Center. (Ad)