When it comes to menu planning, variety is important for more than making toddler taste buds tingle. No single food is perfect, so children need to eat many different foods for optimal nutrition. For instance, oranges are rich in vitamin C but lack vitamin B12. Apricots are high in beta-carotene. Scientists have only just begun to unravel the exact components of plants and animals that are good for humankind, and they continue to add to the list.

Only a few generalities are certain: fresh foods are better than processed; pesticide-free food is healthier. So take up cooking and go organic! The typical American diet consists of so much poor-quality food; parents need to learn to separate the wheat from the chaff so they can identify the good stuff. Fortunately, labeling has improved, which makes it easier to figure out which packaged goods are healthy choices.

The first thing chefs need to know is that besides supplying vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients needed for good health (such as fiber), foods provide energy. Energy is measured in calories. Calories, which are measured in grams, come from three sources: proteins, fats, and sugars. Children need all three kinds. Parents need to keep track of which kind of calories their youngsters consume to be sure they are serving enough of each.

SOURCES OF CALORIES

SOURCE	AMOUNT	APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF CALORIES
Protein	1 gram	4
Carbohydrate	1 gram	4
Fat	1 gram	9

The number of calories needed depends on a toddler's individual metabolism, growth rate, and activity level, so the average number of calories a child needs at any particular time will vary. Large, active toddlers need more calories; small, sedentary toddlers need fewer. Foods that are low in fat can still be high in calories if they contain a lot of sugar. You must read the labels to determine how many calories a food actually contains. Here are some general guidelines:

RECOMMENDED DAILY CALORIES

AGE	FROM PROTEIN	FROM CARBOHYDRATES	FROM FAT	TOTAL
	(15%)	(55%)	(30%)	(100%)
1	165	605	330	1,100
2	180	660	360	1,200
3	195	715	390	1,300

Nutritional Pyramid

What started as the Four Food Groups is now the Nutritional Pyramid. The following sections provide details on specific serving sizes, but the pyramid is a handy visual reference. The habits formed now will help keep your child healthy as he grows.

Servings of Protein

Protein, which is essential for good nutrition, comes from meats, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, and beans. It's the extras — the skin and fat or addition of oil for frying, butter for baking, and cream sauces for smothering — that quickly add to the calories from fat. Milk, cheese, and yogurt are also high in protein and are rich sources of another essential nutrient, calcium. Low-fat products are preferable for children over age two because they have fewer calories from fat. Provide two to four toddler servings of meat and high-protein alternatives daily, and three to four servings of milk, yogurt, and cheese. One toddler serving equals:

1 whole egg or 2 whites

¾ cup milk

¼ cup nonfat dry milk

¼ cup baked beans

3 slices turkey luncheon meat

¾ ounce hard cheese

½ cup yogurt

3 tablespoons cottage cheese

¾ ounce poultry, meat, or fish

1½ tablespoons peanut butter

Contrary to what people often think, grains are healthy foods and are not fattening. It's when you add butter, cheese, whole milk, and assorted fat-rich sauces that the calories from fat quickly add up.

Servings of Complex Carbohydrates

Bread, rice, cereal, and pasta, which are made primarily or wholly from grains, provide energy from complex carbohydrates. Parents should provide six to eleven servings per day. One toddler serving equals:

½ slice whole-grain bread

¼ English muffin

¼ whole-grain bagel

2 to 3 whole-wheat crackers

⅓ cup cold cereal

¼ cup cooked pasta or rice (brown or wild is best)

¼ cup hot cereal

Servings of Fat

When it comes to calories from fat, the problem is usually keeping children from getting too much, especially after age two — processed foods tend to be loaded with it. But don't let round tummies and folds of baby fat fool you. Toddlers don't need low-fat diets unless there's a special reason! Parents should provide five to eight servings per day from ages twelve to twenty-four months, and add a half serving to each end of the range from ages twenty-four to thirty-six months. One toddler serving equals:

¾ cup whole milk or yogurt

1½ cups 2 percent milk

1 tablespoon peanut butter

l egg

½ tablespoon oil, butter, margarine, or mayonnaise

9 French fries

2 chicken nuggets

1½ ounces beef, lamb, or pork

2½ ounces poultry

½ cup ice cream

The World Health Organization has recommended adding DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), a fatty acid found in mother's milk, to formula for bottle-fed tots. Studies show it can make a significant difference in mental and physical development. European formula manufacturers now include it in their recipes. Check with your pediatrician.

Servings of Vegetables

Vegetables contain small amounts of protein. What makes vegetables so important are the vitamins and fiber they also contain. Most of the vitamins are lost in the canning process. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) charts on packaged foods list how much of needed vitamins and other nutrients foods contain. If you're using a lot of preprocessed foods, learn to read the labels! Keep these points in mind:

Frozen vegetables are better than canned since fewer vitamins are lost in processing. Vegetables lightly steamed in cookware with a tight-fitting lid are better still. Raw vegetables are best of all.

Starchy vegetables like potatoes and yams are especially rich in nutrients, but they become a less-than-great choice when fat — butter, cheese, gravy, sour cream, or oil — is added.

Beans, which are rich in vitamins and fiber as well as protein, can meet vegetable or protein requirements.

Servings of Fruit

Fruit — including fresh, dried, frozen, and home-squeezed into juice — is rich in vitamins, especially vitamin C. Beware of fruit canned in sugary syrup, and juices that contain mostly sugar and only a squirt of real fruit juice. A few drops can result in a label that proclaims in large letters, “Contains real juice!” The question is how much juice, and you must read the label to find out.

Offer two or more servings of fruit per day. One serving equals approximately 1 tablespoon per year of life, so two-year-olds need at least 4 tablespoons per day. The equivalent is:

½ cup (4 ounces) of juice

3 to 4 tablespoons of fruit

Don't Forget Fiber!

Fiber is important for proper functioning of the bowels. Hefty portions serve as an antidote for chronic constipation. Offer three or more servings of vegetables per day. One serving equals approximately 1 tablespoon per year of life, so two-year-olds need at least 6 tablespoons per day. Besides raw vegetables, other high-fiber foods include whole-grain breads and cereals, beans and peas, and fruit.

Calcium Counts

Calcium is required for bone growth, so to ensure your child gets enough calcium, you will need to provide daily doses from another source. Good choices include broccoli, calcium-fortified orange juice, calcium-fortified soymilk, canned sardines or salmon (with the bones), goat's milk, kale, tofu, and turnip greens.

Serving Liquids

Toddlers need 4 to 6 cups of liquids daily under normal circumstances — more in hot weather or if they are ill with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. Besides water (from the tap or bottled, plain or carbonated), good sources of liquids include soup, fruit or vegetable juices, and milk.

But note that milk provides only ⅔ cup of liquid per cup served; the rest is solids. Also, many bottled waters do not contain fluoride. Either choose a brand and get the chemical composition from the bottler, or have your child drink tap water instead.

Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs)

The RDAs for children ages one through three are as follows (according to Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child by Janet Zand, Rachel Walton, and Bob Rountree):

Good Vitamins

It's important to include at least one vitamin A–rich and one vitamin C–rich food in children's diets each day.

Foods rich in vitamin A include: apricots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, carrots, green leafy vegetables, mangos, papayas, and sweet potatoes.

Foods rich in vitamin C include: bell peppers, broccoli, cantaloupe, citrus, kiwi, mangos, papayas, peaches, potatoes (with skin), strawberries, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes. As you can see, there are several foods that supply both vitamins.