Run into the supermarket for a gallon of low-fat milk, and on the way you'll notice an aisle completely devoted to sugary treats. Hurry into the deli for turkey on whole wheat, and you'll see a counter covered with mammoth-size muffins and cookies. You can't even drive down the road without viewing the never-ending neon lights of fast-food franchises.

It's tempting enough for us grown-ups, but how in the name of cheese puffs are parents supposed to keep all that junk food away from the kids? Trying to feed children healthy foods to eat that don't contain monosaturated glutamate, nuclear propellant number nine and neon green food coloring is a challenge to any parent who has ever read a food label.

"Children's nutrition is no small issue," says Doris Derelian, Ph.D., a registered dietitian and past president of the American Dietetic Association. "There is no better time than the early years to make an impact on lifelong habits that can contribute to healthy food eating and disease prevention."

Climbing the Pyramid

The Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children provides a basic outline of what kinds and how much food children should eat, Derelian explains. The foods in the pyramid form building blocks towards good nutrition. Like a giant puzzle, the pyramid is incomplete if any piece is removed. Kids should eat a variety of foods daily from all food groups:

  1. Fruits and juices (3 servings) includes apples, pears, strawberries and grapes
  2. Vegetables (3-5 servings) includes broccoli, spinach, corn, and carrots
  3. Grains (6-11 servings) includes whole grain products, breads, cereal, rice and pasta
  4. Meat (2-3 servings) includes meat, poultry, beans, nuts, seeds and eggs 
  5. Milk (2-3 servings) includes yogurt and cheese
  6. Fats, Oils and Sweets (use sparingly) includes sweets, desserts and salty snacks

Before age 2, children should not have restrictions on the amount of fat they consume. However, beginning at age 2, the dietary fat recommendations that apply to adults also apply to children. The best advice is to use the Food Guide Pyramid as your guide and offer children a variety of nutritious foods.

Don't Forget Breakfast

"Without eating breakfast, it's difficult to meet the recommendations of the Food Guide Pyramid," says Derelian. Typical breakfast foods like cereal, fruit juice, dairy products and breads are excellent sources of low-fat calories, carbohydrates and protein.

Remember that breakfast is brain food. "A school-aged child who fills his tank in the morning does better in the classroom. He'll perform better on tests and is more likely to remember what is learned at school," says Derelian.

Your toddler's entire world is his classroom these days. Be sure to fuel him up for a day full of learning through play. Some nutritionists now recommend changes to the Food Guide Pyramid to include more whole-grain and fewer dairy products. Check with your doctor for up-to-date nutrition information.