Encourage and support breastfeeding
Children and adolescents need sufficient nutritious foods to grow and develop normally.
- Growth should be checked regularly for young children.
- Physical activity is important for children and adolescents.
Enjoy a wide range of nutritious foods.
Children and adolescents should be encouraged to:- eat plenty of vegetables, legumes and fruits
- eat plenty of cereals (including breads, rice, pasta and noodles), preferably wholegrain
- include lean meat, fish, poultry and/or alternatives
- include milks, yoghurts, cheeses and/or alternatives. Reduced-fat milks are not suitable for children under two years, because of their high energy needs, but reduced-fat varieties should be encouraged for older children and adolescents
- choose water as a drink
- limit saturated fat and moderate total fat intake. Low-fat diets are not suitable for infants
- choose foods low in salt
- consume only moderate amounts of sugars and foods containing added sugars.
Care for your child's food: prepare and store it safely.
© Commonwealth of Australia, 2003. Reproduced with permission of the Australian Government, 2009