Children grow and develop fast. They need the right food to give them energy, protein and other nutrients as they grow.
Children age 1 to 4 will usually have 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks each day.
Offer your child about 100ml water to drink with every meal.
Check our sample meal plans that give good nutritious options for your child. They are based on the children's food pyramid (for ages 1 to 4).
The food pyramid tells you what foods are best for your child and how much to offer.
Meal plan for a child age 1
This plan is for healthy child age 1 within the average range for growth at this age.
Breakfast
- 1 cup (200ml) milk for cereal and to drink
- 2 tablespoons (30g) iron-fortified wheat flakes
- half a mandarin in segments
Mid-morning snack
Lunch
- 15g cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons (30g) tomato pasta sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30g) cooked macaroni pasta
Mid-afternoon snack
- 1 teaspoon (12g) peanut butter
- 1 cracker
Dinner
- 30g chopped chicken
- 30g carrots and green beans
- half a scoop of mashed potato
- 47g yogurt
Evening snack
- 100ml breast milk or cow's milk
Food portions and servings to give every day
Meal plan for a child age 2
This plan is for a healthy child aged 2 years.
Breakfast
- 1 cup (200ml) milk for cereal and to drink
- 2 tablespoons (30g) iron-fortified toasted rice cereal
Mid-morning snack
- 1 slice (25g) wholemeal bread toasted, thinly spread with butter or margarine
Lunch
- 30g tinned tuna with small amount of mayonnaise added
- half cup (30g) sweetcorn
- 2 tablespoons (40g) cooked pasta
Mid-afternoon snack
- 2 thumb-size pieces of cheese (25g)
- 1 cracker
Dinner
- 30g beef mince
- 30g grated carrot
- half scoop (30g) mashed potato )
- 1 mandarin
Evening snack
- 200ml breast milk or milk
Food portions and servings to give every day
Meal plan for a child age 3
This plan is for a healthy child age 3.
Breakfast
- 1 egg
- 100ml unsweetened orange juice
- 1 slice wholemeal bread toasted with 5g butter or margarine
Mid-morning snack
- 1 small pot (47g) yogurt
- 5 to 6 raspberries, cut in halves
Lunch
- 1 falafel
- quarter tub (35g) hummus
- 3 to 4 cherry tomatoes, cut in quarters
- half small wrap
- 100ml low fat milk
Mid-afternoon snack
Dinner
- 30g salmon
- half cup (30g) carrots
- 1 scoop mashed potato
- 25g rice pudding made with 200ml milk
Evening snack
- 100ml milk
- half slice of banana bread (30g)
Food portions and servings to give every day
Meal plan for a child age 3 years on a vegetarian diet
This plan is for a healthy child age 3, whose family have a vegetarian diet.
Breakfast
- 30g porridge made with 100ml milk
- 100ml milk to drink
- 5 to 6 strawberries
Mid-morning snack
- 3 to 4 cucumber sticks
- 35g hummus
Lunch
- 1 boiled egg
- 1 slice of bread with 5g butter or margarine
- 1 mandarin
Mid-afternoon snack
Dinner
- 40g chickpeas, or 1/4 cup
- 40g onions and peppers, or half a cup
- 80g rice
- 1 pot (125g) plain yogurt
Evening snack
- 1 slice of malted fruit loaf with 5g butter or margarine
Food portions and servings to give every day
Meal plan for a child age 4
This plan is for a healthy child age 4.
Breakfast
- 200ml milk for cereal and to drink
- half a sliced banana
- 1.5 wheat biscuits (like Weetabix) with 100ml milk
Mid-morning snack
Lunch
- 80g beans
- 1 slice of wholemeal bread with 5g butter or margarine
- 1 pot (125g) plain yogurt
Mid-evening snack
- 100ml custard
- 40g stewed plums
Dinner
- 30g beef
- 80g stir-fried vegetables
- 75g noodles
- 100ml unsweetened orange juice
Evening snack
- Half a bagel with 5g butter or margarine
- 100ml milk
Food portions and servings to give every day
