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Whole Grains for Your Preschooler
Make the change now! Replace refined grains with whole grains for extra fiber and nutrients.
Tips for Whole Grains in Your Preschooler's Diet
Ideas for whole grain foods, tips for choosing whole grain items, and ways you can add whole grains to everyday meals.
Whole Grain Granola Snacks Recipe
These hearty, hand-held snacks are more nutrient dense than many typical preschooler snacks.
Fiber Foods for Preschoolers
Some foods are super sources of fiber. Beans, bran, dried fruit, and certain fresh fruits and vegetables can make a significant dent in your preschooler’s fiber needs. Other plant foods like whole grains, nuts and seeds also contain fiber. Help your preschooler eat these foods throughout the day to meet the fiber goal.
Preschooler Fiber Goal
The recommended fiber goal for preschoolers is 19-25 grams per day.
Children 2-3 years old: 19 grams of fiber
Children 4-5 years old: 25 grams of fiber
Sample Preschooler Menu to Meet the Fiber Goal
You don't have to make huge changes in your preschooler's meals to provide enough fiber. This short menu of foods, if included in a single day's meals, contains enough fiber to meet the preschooler fiber goal.
3/4 cup oatmeal (3 g fiber)
1 banana (3-4 g fiber)
peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread (6-8 g fiber)
white chili with beans, 1/2 cup (4-6 g fiber)
1/2 cup brown rice (2 g fiber)
Fiber Content of Common Foods
In general, plant foods like beans, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds provide fiber. Meat products, cheese, eggs and milk do not contain significant amounts of fiber.
apple, 1 medium, with skin - 3.3 g
apple, 1 medium, without skin - 1.7 g
orange, 1 medium - 3.1 g
orange juice, 4 fl oz - 0.2 g
strawberries, 1 cup sliced - 3.3 g
peanut butter, 2 Tbsp - 1.9 g
almonds, 1 oz - 3.3 g
white bread, 1 slice - about 1 g
whole wheat bread, 1 slice - 2-3 g
refried beans, 1/4 cup - 3.3 g
black beans, 1/2 cup - 7.4 g
red kidney beans, 1/2 cup - 6.5 g
white beans, 1/2 cup - 6.3 g
soybeans (edamame) - 2 g
broccoli, ½ cup chopped - 2.6 g
sweet potato, 1/2 medium - 2.4 g
For a more complete list of foods, visit Fiber Content of Foods, from Harvard University Health Systems.
Tips for Meeting the Preschooler Fiber Goal
1. Include as many plant foods as possible throughout the day.
2. Choose breakfast cereals that are made with whole grains and have several grams of fiber per serving.
3. Replace refined grain products like white bread, white bagels, and refined wheat crackers with whole grain versions. For more tips on whole grains visit Tips for Adding Whole Grains to Your Preschooler's Diet.
4. Choose whole fruits and vegetables over fruit juice and vegetable juice.
5. Add beans! Use black beans or refried beans on quesadillas, choose soups and stews with beans, use tofu in place of meat occasionally, and make a snack out of edamame.
Reference:
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2006. USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 19. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page, http://www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata
by Kati Chevaux
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