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Meal Patterns - Children

Meal Component Age 1 through 2 Age 3 through 5 Age 6 through 12
*Serve 2 or more separate and identifiable fruit/vegetable dishes
BREAKFAST - Serve the following 3 components (meat/meat alternate is optional).
1. Milk, fluid 1/2 cup 3/4 cup 1 cup
2. Fruit or Vegetable 1/4 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup
3. Grain or Bread
Bread 1/2 slice 1/2 slice 1 slice
Cereal - dry 1/4 cup 1/3 cup 3/4 cup
Cereal - hot 1/4 cup 1/4 cup 1/2 cup
4. Meat or Meat Alternate (optional)
Lean meat, poultry or fish 1/2 oz. 1/2 oz. 1 oz.
Cheese 1/2 oz. 1/2 oz. 1 oz.
Cottage Cheese 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp
Large egg 1/2 egg 1/2 egg 1/2 egg
Peanut butter or other nut/seed butters 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 2 Tbsp
Nuts or seeds 1/2 oz. 1/2 oz. 1 oz.
Yogurt, plain or flavored 1/4 cup 1/4 cup 1/2 cup
LUNCH or SUPPER - Serve all 5 components
1. Milk, fluid 1/2 cup 3/4 cup 1 cup
2. Fruit or Vegetable* 1/4 cup total 1/2 cup total 3/4 cup total
3. Fruit or Vegetable*
4. Grain or Bread
Bread 1/2 slice 1/2 slice 1 slice
Grain or Pasta 1/4 cup 1/4 cup 1/2 cup
Cereal - dry 1/4 cup 1/3 cup 3/4 cup
Cereal hot 1/4 cup 1/4 cup 1/2 cup
5. Meat or Meat Alternate
Lean meat, poultry or fish 1 oz. 1-1/2 oz. 2 oz.
Cheese 1 oz. 1-1/2 oz. 2 oz.
Cottage Cheese 1/4 cup 3/8 cup 1/2 cup
Large Egg 1/2 egg 3/4 egg 1 egg
Peanut butter or other nut/seed butters 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 2 Tbsp
Nuts or seeds 1/2 oz. 1/2 oz. 1 oz.
Yogurt, plain or flavored 1/4 cup 1/4 cup 1/2 cup
SNACK - Select 2 of the 4 components
1. Milk, fluid 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 1 cup
2. Fruit or Vegetable 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 3/4 cup
3. Grain or Bread
Bread 1/2 slice 1/2 slice 1 slice
Grain or Pasta 1/4 cup 1/4 cup 1/2 cup
Cereal - dry 1/4 cup 1/3 cup 3/4 cup
Cereal - hot 1/4 cup 1/4 cup 1/2 cup
4. Meat or Meat Alternate
Lean meat, poultry or fish 1/2 oz. 1/2 oz. 1 oz.
Cheese 1/2 oz. 1/2 oz. 1 oz.
Cottage Cheese 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp
Large egg 1/2 egg 1/2 egg 1/2 egg
Cooked dry beans/peas 1/8 cup or 2 Tbsp 1/8 cup or 2 Tbsp 1/4 cup or 4 Tbsp
Peanut butter or other nut/seed butters 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 2 Tbsp
Nuts or seeds 1/2 oz. 1/2 oz. 1 oz.
Yogurt, plain or flavored 1/4 cup 1/4 cup 1/2 cup