Child Nutrition Additional Resources

If your own child or a child you know is malnourished or at risk of malnourishment, please know that you are not alone in helping that child be healthy. President Dallin H. Oaks said, “None shall resist the plea that we unite to increase our concern for the welfare and future of our children—the rising generation.”¹ No matter your circumstances or where you live, there are many local and online child nutrition resources that can help your child eat healthy foods and have proper nutrition. By connecting families with the nutritional resources they need, we hope that children around the world can reach their full potential.

What child nutrition programs and services can help?

In addition to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint’s child nutrition efforts, there are many global organizations and local services that share the same goal of helping children to reach their full potential through healthy nutrition. You can find help through global nutrition-focused organizations, or you can find local immediate help by visiting clinical services in your area.

In addition to these nutrition-focused organizations, there are many local child nutrition programs such as school nutrition programs and human services whose goal is to help children to meet their nutritional needs. Talk to your Church leaders or local clinic to see if there is a child nutrition program available in your area.

What child nutrition resources can I use for nutritional information?

Healthy eating guidelines usually differ from country to country depending on what food is available and what guidelines the country sets. To find your country’s children’s health guidelines, visit a local clinic to see what child nutrition resources they have for your area. You can also conduct a search online for your country’s child food-based dietary guidelines. You can also find many countries’ dietary guidelines in this list provided by the FAO.

For examples of general healthy eating guidelines and nutritional information, read resources from trusted health organizations like the World Health Organization and Mayo Clinic.

For other educational help on child nutrition, review the other child nutrition resources on the Church’s site. Here, you can find educational resources on gardening, healthy eating, breastfeeding, and more.

Learn More about Child Nutrition Topics

Other Child Nutrition Resources

Food Journal

As you make efforts to give your child healthy foods, it may be helpful to keep a food journal for a short period of time to track your progress toward better nutrition for your child. In a food journal, you can record the foods your child eats every day and see whether they are meeting healthy food guidelines. Find a place to keep track of food every day (notebook, computer document, food journal app, etc.), and separate the food your child eats in a day by food groups. Or you can download and print a food journal template (like this one from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention) and track your child’s meals there.

Food journals can be used to track nutrition in detail; for example, if you wonder whether your child is eating enough fruits and vegetables, it can be helpful to track what your child eats for 3 to 4 days to help you get a better sense of how well your child’s diet meets basic guidelines.

Nutrition Games for Kids

If you are struggling to get your child to eat nutritious foods, there are online games that can help your child to be more interested in eating healthy foods. Check out some free games at the Kid’s Corner on nutrition.gov.

Healthy Recipes

Do you need help coming up with healthy meals for your family? There are many free websites that offer less-expensive and easy nutritious recipes for families. Trusted health organizations and websites such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture may also have healthy recipes for kids that you can download for free.

Local Leader Support

Church leaders including Relief Society presidents,elder’s quorum presidents, and ministering brothers and sisters are available to help you meet your child’s nutritional needs. Talk with your local leaders to see what Church and local resources they can connect you with.

How can I connect others with child nutrition resources?

If you know or minister to someone who could benefit from these child nutrition resources, talk to a Church leader who can connect them with the help they need. As appropriate, you can also share these resources with them online or print these resources for them to use and learn from. Use the Healthy Eating Leader Guide to learn more about helping others to learn about child nutrition.

If you know a child who is at risk of malnourishment, it is critical to connect them with medical help immediately. Prayerfully consider ways you might work with the parent to help the child get needed clinical services promptly.

References

1. Dallin H. Oaks, in “Protect the Children,” Liahona, November 2012.