Kids and nutrition. This is a topic that seems to find itself circulating among "Mommy Group" and doctor's office. When your child is a toddler you worry that they aren't eating enough. When your child enters the teen years, your worry becomes how to keep up with all that they are eating. While getting enough to eat is important, the focus should be on what is actually being eaten.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designed two food pyramids to help ensure that children and adults get proper daily nutrition. The foods at the bottom of the pyramid should be consumed the most while those at the top should be regulated. The first pyramid is for children ages 2 to 6. It has separate guidelines because young children have different food preferences and eating patterns than older children and adults. The USDA recommends the following dietary needs for young children:

• 6 serving from the grain group (bread, cereal, rice, pasta)
• 3 servings from the vegetable group
• 2 servings from the fruit group (includes fruit juice)
• 2 servings from the meat group (includes other protein-rich foods)
• 2 servings from the milk group (includes all dairy products)
• Eat less fats and sweets

It is important to understand serving sizes. What most people think is one serving can actually be two or three. While a 2 or 3 year old should eat the same  number of servings as a 4 to 6 year old, the serving sizes will be smaller. And the serving sizes for young children in general will be less than those for older children or adults

The USDA recommends the following daily servings for older children, teens and adults:

• 6-11 servings from the bread, cereal, rice and pasta group
• 3-5 servings from the vegetable group
• 2-4 servings from the fruit group
• 2-3 servings from the meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts group
• 2-3 servings from the milk, yogurt and cheese group
• Fats, oils and sweets should be eaten sparingly.

Following these dietary guidelines will help ensure that your child is getting enough calcium, iron and fiber in their diet. These nutrients are especially important to growing children. Calcium promotes strong bone growth and tooth health. Iron is important for the quick growth that occurs during adolescence. It is particularly important for teen girls to replace what iron is lost during menstruation. Fiber is an important health benefit in that is may possibly reduce the chances of heart disease and cancer. It also helps to keep bowel movements regular.

As a parent, the best way to make sure your child grows up to have good eating habits is to establish a home where nutritious meals and snacks are available. Nutrition is also an area where kids model what they see. If you eat junk food, so will they. If you eat healthy, so will they. It may take some time to adjust, but a healthy diet is possible.

Eating healthy can even be fun. Involve your child in food shopping, preparations and meal planning. Fill the house with healthy snacks options, not potato chips, cookies and candy. Fruit smoothies, frozen grapes and bananas, celery and peanut butter, carrot sticks and bran muffins are all healthy choices for snacks. Any they taste good too.

Key to proper nutrition is eating a variety of foods. Be creative. Get your child involved.