A Food Diary for Tracking Your Child's Nutrition

A food diary can be a great way to keep track of the foods your kids are eating. There are many possible reasons to use a food diary with kids, such as to make sure that they are getting enough fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals from all of the different food groups. Your child's pediatrician or nutritionist may also instruct you to use a food diary with your child to monitor various health issues or conditions.

However, note that the American Academy of Pediatrics doesn't recommend calorie tracking or manipulation of food intake for the purposes of weight loss for kids or teens as this can lead to disordered eating, eating disorders, and other mental health concerns like low self-esteem. So, instead of using a food diary to focus on dieting or body weight, the attention should be on attaining a healthy lifestyle and positive eating habits.

Healthy Ways to Use Food Diaries for Kids

Your child's pediatrician or nutritionist may advise a parent to record their child's food intake in a variety of situations, says Amy Reed, a registered dietician nutritionist (RDN) practicing in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a spokesperson of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The most common reasons to use a food diary for kids, explains Reed, include investigating the following issues:

• Daily intake for weight gain or loss
• Food allergies
• Food reactions
• Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms
• Headaches
• Introducing a variety of foods to picky eaters
• Nutritional intake

Food diaries may be used to "determine if the child is getting inadequate or excess nutrients, such as calories, protein, or other vitamins and minerals," says Reed. This tool may be utilized to collect information for medical tests or research as well. Child athletes may also use food diaries to make sure they are consuming an optimal balance of nutrients and calories to support their physical needs. Additionally, says Reed, hydration may be monitored, often in relation to headaches.

Food diaries may be done using pencil and paper or digitally on a computer or app. "In today’s digital world many food diaries are kept digitally on a phone app," says Reed. However, note that many food intake tracking apps are not recommended for kids under 18, particularly due to the advertising that they may be exposed to that is geared toward adults, explains Reed.

How Much Food Do Kids Need?

Recording what your kids eat and drink in a food diary can help you understand how much food they are consuming each day. However, while it's fine to use this tool to generally gauge how much (and which foods) your child is eating, avoid explicitly monitoring each and every calorie.

In general, kids who are:

• 1-3 years old need about 1,300 calories each day
• 4-6 years old need about 1,800 calories each day
• 7-10 years old need about 2,000 calories each day
• 11-14 years old (boys) need about 2,500 calories each day
• 11-14 years old (girls) need about 2,200 calories each day
• 15-18 years old (boys) need about 3,000 calories each day
• 15-18 years old (girls) need about 2,200 calories each day

Be aware that the above calorie intakes are only a general guideline. Your child's caloric needs may vary greatly depending on their body type, development, height, weight, activity level, genetics, and other factors.

Food Groups

A food diary can also help you make sure your kids are eating a diet made up of a variety of nutrient dense foods from each food group:

• Fruits
• Grains, with a preference for whole grains
• Meat and beans for protein, especially lean or low-fat meats and including poultry, fish, eggs, and nuts
• Milk and dairy, especially low-fat dairy products, like cheese and yogurt, and other foods that are good sources of calcium and vitamin D
• Vegetables

How many servings they eat from each food group is going to depend on your child's age and caloric needs, but in general, you should expect your kids to eat foods from each food group each day.

Vitamins and Minerals

You can use the food diary to record and be on the lookout for foods that are good sources of fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, and any other nutrients that you are concerned that your kids don't get enough of.

Designing a Food Diary

Many kids struggle with eating a nutritionally balanced, healthy diet these days, and surprisingly, too many of them (and their parents) have no idea why. Childhood obesity, which is becoming alarmingly common, is also a serious health concern. Lots of kids don't get enough physical activity, but they also may not be aware of where extra calories are coming from that may contribute to weight gain.

A food diary of your child's meals can help you figure out what's going on. Is your child eating oversized portions? Is a snack turning into an extra meal? Or are they consuming a lot of highly caloric drinks or sweets? Are they eating enough fiber or protein to keep them full?

In addition to tracking what foods are eaten (and the amounts), record the time of day. Patterns may emerge that can be instructive. For example, maybe they are skipping breakfast, but then overloading on chips or cookies before lunch or feeling irritable. Or they may be eating a lot of sugar early in the afternoon and then experiencing an energy crash in the evening.

Asking your child to tune into their hunger and satiation cues (which you can also record in their food diary) can also help attain healthier eating habits. Recording their feelings also enables you to link what they are eating with how it's making them feel. This step is especially important if you are investigating possible allergies, reactions, or other food-related impacts on physical or mental health, such as on mood, energy level, or concentration.

Helpful Abbreviations

You may want to use the following shorthand to streamline your food diary reporting duties.

Meals

Abbreviations for meals include the following:

• B = Breakfast
• sAM = Morning Snack
• L = Lunch
• sPM = Afternoon Snack
• D = Dinner
• sBT = Bedtime Snack

Food Groups

Abbreviations for food groups include the following:

• D = Milk/Dairy
• F = Fruits
• G = Grains
• M = Meats/Beans
• V = Vegetables

Tips

Your child's food diary can be customized to monitor whatever food issues you (and their doctor or nutritionist) want to evaluate. You can also use one simply to get a better macro picture of their nutrient intake. Usually, parents will be the ones filling out the diary, however, older kids (tweens and teens) may prefer to take on this role.

"If the child is young, the family may want to have a visual chart that helps them track something specific that a child can use a sticker to mark how many cups of water they have drank or how many fruits and vegetables they have eaten," recommends Reed. "Older children may like to write the information into a diary that the parent can review."

When creating their food diary, decide which elements of their diet you want to monitor and then begin tracking it daily. Perhaps this is a journal of the food, an estimate of serving, and then your child's description of their hunger level pre and post-meal. Also, include any comments (such as "don't like it" or "yummy") or observations (such as potential allergic reactions or feeling tired) that they (or you) have.

"If a parent notices a pattern to their child’s eating, such as they notice a certain food may cause a rash or stomach aches, it is recommended that they reach out to their healthcare provider for assistance," recommends Reed. This step is especially important if not eating the food in question would involve eliminating nutritious foods (such as dairy) from your child's diet.

Use Caution

For some, warns Reed, a food diary can trigger disordered eating. "If a parent is concerned about their child having disordered eating, then keeping a food diary would not be recommended," Reed says. Additionally, note that research shows that the use of food tracking apps can result in negative feelings and behaviors, which can include body dissatisfaction and disordered eating.

A Word From Verywell

Using a food diary with your child can be a great way take a closer look at what they're really eating. Be sure, however, to use this tool in a positive way, as it can be easy (despite good intentions) for food monitoring to feel punitive or shaming. Aim to celebrate listening to hunger cues and eating nutritionally dense foods, but also leave room for sweet treats and other favorite foods in moderation.