Nutrition

CARREFOUR D'INFORMATIONS

Learn about the different food groups and find examples of serving sizes for each group. Find information about the different nutrients in food and how much of each you need every day to stay healthy. Finally, learn what nutrition is optimal for your child from the time they are born to the time they are school-aged, a pre-teen and a teen.

For more videos from SickKids experts in collaboration with Youngster, visit Youngster on YouTube.

Nutrients and food groups

Use Canada’s Food Guide and other articles below to learn about the four food groups and how to get your child the vitamins and minerals they need from their food.

Canada's Food Guide

Vegetables and fruit

Whole grains

Protein foods

Balancing your family's diet and fitting in treats

Carbohydrates (carbs)

Sugar substitutes and caffeine: Acceptable daily intake

Food safety

Nutrition labels: Finding out about the food you eat

Vitamins and minerals
1. Vitamin B12
2. Vitamin D
3. Calcium
4. Folate
5. Iron
6. Magnesium
7. Zinc
8. Other vitamins and minerals

Nutrition for your baby

Read about the stages of your baby’s nutrition and how to safely feed your baby solids.

Nutrition for your baby

Understanding your baby's feeding cues

Introducing new food textures to your baby

Pasteurized food and babies

Nutrition for your toddler or preschooler

Discover ways of encouraging healthy eating with the help of meal plans and guidance on appetite slumps. Also find information on preventing choking in toddlers and preschoolers.

Feeding your toddler or preschooler

Drinks for your toddler or preschooler

Food likes and dislikes

Preventing choking in toddlers and preschoolers

Nutrition for your school-aged child, tween or teen

Support your child’s changing nutrition needs as they face changing activity levels, growth spurts, and influences from friends, family and media.

Meal ideas for school-aged children, tweens and teens

Involving kids in meal time tasks

Healthy food and drink choices outside the home

Vegetarian child

Fast foods: Better choices

Sports nutrition

Health and wellness

Find out why vitamins and minerals are important in your child’s diet and how to make sure they are getting enough. Also discover what fibre, prebiotics, and probiotics do for the digestive system.

Bone health: The role of calcium and vitamin D

Fat in children's food: What you need to know

Finding a weight that is right for you

Higher-fibre diet

Iron: Guidelines to improve your child's intake

Prebiotics and probiotics

Soy foods in your diet

Food safety

Learn about some of the infections and diseases caused by food poisoning and how handwashing and handling and storing food properly can help you prevent them.

Diarrhea-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)

Food poisoning: Protecting your family

Hand hygiene

Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu)

Symptoms of food poisoning

Pregnancy and nutrition

Good nutrition is important for gaining the recommended amount of pregnancy weight, supporting fecal development and reducing the risk of complications during pregnancy and birth.

Nutrition before and during pregnancy

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)

Digestive system

Learn about the roles of each part of the digestive system, and what good and bad bacteria do for the gut.

GI tract

Liver, gallbladder and pancreas

Gut flora