As you look at the recommended amounts for grains, keep in mind the most nutritious grain options are those that are whole. The amounts listed below act as a guide when meal planning. Offering whole grain foods at meals and snacks will help you establish a healthy eating pattern in your household.

Recommended amounts of grains for children 2-5:  

Children 2-3 years old need about 3 servings of grains each day.

Children 4-5 years old need about 5 servings of grains each day.

The following serving sizes count as 1 serving from the Grains Group:

• 1 slice of bread

• 1/2 cup of cooked cereal (such as oatmeal or cream of wheat)

• 1 cup of cereal

• 1 tortilla

• 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice

• 1/2 cup of cooked whole wheat pasta

parent QUOTE

“My WIC clinic let me know the specific amount of grains recommended for my child. They also told me a good way to make sure we got enough grains was to include one whole grain food at each meal. Starting to offer a whole grain at each meal was a lot easier for me to remember and worked for us! Now I know we are getting enough whole grains, which makes me feel better.”  ~ Kayli, parent of 1