As a parent or guardian, making sure your kids are getting enough to eat daily will help to ensure they are healthy and growing. Know how many calories they need each day and how many calories they are eating is a useful tool to make sure they are growing & have enough calories to do all they things they want to do each day.

Calories in Calories Out

If you know how many calories your kids need each day and how many calories they are actually eating you can get idea what might be making them lose or gain weight. If your children are playing lots of sports each season, making sure they are getting enough to eat and drink is important to ensure they are growing and have the energy to do all the things they need to do each day.  

You can estimate how many calories your family burns during their workouts by putting in their weight using the following calculator.

*https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/healthtool-exercise-calculator.

Definition for Activity

Not Active: Does only light activity for daily like sitting in front of a computer for hours, watching TV.

Somewhat Active: Some daily energy. Does physical activity equal to walking for 1 ½ miles to 3 miles a day or about 30-40 minutes each day.

Very Active: Lots of energy out. Walking very quickly for more than 3 miles each day more than 40 minutes, jogging, running, cycling, etc.

Table 1. Calories Needed Each Day Based on Age and Activity Level.

Calories needed Each Day for Boys & Teens*

Age                        Not Active                       Somewhat Active             Very Active

2-3 yrs                   1000-1200 calories           1000-1400                      1000-1400

4-8 yrs                   1200-1400 calories           1400-1600                      1600-2000

9-13 yrs                 1600-2000 calories          1800-2200                       2000-2600

14-18 yrs                2000-2400 calories         2400-2800                       2800-3200

Calories needed Each Day for Girls & Teens

Age                        Not Active                       Somewhat Active             Very Active

2-3 yrs                   1000                                  1000-1200                        1000-1400

4-8 yrs                   1200-1400 calories         1400-1600                       1400-1800

9-13 yrs                 1400-1600 calories         1600-2000                       1800-2200

14-18 yrs               1800 calories                   2000                                2400

*From: http://wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov.

Calorie Calculator for over 15 years of age

Another way to determine how many calories kids need is to use a Calorie Calculator. To determine how many calories, you need per day use the following calculator,  https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html, if your child is 15 years of age of or older.

How Many Calories Are You Eating Each Day?

The free calorie-counting app, FatSecret (www.FatSecret.com)

includes a food diary, a very large food database, an exercise log, healthy recipes and a Barcode scanner you can use to track packaged foods.  In addition, there is a monthly summary view which can be helpful to help track your child’s overall progress. FatSecret is easy to use.

Bottom Line

Eat more of the best foods: lean protein, whole grain grains, lots of fruits and vegetables even if they have to be hidden in their foods or added to smoothies, low fat dairy products and less of the rest to make sure the foods your children are eating is a good mix of foods that help to ensure they are healthy and also provides them lots of calories do manage their growth and an active lifestyle.