Organizing what your child will eat every day at home, at school, and during activities is not always easy.

Below you will find an indicative meal plan for children aged 2–6 and 7–12, with ideas for breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner. You will also find practical suggestions for a school lunchbox, so you have ready-to-use ideas for every day of the week.

The foundation of a balanced meal plan is variety: fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, dairy products, eggs, fish, lean meat, and sources of unsaturated fats such as olive oil. The World Health Organization emphasizes a diet based on a variety of foods with high nutritional value and limiting excessive intake of free sugars, salt, and saturated fats.

Important: The menus below are indicative. Portions and food choices can be adjusted according to the child’s age, sex, growth, appetite, physical activity, and any specific dietary needs.

Meal Plan for Children Aged 2–6

Childhood is an important stage of life, as it is a period during which eating habits and behaviors develop and may continue into adulthood.

According to the National Dietary Guide, children in this age group need a varied meal plan with small and regular meals, adapted to the appropriate texture and portion size.

The goal is to offer different foods throughout the day that meet their energy requirements as well as their nutritional needs. It is also important to allow children to follow their own hunger and fullness cues.

Learn more: Healthy Eating for Children: A Complete Guide for Parents

Meal Plan for Children Aged 7–12

During school age, children’s energy and nutrient requirements gradually increase. At the same time, school makes snacks an especially important part of their daily diet.

A weekly meal plan for an 8-year-old, a 10-year-old, or a 12-year-old does not need to consist of completely different foods. What mainly changes is the portion size and the way the plan is adapted to each child’s individual needs.

The National Dietary Guide recommends 3 main meals and snacks throughout the day, while emphasizing the daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, and grains, with a preference for whole-grain products.

Pro tip: Don’t forget water! Water should be the child’s main beverage. Their needs increase during hot weather or when they exercise. The National Dietary Guide gives an indicative water intake of approximately 3–4 glasses per day for children aged 2–3, 4–5 glasses for children aged 4–8, and 6–8 glasses for children aged 9–13, with needs varying depending on the circumstances.

Some Lunchbox Ideas

A weekly school menu should be simple, easy to carry, and filling enough to meet the child’s needs until the next meal.

To avoid having to think every morning about what to put in the lunchbox, choose a variety of foods from all the different food groups:

• 1 source of carbohydrates: whole-grain bread, oats, crackers or rice cakes
• 1 source of protein: cheese, yogurt, egg
• 1 fruit or vegetable: apple, banana, pear, cucumber, cherry tomatoes
• 1 source of healthy fats: tahini, peanut butter, nuts

This gives you a simple framework while allowing you to change the combinations from day to day.

Pro tip: On busy days, at Βιολογικό Χωριό you can find practical options for your child’s lunchbox, such as organic bars, rice cakes, dried fruit and other snacks. Choose products with a simple ingredient list and always check the nutrition label.

For Children Aged 2–6

At younger ages, priority should be given to foods with high nutritional value and simple flavors. Fruits, vegetables, dairy products, eggs, legumes, whole grains, fish and meat can form the basis of a child’s daily diet.

For days when you need something really quick, a simple snack could consist of:

• yogurt + banana + a little oats,
• milk + Freche Freunde children’s muesli with fruit and oats + fruit,
• Freche Freunde children’s fruit bar with fruit and oats + yogurt,
• whole-grain bread + tahini + banana,
• Freche Freunde children’s biscuits with fruit, with no added sugar,
• cheese + whole-grain bread + fruit,
• boiled egg + bread + tomato,
• Babybio or Vitabio fruit purée with no added sugar + yogurt,
• children’s corn snack + cheese + fruit.

Pro tip: Ready-made options can have a place in a balanced diet for children, as long as they are chosen carefully and properly incorporated into the overall meal. Ideally, a packaged snack can be combined with a food from a different food group, such as fresh fruit, yogurt, milk or cheese, always depending on the child’s age.

For Children Aged 7–12

At ages 7–12, children can participate more actively in choosing and preparing their meals. This is therefore a good period for them to develop practical eating habits that can stay with them as they grow older.

For a quick snack before or after school, some easy ideas include:

• MYBAR Kids children’s bar with fruit and nuts + a fresh piece of fruit,
• Freche Freunde children’s muesli with fruit and oats + milk or yogurt,
• Freche Freunde children’s fruit bar + yogurt,
• whole-grain bread + tahini or 100% peanut butter + banana,
• children’s whole-grain crackers + cheese + cucumber or cherry tomatoes,
• organic corn- or vegetable-based snack, such as options from Freche Freunde or Organix + cheese + fruit,
• homemade oat and banana muffin + a piece of fruit,
• rice cakes + 100% tahini + fruit,
• MYBAR Kids children’s bar with no added sugar + yogurt or milk.

Pro tip: Whenever possible, it is preferable to offer whole fruit, so that children become familiar with different textures, flavors and ways of eating.

Frequently Asked Questions About Weekly Meal Planning for Children

What can we do when a child refuses vegetables?

Don’t pressure them. Continue offering vegetables in small quantities and in different forms, such as in omelets, homemade pies, sauces, soups or meatballs. Adding flavorful sauces, such as homemade mayonnaise or a honey vinaigrette, to salads can also make eating them more enjoyable for the child. Repeated exposure, without pressure, can also help children gradually become familiar with new flavors and textures.

How many snacks per day are allowed?

Usually, 1–2 snacks can be incorporated into the daily routine of a child over the age of 2, depending on their age, hunger and schedule. A snack does not need to be large and should not regularly replace main meals.

How many times a week should children eat meat?

Meat does not need to be included every day. The National Dietary Guide recommends that children over the age of 2 consume red and/or white meat 2–3 times per week, while recommending limiting or avoiding processed meat, such as deli meats. As an indicative serving size, the amount of cooked boneless meat is approximately 60–90 g for children aged 4–8 and 90–120 g for children aged 9–13. On the remaining days, you can alternate meat with other sources of protein, such as fish, eggs and legumes.

A weekly meal plan for children can be a source of stress, but with planning and the right quality food choices, you can build healthy habits that will accompany your children throughout their lives.

To make this process even easier, at Βιολογικό Χωριό you will find pure ingredients, dozens of nutritious solutions for everyday snacks and unique Back to School offers, so you can fill your child’s lunchbox with energy, variety and great taste!

Olga Samouri
Dietitian-Nutritionist