With childhood obesity an epidemic, soft drinks sold in schools and junk food a part of the everyday diet, it's more important to raise kids on a healthy diet right from the start. Studies show that children who are exposed to healthful foods early on – vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes – develop a taste for these nourishing choices.

Whether you're a vegetarian yourself or considering becoming one and raising your children on a meatless diet, you may have questions and concerns. Most of us were raised eating meat. We learned in school that there were four basic food groups, and the meat group was an essential part of the plan. That nutrition picture is outdated, which is why the USDA has reworked their recommendations and published at www.mypyramid.gov.

The premise behind the government's current plan is that while there are basic requirements for nutrients that everyone needs, each individual can meet those requirements from a variety of different foods and in amounts matching one's activity level.

Simply plug in an age and amount of daily exercise to get customized recommendations for what to include in your daily diet. For example, a 2-year-old getting fewer than 30 minutes of exercise per day needs:

• 3 ounces of grains, at least one half this amount as whole grains
• 1 cup of vegetables, including dark green, orange and starchy
• 1 cup of fruit, including fresh fruit and 100 percent fruit juice
• 2 cups of milk or non-dairy calcium-rich drinks/foods
• 2 ounces of eggs, beans, nuts, tofu or soy protein products
• 3 teaspoonfuls of oil

The American Dietetic Association has long stated that appropriately planned vegetarian diets can satisfy the nutrient needs of people of all ages, including pregnant women, infants and children. Now these simple guidelines are available to ease your doubts and help families with the planning. By following the guidelines and providing a wide variety of foods from each group, you will ensure your child's diet meets his needs for protein, iron, calcium and zinc.

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.