Based on current levels of intake, more than half of 2-18 year old US children consume less than the AHF goal. This range is thought to be safe even for children and adolescents with marginal intake of some vitamins and minerals. The USDA Food Pyramid guide suggests five servings of fruits and vegetables and six servings of breads, cereals, and grain products per day. The key to acceptance of this diet is a gradual increase, rather than sudden and dramatic changes in fiber intake. Each serving of these fruits has about 3g of fiber and these vegetables listed provide about 2.5g per serving.
Juices are low in fiber.
A changeover to whole-grain breads, cereals, and rice adds about 2.5g of fiber per serving. High fiber cereals such as bran may provide as much as 8 to 10 g per serving. Another step is to also introduce children to legumes and serve them at least once a week. Pinto beans, lentils, chick peas, and kidney beans are all good sources of fiber. Experts recommend a dual approach to achieving this goal.