Women’s & Children’s Hospital
High Fibre Diet
for Children
Information for parents and caregivers
What is fibre?
Fibre is the part of food that cannot be digested by the body. For this reason, when we eat fibre, it
moves into our intestine and helps to keep our bowel healthy.
It is found only in plant foods, particularly in the skins and seeds of fruit and vegetables and in the
bran or outside layers of grains (wholegrain breads and cereals).
There is no fibre in animal foods such as meat, fish, chicken and dairy products.
What does fibre do?
Fibre is not just one substance - there are a number of different types of fibre found in food. You will
often find more than one type of fibre in the same food.
Soluble fibre
Soluble fibre forms a gel when mixed with water, making your bowel contents more viscous, so food
stays in the digestive tract for longer. This is important for people who suffer from diarrhoea. It is also
beneficial to help lower blood cholesterol levels.
It is found in fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges, strawberries, grapefruit and vegetables such
as potatoes, peas, beans, cabbage, cauliflower. It is also found in legumes such as lentils and other
grains such as oats and barley.
Insoluble fibre
Insoluble fibre increases stool bulk, helping to improve bowel function and increase the rate at which
contents travel through the bowel. This can help to relieve constipation.
It is found in wholegrain and wholemeal breads and cereals, pasta, nuts and seeds and the skins of
fruit and vegetables.
Resistance starch
Resistant starch is a type of starch found in plant foods that escapes digestion in the small bowel.
Resistant starch may provide similar benefits to other types of fibre, such as helping to prevent
constipation. It is found in firm bananas, boiled long grain rice, baked beans and cornflakes.
Why is fibre important for my child?
Fibre is an important part of a healthy diet. Children who have a low fibre diet are at risk of poor
bowel health or constipation. Encourage your child to have nutritious high fibre meals and snacks
throughout the day. This includes plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and wholegrain breads and
cereals. Reduce unhealthy, lower fibre snacks such as lollies and chips.
Fluid is important too!
Dietary fibre absorbs water to help keep the stool soft and for this reason it is essential that children
have enough fluid. It is important to encourage your child to drink plenty of fluid (mainly water)
throughout the day.
Good sources of fibre
Bread
> Wholemeal and multigrain breads are an excellent source of fibre. High fibre white breads have
less fibre than wholemeal bread but are still a reasonable choice.
> Try making sandwiches with one slice of wholemeal bread and one slice of white bread.
> Choose wholemeal muffins and crumpets over ordinary varieties.
> Wholemeal pita and Lebanese breads are also excellent sources of fibre.
> Toasted fruit loaf makes a great snack!
Cereals
> Choose wholegrain varieties (e.g. weetbix, vitabrits, sultana bran, mini wheats, fruity-bix, muesli)
> Porridge made with rolled oats.
> Add a spoonful of wheat bran, oat bran or a bran mix to breakfast cereal.
> Add dried fruit to breakfast cereals.
> Try fruit balls made with crushed weetbix and diced dried fruit (see recipe).
> Encourage whole fruit rather than canned fruit or fruit juices. Whole fruit contains much more fibre
than fruit that has been processed.
Other bread and cereal products
> Choose wholemeal cracker biscuits (e.g. wholemeal saladas or wholemeal premiums) for a snack.
> Offer brown rice and wholemeal pasta for a change.
> Try baking cakes, biscuits or scones with a mixture of ½ wholemeal and ½ ordinary flour.
> Use wholemeal breadcrumbs or oats in rissoles and burgers or for toppings on mornays and
casseroles.
> Crushed weetbix or rolled oats make excellent crumble toppings for desserts.
> Add almond meal or LSA (linseed sunflower and almond meal) into cereal, or bread/cake mixes
Fruit
> Encourage whole fruit rather than canned fruit or fruit juices. Whole fruit contains much more fibre
than fruit that has been processed. Wash it thoroughly and eat the skin where possible.
> Add dried fruit to cakes and biscuits.
> Cut up fruit for a platter after school.
> Freeze wedges of fruit on paddle pop sticks for an icy fruit snack. Try frozen grapes for a change.
Vegetables
> Eat a wide variety of fresh vegetables.
> Where possible, leave the skin (washed) on potatoes, zucchini, carrots and other vegetables.
> Add grated or chopped vegetables to hamburger patties, pasta sauces (eg. spaghetti bolognese)
and casseroles.
> Offer salads as an alternative to vegetables.
> Puree up numerous mixed vegetables and use as a base for soups and sauces (such as spaghetti
bolognese)
> Try oven based veggie chips such as carrot or sweet potato.
> Make the most of tinned or frozen vegetables as they are also very nutritious.
Dried peas, beans and lentils
> Try baked beans on toast for a fast healthy meal.
> Add a can of red kidney beans to taco mix for a Mexican flavour. You can use them together with
mince meat in dishes such as chilli con carne and spaghetti bolognese.
> Try lentil burgers as an alternative to meat patties.
> Buy bean sprouts at the market or ‘sprout’ your own and add these to salads or stir fries.
> Try chick pea dip (hommus) on wholemeal dry biscuits for an after school snack.
Bran
It may not be necessary to add bran to your child’s diet as enough fibre can usually be obtained from
wholegrain breads and cereals, fresh fruit and vegetables.
If required, wheat, oat and rice bran can be used to:
> Add to breakfast cereals, stewed fruit and yoghurt.
> Mix into meat patties, mince, casseroles and thick soups.
> Add to biscuits, muffins, cakes and pancakes.
Psyllium husks are another source of fibre that can be added into foods.
Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds (including coconut) are high in fibre. However, these foods are not suitable for
younger children because they are at risk of choking on foods (see next section). Whilst healthy, nuts
and seeds are also high in fat and should only be eaten in small quantities if your child has a weight
problem.
For younger children:
> Nut pastes that are smooth can be used e.g. smooth peanut butter
> Use almond meal or LSA (linseed, sunflower and almond mix) in cereal, smoothies, yoghurt or
homemade breads, cakes and muffins
For older children:
> Try a handful of nuts and dried fruit as a snack.
> Try muesli for a breakfast cereal or sprinkle on other cereals and on ice cream and fruit.
> Add to cakes and biscuits.
> Try spreading peanut butter on wholemeal bread for an after school snack.
Recipes
Vegetable patties
Ingredients
2 zucchini, grated
1 parsnip, peeled and grated
1 carrot, washed and grated
1 red capsicum, de-seeded & finely
chopped
½ cup grated matured cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup wholemeal breadcrumbs
salt, pepper to taste
Method
Combine vegetables, cheeses, parsley, eggs, breadcrumbs and season to taste. Shape into patties.
Lightly fry in oil or microwave 6 patties at a time uncovered, on High for 2 minutes.
Fruit balls
Ingredients
10 crushed weetbix (can use weetbix hi-bran or use 7 weetbix and ¼ cup bran)
1 cup mixed dried fruit, diced (sultanas, dried apricots or dried fruit medley)
½ cup crushed nuts
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 tin sweetened condensed milk
Method
Mix all ingredients together. Place bowl of mixture in the refrigerator for an hour. Roll into balls and
toss in coconut.
Variation
Combine ingredients with 1 cup desiccated coconut. Mix well. Press into a lamington tin. When
firm, cut into squares.
How much fibre do children need?
Children have lower fibre requirements than adults, but still need enough fibre to keep them regular.
Their requirements are as follows:
1-3 yrs:
14g/day
4-8 yrs:
18g/day
9-13 yrs:
Boys: 24g/day. Girls: 20g/day
14-18 yrs:
Boys: 28g/day. Girls: 22g/day
The following table shows the amount of fibre in common food choices:
FRUIT
Serve
FIBRE (grams)
Pear
1 medium
5
Banana
1 medium
4
Apple with skin
1 medium
3.5
Orange
1 medium
3.5
Peach
1 medium
2.5
Grapes
1 cup
2
Plum
1 medium
2
Strawberries
½ punnet
2
Nectarine
1 medium
1.5
Apricot
1 medium
1
Sultanas
1 heaped Tbsp
2.0
Prunes
6
4.7
Fruit juice
1 glass
0
Peas
½ cup
4.5
Spinach
½ cup
4.5
Potato with skin
1 medium
3
Potato no skin
1 medium
2
Broccoli
½ cup
3
Carrot/Sweetcorn
½ cup
2.5
Cauliflower/Pumpkin
½ cup
2
Zucchini
½ cup
1.5
Tomato (raw)
1 medium
1.5
VEGETABLES
(cooked)
BREADS & CRACKERS
Serve
FIBRE(grams)
White bread
1 slice
1
White “hi-fibre” bread
1 slice
1.5
Multigrain bread
1 slice
1.5
Wholemeal bread
1 slice
2
Jatz
5
0.5
Vita Wheat Crackers
4
3
Sultana Bran
1 cup
6.5
Muesli
½ cup
6
FibrePlus
1 cup
6
Just Right
1 cup
5
Weet bix
2 biscuits
3.5
Porridge
1 cup
3.5
Sustain
1 cup
3.5
Weeties
1 cup
4
Cornflakes Wholegrain
1 cup
3
Rice bran
1 Tablespoon
2.5
Oat bran
1 Tablespoon
2
Cornflakes
1 cup
1
Nutrigrain
1 cup
1
Rice Bubbles
1 cup
0
Baked beans
½ cup
6
Red kidney beans
½ cup
6.5
3 bean mix
½ cup
6.5
CEREALS
LEGUMES
Safe eating for younger children
Babies and young children are more likely to choke on their food. Young children do not have the
back teeth to chew and grind lumps of food properly. These teeth may not be fully developed until
around five years of age.
If young children run, play, laugh or cry while eating they are more likely to choke. Children should
be encouraged to sit quietly while they eat and should never be force fed. Parents or caregivers
should always watch young children carefully when they are eating.
Some foods should not be offered to children under five years because they can be unsafe:
> Don’t give foods that can break off into hard pieces. For example, avoid raw carrot sticks, celery
sticks, apple pieces and whole grapes. These foods should be cut up, grated, cooked or mashed.
> Tough skins on sausages and frankfurts should be removed. Sausages, frankfurts and other
meats should be cut into small pieces.
> Don’t give popcorn, nuts, hard lollies or other similar foods to young children.
Consider doing a first aid course. This can give you the skills to help in a situation where your child is
choking, or where other first aid care is needed.
Food product information contained in this resource was up to date at the time of revision. If you are not sure
about a food, check with the manufacturer.
Produced by
Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service
Nutrition Department
72 King William Road
North Adelaide SA 5006
Non-English speaking: for information in languages other than English, call the interpreting and Translating Centre
and ask them to call The Department of Health. This service is available at no cost to you, contact (08) 8226 1990.
© Department of Health, Government of South Australia. All rights reserved. Revised and printed March 2010.