Dear Ms. Shanmugaraj, My daughter is 9 years old. Can you please give me a healthy food chart that is good for her health. I want her to be tall and have good shiny skin. What care should I take for her at this age. Thank you, Mrs. Zeba Kanpur.   Dear Mrs Zeba, and Adeeba Thanks for writing in to NutritionVista with your diet queries. I am so glad that you want to know about a healthy diet chart for your young daughter. For Adeeba to be healthy, a combination of a healthy, balanced diet along with adequate physical activity is a must. Let me start with what I mean by a balanced diet: 1. Make sure Adeeba eats a variety of foods, especially fruits and vegetables: She can have one favorite food, which she may like to eat again and again...but her body needs all the varieties to work well. So,encourage her not to have any dislikes when it comes to food. Try and convince her to eat two fruits and three vegetables per day. These contain magic substances called 'anti-oxidants' that will help her hair stay shiny and lustrous. 2. Mrs Zeba, kids need calcium to grow strong bones, and milk is a great source of this mineral. Aim for 3 cups of milk per day. Substitutes for milk can be cheese, paneer, yoghurt, lassi etc. Green leafy veggies are also a great source of calcium. Eating enough calcium means Adeeba can grow up to be a tall, healthy girl. 3. Other than fruits, veggies & milk, give her foods like cornflakes, chapathis, whole wheat bread, beans, chicken, fish, dals etc to get adequate fiber & proteins. Keep her intake of junk & deep-fried foods to less than twice- a- month. 4. Limit the amount of time she spends watching TV or DVDs, playing video games, and using the computer. Get her outside to play games like basketball, tennis, 'catch-me' and hide and seek in the park with her friends. Staying active will help her maintain a healthy weight. Don't forget to encourage her to drink 7-8 glasses of water a day!! Till the next time, Sincerely, Padmashri Shanmugaraj Dietitian, NutritionVIsta.com