Table 1.

South African food‐based dietary guidelines representing parallels of guidelines during the life cycle

Birth to 6 months	>6 months to <12 months	>1 to <7 years	Children >7 years, adolescents, adults
1. Enjoy time with your baby	1. Enjoy time with your baby
2. Breastfeeding is best for your baby for the first 6 months	4. Keep breast feeding your baby
	6. Teach your baby to drink from a cup
	2. From 6 months start giving your baby small amounts of solid foods
	3. Increase your baby's meals to five times a day	2. Feed children five small meals a day
		1. Encourage children to enjoy a variety of foods	1. Enjoy a variety of foods
3. Clean your baby's mouth regularly	5. Offer your baby clean, safe water regularly	8. Offer children clean, safe water regularly	9. Drink lots of clean, safe water
4. Take your baby to the clinic every month	7. Take your baby to the clinic every month	6. Take children to the clinic every 3 months
		7. Encourage children to be active every day	2. Be active
		3. Make starchy foods the basis of a child's main meals	3. Make starchy foods the basis of most meals
		4. Children need plenty of vegetables and fruits every day	4. Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits every day
		5. Children need to drink milk every day	5. Eat dry beans, peas, lentils and soy regularly
		9. Children can eat chicken, fish, meat, eggs, beans, soya or peanut butter every day	6. Chicken, fish, milk, meat or eggs could be eaten daily
			7. Eat fats sparingly
			8. Use salt sparingly
			10. If you drink alcohol, drink sensibly
		10. If children have sweet treats or drinks, offer small amounts with meals	11. Use food and drinks containing sugar sparingly and not between meals