Here's How Much Fiber Your Child Needs Every Day

Inside: Most kids fall short on fiber. Here’s how much they need by age—plus what that looks like in real, kid-friendly foods.

Fiber is like the Jan Brady of nutrients.

It does so many good things! Yet it’s often overlooked—and overshadowed by fellow nutrients like protein. Most people (both grown-ups and kids) only get about half the fiber they need every day.

As a registered dietitian, I’m practically obligated to geek out over fiber. But as a mom, I know it’s helpful to see exactly what it looks like in a typical kid’s diet. So I made these age-by-age visuals to show how kid-friendly fiber can be.

What does fiber do?

Helps prevent constipation, a common problem for kids
Makes meals and snacks more filling and satisfying
Helps lower cholesterol levels
Boosts gut health by feeding healthy gut bacteria

Plus, studies show a fiber-rich diet can also help lower the risk of obesity, cancer, and Type 2 diabetes.

How much fiber do kids need?

A rule-of-thumb for children that’s easy to remember is “Age + 5”. For instance, if a child is 10 years old, their fiber goal is 15 grams.

But the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends higher amounts, and that’s what I’m showing below in my visuals. The ranges below are for girls (smaller number) and boys (larger number).

Daily Fiber Needs For Children

AGE GROUP IN YEARS	GRAMS OF FIBER
2-3	14
4-8	17 -20
9-13	22-25
14-18	25-31

Source: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025

***Please note that the visuals below are just for reference. They do NOT illustrate how much food your child needs every day. They’re simply foods that can contribute to their fiber needs. Fiber amounts for each food are approximates.

Plate showing high fiber foods for toddlers and preschoolers

Fiber needs for 2-3 year olds: 14 grams

Here’s what 14 grams of fiber looks like:

1 cup Cheerios: 3 grams
1/2 banana: 1.5 grams
2 slices whole wheat bread +2 tablespoons peanut butter: 6 grams
1/2 cup cooked baby carrots*: 2 grams
1/2 cup broccoli: 2 grams

*Baby carrots can be a choking hazard for children under 4. Cook them until very soft before serving.

Plate showing high fiber foods for gradeschoolers

Fiber needs for 4-8 year olds: 17-20 grams

Here’s what 17-20 grams of fiber looks like:

1/2 cup strawberries: 1.5 grams
1/2 cup corn: 3 grams
1/2 cup applesauce: 2 grams
1 orange: 3 grams
1 cup whole wheat pasta: 6 grams
1/2 cup oatmeal: 4 grams
1/2 cup sugar snap peas: 1 gram

Plate showing high-fiber foods for tweens

Fiber needs for 9-13 year olds: 22-25 grams

Here’s what 22-25 grams fiber looks like:

3 cups popcorn: 3 grams
1 medium sweet potato: 3 grams
1/2 cup black beans: 7 grams
Green salad with 1/2 cup chopped peppers: 3 grams
6 whole grain crackers (like Triscuits): 3 grams
1/2 cup red raspberries: 3 grams
1/2 cup granola: 3 grams

Plate showing high-fiber foods for teens

Fiber needs for 14-18 year olds: 25-31 grams

Here’s what 25-31 grams of fiber looks like:

1/2 cup corn: 3 grams
1 orange: 3 grams
1/2 cup snap peas: 1 gram
1 cup Cheerios: 3 grams
1/2 cup raspberries: 3 grams
1/2 cup black beans: 7 grams
6 whole grain crackers: 3 grams
1/2 cup baby carrots: 2 grams
1 side salad with peppers: 3 grams
1/4 cup granola: 1.5 grams

10 Fiber-Rich Foods For Kids

1. Pears: One of the highest-fiber fruits, with six grams per medium pear. Keep the peel on for maximum fiber.

2. Potatoes: One medium potato (with the skin) packs three grams of fiber plus a surprising amount of vitamin C.

3. Oats: All varieties whether old-fashioned, instant, or steel-cut are whole grain and rich in fiber. Each cup of cooked oatmeal has four grams of fiber. Top it with fruit for even more. Get a recipe for my No Bake Cookie Overnight Oats

4. Beans: Beans are loaded with protein, iron, and fiber. A half-cup portion of cooked black beans has about 6 grams of fiber.

5. Flaxseed and chia seeds: Sprinkle these seeds into oatmeal, smoothies, and baked goods. Each tablespoon has 3-4 grams of fiber.

6. Popcorn: The perfect crunchy snack that’s a natural source of whole grains. There’s a gram of fiber in each cup. Here’s my easy stovetop popcorn recipe.

7. Apples: Both the skin and the flesh have fiber. There are four grams of fiber in a medium apple, plus lots of water to hydrate. Here’s how to keep apple slices from looking brown in lunchboxes.

8. Lentils: A one-half-cup serving of cooked green lentils has nine grams of fiber, plus the amount of protein in two ounces of beef! Try these two lentil recipes: Lemony Lentil Soup and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Lentil Cookies

9. High-fiber cereal: Check labels for brands that contain at least 3-5 grams of fiber per serving. Add a handful of blueberries or a sliced banana for extra fiber. Here’s how to pick a healthy breakfast cereal.

10. Edamame: Out of their pods, these nutty soybeans contain four grams of fiber per half-cup.

Questions About Kids and Fiber

Do I need to count up grams of fiber?

Nope! I don’t recommend tallying up calories or grams. Food should be about enjoyment, not math. The fiber amounts shown here are just to give you a sense of how much different foods contain so you can feel confident you’re on the right track.

Focus on serving more fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and beans/lentils. And look at food labels for fiber, choosing foods like breads and cereals that contain more.

What are the signs of low fiber in kids?

Constipation in kids is a red flag that your child may not be getting enough fiber.

Another possible sign is frequent hunger after eating. Fiber-rich foods are filling because they tend to contain a lot of water (think fruits and veggies) and take longer to chew (think whole grain bread and pasta), which sends feel-full signals to the brain. Fiber-rich foods are also digested more slowly than low-fiber foods, which keeps you fuller longer.

Should I give my kids a fiber supplement?

Food is the best way to get fiber because you get the complete package, including all the vitamins, minerals, and healthy plant compounds. But if your child is extremely picky and eats few foods, talk to your doctor about whether some kind of fiber supplement is appropriate.

My kid gets a lot of fiber but is still constipated. What gives?

It’s actually possible to eat fiber foods and still be constipated. That can happen when you’re eating foods mostly rich in one kind of fiber, and not the other.

For instance, if you eat mostly berries, corn, and brown rice for fiber, you’re getting mostly insoluble fiber. That kind of fiber is what we think of as “roughage” and it bulks up poop so it’s easier to pass.

But you also need soluble fiber every day too, the kind that forms a gel and softens poop. Sources of soluble fiber include beans, oats, carrots, and the skin on apples and pears.

How much fiber do adults need?

Women need 22-28 grams a day (and men 28-34 grams), according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.