Every number in a Growing Plate guide links to where it came from. Here’s the order of trust we follow.
1. National guidance
Daily nutrient amounts come from the Dietary Reference Intakes set by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, as published by the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Food guidance draws on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the CDC.
2. Professional associations
Feeding, drinks and development guidance comes from the American Academy of Pediatrics (including HealthyChildren.org) and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For international readers we note where the WHO or the UK NHS differ.
3. Peer-reviewed research
Where guidance is silent — for example, how many tries it takes for a child to accept a new food — we cite systematic reviews and well-designed studies, and say plainly when evidence is limited.
4. Food composition data
Nutrient amounts in foods come from USDA FoodData Central and the NIH fact-sheet tables. Branded and fortified foods vary, so we give typical ranges and remind you to check the label.
What we don’t use
Press releases, influencer claims, single small studies presented as settled science, and anything sponsored.