Nutrition may not be utmost on your mind as you prepare your children for school, but that does not diminish its importance. Proper nutrition can help your child feel good, avoid weight gain, reduce his risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and help him develop healthy eating habits that he can take into adulthood. Making small changes in your school-aged child's diet can increase his daily nutrition.
Eat a Healthy Breakfast
A healthy breakfast can provide children with the nutrients and fuel to successfully learn and concentrate in school. Serve breakfast foods containing whole grains, fiber and protein. If your child eats cereal, look for ones containing 5 g or more of fiber per serving. Avoid breakfast foods made with a considerable amount of sugar or refined grains, which are quickly digested and can leave your child feeling tried or hungry shortly after eating.
Healthy Snacks
Snacks are an important way to get children to consume the assortment and abundance of nutrients they need each day. Also, healthy snacks can help keep your child's energy levels up, giving him the potential ability to perform better academically. Similar to healthy breakfast choices, healthy snacks should contain rich amounts of fiber or protein. Fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grain crackers, whole grain cereal, nuts and nut butters are all examples of healthy snacks you can serve to your kids.
Calcium
Calcium is necessary for the healthy development of strong bones. While dairy milk can provide your child with a high amount of calcium, it's is not the only option. Tofu, soy milk and leafy green vegetables, such as kale, all contain calcium and you can serve them to your children to increase the amount of calcium in their diets.
Choose Healthy Fats
Fats are an important and necessary source of nutrients for children, but it's important to choose healthy forms of fat. The majority of fat in your child's diet should be monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are found in nuts, avocados, olive oil and certain seafood such as salmon. You should exclude trans fats entirely and keep saturated fats to a minimum. Foods that often contain trans fats include fast foods, prepackaged sweets and desserts, and some types of margarine. Saturated fats are mainly found in animal products such as meat, dairy, eggs and seafood.
Pack a Lunch or Educate
Avoid many of the unhealthy options offered in school lunches by sending your child to school with a healthy packed lunch. Provide her with a lunch filled with whole grains, vegetables, fruits and a lean protein. If you choose to let your child eat the lunch items provided by the school, educate her on how to choose healthy items for lunch and avoid the unhealthy ones.
Drink Smart
Drinks, such as sugary sodas, fruit juices and sports drinks, are not a necessary part of a child's diet. These drinks can add unnecessary, nutritionally-deficient calories to your child's diet, which can cause unwanted weight gain and tooth decay. Provide your child with healthy drink options such as water, non-fat milk or soy milk.
References
- The University of Tennessee Knoxville; Take Five for Education: Healthy Back-to-School Eating Tips from UT; Elizabeth Davis; Aug. 4, 2008
- HelpGuide.org; Nutrition for Children and Teens: Helping Your Kids Develop Healthy Eating Habits; Maya W. Paul, et. al.; Feb. 2011
- MyPyramid; Be a Healthy Role Model For Children; Sept. 2009
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