School’s in session! And whether you’re a parent who’s packing daily lunches or whose kids eat their school’s lunch offerings, it’s important to consider and support your kids’ nutrition needs: Good nutrition not only promotes overall health, growth, and development, but also better learning and behavior in the classroom.
“It’s essential to prioritize healthy eating for kids because during this time in their life, they are forming their palate,” says Angie Check, RD, CD, a nutrition project coordinator for the Life Time Foundation. “Good nutrition also importantly supports their physical and mental development. Nutritious, balanced meals are needed for cognitive function — meaning the foods kids eat can affect their classroom behavior and academic achievement.”
For many families, though, the school year also coincides with jam-packed extracurricular schedules, leaving less time for meal planning, prepping, and cooking. Even more reason, Check says, for doing what you can to squeeze in healthy options however you can. These are some of the strategies she suggests prioritizing.
1. Eat breakfast. Encourage your child to eat a balanced breakfast that includes both protein and fiber to help support energy and balanced blood-sugar levels. For example, consider adding nut butter to oatmeal; whipping up a smoothie that includes protein powder, spinach, and berries; topping plain Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and a drizzle of honey, or serving eggs with avocado or sweet potatoes. (If you’re prone to busy mornings, try these “5 Healthy On-the-Go Breakfasts.”)
2. Pay attention to what’s on the school-lunch menu. Many school programs offer delicious, healthy school meals, according to Check. “These are not the same meals adults today grew up on,” she says. “There are 100,000 schools that follow the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National School Breakfast and Lunch Program, and they must meet certain requirements such as around total calories and fruit, vegetable, whole grain, and meat servings in their breakfasts and lunches. Many schools also go above and beyond the USDA standards and avoid using ultraprocessed ingredients in their meals. There has been and continues to be a lot of great work happening in school nutrition, so I always advise parents to learn what their child’s school is serving because it’s possible it could be quite different than the meals they experienced growing up.”
Check suggests joining your child for lunch one day to see what they’re actually eating. If their cafeteria has a salad bar with fresh produce options, encourage them to make a rainbow every day on their tray.
3. Consider what you’re packing for lunch. There are healthy lunch options that can be both simple and nutritious, as well as quick to prepare. For example, consider a bento box with shredded chicken, carrot sticks, sugar snap peas and hummus, and halved grapes. You could also roll up deli turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo or mustard in a gluten-free tortilla; pair it with a side of crackers. (For more ideas, check out “3 Tips for Packing Lunches the Whole Family Will Love.”)
4. Avoid or limit highly processed foods, added sugars, and other harmful ingredients. Aside from not offering any nutrient value, highly processed foods, added sugars, and ingredients such as artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners are known for their negative health impacts. Check recommends using the Ingredient Guide for Better School Food Purchasing as a resource to understand what ingredients on food labels to look out for and avoid.
The Life Time Foundation also offers the Green Onion, a free online tool for school nutrition professionals that helps them analyze their products for ingredients of concern and provides healthier alternative product ideas. Check suggests encouraging your child’s school nutrition director to check out this tool.
5. Have smart snacks on hand. For those inevitable times when kids need something to get them through the end of the school day or their activities prior to dinner, help them reach for options that satiate and support healthy blood-sugar and energy levels. Think preservative-free beef jerky or meat sticks, sliced celery and a single-serve cup of nut butter, mixed nuts with dried cranberries, or homemade granola bars. (Find more: “7 Protein-Packed Snacks Great for Grabbing On the Go.”)
6. Involve your kids. Kids are naturally curious and teaching them how to shop for and prepare foods is a great way to get them involved in — and more excited about — what they’re eating. Let your youngsters help you stock the fridge with prepped, fresh food, for instance. This can make it easier for them to opt for healthy foods throughout the week.
You could also collaborate on a menu of meals for the week. Let the kids write the grocery list for the chosen recipes and go along on the shopping trip.
7. Let them learn from you, too. Check suggests openly discussing how eating a variety of foods positively affects our bodies. “This helps kids learn to make more informed choices, which can be motivating for them,” she says. “For example, fruits and vegetables that contain vitamin A and C are good for your skin, and protein-rich foods like meat, beans, and fish are good for your muscles, energy levels, and hair.”
Talking about nutrition with kids is important but it needs to be done thoughtfully, Check emphasizes. “The goal is to teach children how to listen to their body’s hunger and fullness cues so they can independently identify what and how much food their body needs,” she says. “Once you’ve offered healthy options, in general, avoid commenting on how much and what they’re eating. Try to simply teach them to love mealtime, ask about their day, and keep it fun and enjoyable.”
