Back to School Nutrition Tips

By Keri White, Registered Dietitian at St. Joseph's Health Hospital

As summer winds down and families shift back into school-year routines, healthy meals and snacks become an important part of keeping kids energized and focused throughout the day. Between busy mornings, after-school activities and homework, it can be a challenge to make sure children are eating balanced meals. With a bit of planning and preparation, parents can set their kids up for a successful school year and beyond.

• Involve your children in menu planning for both breakfast and lunch. They are more likely to accept meals when they have had a hand in planning and preparing them.
• Prepare meals and snacks ahead of time as much as possible. For breakfast, consider overnight oats with dried fruit, nuts and any other toppings your kids prefer. Freeze cut up fruit in small bags for smoothies that will be ready to go once blended. Have cut up fruit and veggies on hand in the refrigerator for lunches as well.
• Set a specific time each morning to have breakfast, so that kids understand how important it is eat breakfast every day. If the morning is too busy, have items such as string cheese, whole fruit, yogurt and low-sugar granola bars, ready to take on the way to school.
• Try to include all the food groups when packing lunches. Include proteins (meats, poultry, tuna, eggs, nut butters or hummus) whole grains, fruit, vegetables and dairy.
• Have your kids put together their own “power bowls” for lunches. Choose a grain such as rice, whole wheat noodles or quinoa as the base and have them choose their own veggies, protein, beans and legumes and dressing to pour on top. Place items in sectioned lunch containers if your kids prefer that their foods to not touch.
• If your kids prefer to buy breakfast and lunch at school, ask what their favorite items to buy are. Talk about the importance of eating a wide variety of foods each day.
• Prepare snacks ahead of time so they’re ready to go after school. Some easy snack examples would be, hard boiled eggs, yogurt cups, sliced apples with peanut butter, veggies or pretzels with hummus, and home-made trail mix.

 

We are hiring a Registered Dietitian. Are you looking for a rewarding opportunity to provide clinical nutrition services and make a real impact on patient health? Learn more by clicking here.