If you want your child to do well at school, it’s vital that you make sure that they are eating well. Nutrition plays a huge role in cognitive function, energy levels, and attention span, so if your children aren’t following the right diet, their academic performance will suffer. However, it can be more difficult to make sure that your kids are eating well once they start school because you don’t always have control over their diet. If you are concerned about what your kids are eating at school, here are a few tips to help make sure that they stick to a good diet.
Consider Food Options When Choosing Schools
When you are choosing a school for your child, there are a lot of things to consider. But food is one of the things that parents often overlook, even though it’s incredibly important. When deciding if a school or even a day care center is right for your child, always ask about the food options that are available? Will they provide healthy snacks for the children? Is there a lot of junk food available at lunchtimes or do they have a menu filled with healthy meals? If you can find a school that prioritizes healthy eating, your job is a lot easier.
Teach Them Good Habits From A Young Age
If you can get your kids to enjoy eating healthy food before they start school, they will hopefully continue the habit even when you are not there to monitor their diet. Getting your kids to enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables can be tough, but if you get creative with the way that you cook them so you can make them exciting, you can encourage them to love healthy foods. Persistence is key as well because it takes time for a child to learn to like a new food.
Pack The Right Lunches
When you are packing your child’s lunch, you need to think about all of the different vitamins and nutrients they will need to enhance their learning capabilities.
Protein is important because it will keep your child full for longer and it’s much better for them than eating lots of empty carbs. Chicken is a good option but you should also explore healthier alternatives, like beans and pulses. Nuts make a great, protein-rich snack that is healthy too.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are obviously important as well, so include a good serving of vegetables in their lunch as well as some fruit for snacks. If you can get your child to eat healthy snacks instead of sugary ones, their energy levels and concentration will be improved.
Oily fish is another great thing to include in your child’s lunch for school because it has been proven to boost brain power. It can be tough to get kids to eat fish but if you start introducing it in small amounts to start with, they will eventually get used to it.
Your child’s diet has a huge impact on their ability to learn effectively, so make sure that you follow these tips for healthy eating at school.
