The 5 Best Back-to-School Nutrition Tips
It’s time for back to school. These are the dietitian-approved tips, guides, and foods you need to get all the nutrients for your daily routine.
Whether in pre-K, college, or trade school, thousands of Westchester County students will gear up for another exciting year of school.
Returning to the daily routine can be hectic. Between the hustle and bustle of homework and other activities, we sometimes forget to nourish our bodies.
Balanced Meals and Snacks are Essential for Educational Success
Research has shown that healthy eating behaviors and habits are connected to academic achievement. Moreover, a nutritionally balanced diet supports optimal growth and development in children.
Adult students also benefit from a nutritious diet. In general, a balanced diet supports healthy immunity, bone health, and lowers the risk of chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
It may also aide in reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, which many adult students face.
Preparing a healthy meal or snack during the school year doesn’t have to be hard. Let’s dive into some helpful tips to prepare for the school year.
Follow the MyPlate Guide
MyPlate is a simple and easy guide to help parents and adults create nutritious meals.
When planning or creating meals and snacks, keep the Myplate guide in mind.
For instance, breakfast might be oatmeal with fresh strawberries and low-fat milk, followed by a mid-day snack of hummus with celery.
In just these two examples, we have planned two tasty meals that are easy to prepare and store, while including all four food groups.
Sleep Well
Getting the proper amount of sleep is essential to our overall well-being.
With proper sleep time, students are more likely to perform better in school and have a reduced chance of problems with attention, memory, problem-solving, and mood.
Maintaining a regular wake and sleep schedule (even on the weekends) encourages good sleep patterns.
For parents, modeling good sleep habits for your children will encourage them to follow your routine.
Keep Hydrated
Staying well hydrated is important to keep our bodies functioning well.
When the body doesn’t have enough fluid, we become dehydrated. Lack of fluid or dehydration can affect our mood, and ability to think, and even cause constipation.
It can also cause us to overheat on those hot summer days, which can be very serious.
Water is the best choice as a beverage as it is zero calories and contains no added sugars. Keep hydrated by bringing plenty of water throughout your day.
Get Children Involved
Allowing children to be involved in meal and snack planning will allow them to feel empowered, responsible, and excited about eating.
Consider allowing them to choose the veggie for dinner or the type of snacks they would like for school.
It’s also helpful to assign them to specific food prep tasks such as peeling fruits or mixing ingredients.
Not only will they learn a host of life skills, but getting them involved establishes good eating habits and broaden their taste buds.
Interested in Learning More?
Our Just Say Yes to Fruits and Vegetables program provides free, exciting workshops on a host of nutrition and wellness topics including healthy eating on a budget. Email our nutritionist, Alyssa Advincula at: aadvincula@feedingwestchester.org
For other nutrition questions or inquiries, e-mail our nutrition resource manager, Monique Marshall at: mmarshall@feedingwestchester.org
