Newswise — While parents are preparing to send their child back to school, they need to remember that nutrition plays a huge role in their child's academic success. Mary Pat Alfaro, MS, RD, LD, clinical manager in the Division of Nutrition Therapy at Cincinnati Children's, explains multiple studies have shown that poor nutrition adversely effects school performance and overall achievement. Improving health and nutrition in undernourished children is correlated with less absenteeism, more grades completed and better performance on tests. Good nutrition also improves mental and behavioral performance. Eating well everyday is good insurance for parents that children arrive to school ready to learn.
An article in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in 2005 compiled the results of many studies about the benefits of breakfast. Many children of all ages skip breakfast. Children who regularly eat breakfast tend to have a more balanced diet overall than those who skip breakfast. Evidence from the report suggests that eating breakfast may improve cognitive function related to memory, test grades, and school attendance. Breakfast in combination with an overall healthy diet and lifestyle can make a positive difference in a child's health and well-being. Parents should provide breakfast for their children or enroll them in the school breakfast program if eligible and available.
"So as we can see from this article, the evidence for providing healthy foods for children can contribute to a better school year academically, physically and socially," says Alfaro
Alfaro says a healthy breakfast consists of a variety of foods, especially high-fiber and nutrient-rich whole grains, fruits, and dairy products. Such breakfast examples include:
"¢ Fiber rich and whole-grain cereals with low fat milk
"¢ Yogurt and berries
"¢ Toast, eggs and 100% fruit juice
"¢ Whole wheat bagels and cream cheese with low fat milk
In addition to making sure their child eats a healthy breakfast, Alfaro says parents need to also think about the types of food their child eats during lunch. Since finding healthy lunches that are also fun, safe and easy-to-make is a constant challenge, she suggests parents:
Make It Healthy
"¢ Use the new Food Guide Pyramid to plan children's lunches. Include at least two servings from the bread group and one serving from each of the other food groups for a balanced meal. Remember to go easy on fats and sweets. Check out www.mypyramid.gov for more recommendations.
"¢ Go for variety to get different nutrients and beat boredom. Try bagels, English muffins, crackers, pita bread, or tortillas paired with your favorite spread or sandwich filling.
"¢ Find healthy alternatives to snack chips. Trail mix, flavored rice cakes, pita chips and homemade tortilla chips can be made easily.
"¢ Pack fruit that is easy to eat. Grapes, strawberries, chunks of melon, apple wedges, berries and orange sections are all good choices. Include a toothpick and a dipping sauce made of yogurt or peanut butter for a mini-kabob.
"¢ Make raw vegetables such as baby carrots, celery and bell pepper strips more appealing and more likely to be eaten by packing them with a container of ranch dressing, hummus or salsa. Look for individual packages in the produce section.
"¢ Pay close attention to beverages. Drink choices can be overwhelming. Remember that even 100% fruit juice is loaded with sugar. Try plain or sugar-free flavored bottled water. Watch for added supplements of herbs and caffeine, these are not recommended for children.
"¢ Experiment with different sandwich fillings. Top children's peanut butter with fruit such as raisins, apples, bananas or pineapple instead of the usual jelly. Roll up a tortilla topped with refried beans, salsa, grated cheese and chopped lettuce and tomatoes for a lunch box burrito.
Make It Safe
"¢ Wash your hands well with warm, soapy water before preparing a meal.
"¢ Use an insulated bag with a freezer pack to keep cold foods cold. Holding perishable foods at room temperature for longer than two hours allows bacteria to grow and could make the food unsafe to eat.
"¢ Freeze well-wrapped sandwiches at the beginning of the week or the night before. Pack them in the morning; they will be thawed by lunch. Good "freezers" include peanut butter, cheese spreads and cooked meats. Bad "freezers" are sandwiches made with mayonnaise, yogurt, raw vegetables and eggs.
"¢ Store your sandwich bread in the freezer. Using frozen bread to make your sandwich in the morning will help keep your sandwich filling cold until lunch.
"¢ Freeze juice boxes, water bottles or yogurt cartons. Wrap in foil and use as an ice pack in the lunch box.
Make It Fun
"¢ Involve your children in planning and preparing lunches. Provide some choices and let them decide what to pack that day. Let them help pack the lunch, especially items that can be packed the night before.
"¢ For younger children, cut sandwiches into various shapes using cookie cutters. Use smaller cutters to make a sandwich puzzle.
"¢ Make a homemade happy meal by including a little surprise toy, special note or sticker.
"¢ Encourage your child to build his or her own lunch using a divided plastic container.
Make It Easy
"¢ Keep lunch-making supplies together in one place in the kitchen. Include lunch bags, sandwich bags, thermoses, storage containers, plastic silver wear and any special food items such as individual cans of fruit or granola bars.
"¢ Pack your children's lunches the night before so you can avoid that early morning rush.
"¢ Write down lunch menu ideas for the week and post it in the kitchen. After planning three to four weeks worth you can rotate the menus throughout the year.
When Buying Lunch
"¢ Encourage your child to choose lowfat white milk or water to drink. Calories and sugar in chocolate milk, juices and pop add up quickly.
"¢ When school lunch menus are printed in advance, help children decide on a balanced lunch before leaving the house.
"¢ Encourage children to choose green vegetables and fruits with the entrée. Pizza and chicken fingers are okay occasionally as long as they are balanced.
About Cincinnati Children's
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is one of 10 children's hospitals in the United States to make the Honor Roll in U.S. News and World Reports 2009-10 Americas Best Children's Hospitals issue. It is #1 ranked for digestive disorders and is also highly ranked for its expertise in respiratory diseases, cancer, neonatal care, heart care, neurosurgery, diabetes, orthopedics, kidney disorders and urology. One of the three largest children's hospitals in the U.S., Cincinnati Children's is affiliated with the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and is one of the top two recipients of pediatric research grants from the National Institutes of Health.
President Barack Obama in June 2009 cited Cincinnati Children's as an island of excellence in health care. For its achievements in transforming health care, Cincinnati Children's is one of six U.S. hospitals since 2002 to be awarded the American Hospital Association-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize for leadership and innovation in quality, safety and commitment to patient care. The hospital is a national and international referral center for complex cases. Additional information can be found at www.cincinnatichildrens.org.
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