A+ Nutrition for back to school

Danielle Boudreau, Registered Dietitian
​

Evenings are cooling down and store shelves are stocked with school supplies.  This means fall is just around the corner and it’s time to get ready for back to school!  Making sure that your kids are well-nourished will help set them up for success this school year. 

Breakfast
There’s a reason why they say, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”.  Obviously, lunch, dinner, and snacks are important too, but there are many benefits to starting your day off with a healthy meal. 
First and foremost, consuming a healthy breakfast will help your child meet their nutritional needs for the day.  This will contribute to proper growth and development.  Additionally, studies have shown that breakfast consumption leads to improved memory and concentration during class as well as improved academic performance. 

Some great breakfast ideas include:

1. Greek yogurt parfaits – kids can assemble them and choose which fruits they want to include
2. Peanut butter and banana roll-up - spread peanut butter on a whole wheat tortilla, add sliced bananas, roll up and eat!
3. Egg muffin cups with a slice of whole grain toast – Scrambled eggs with veggies cooked in a muffin tin.  Can be frozen and reheated for breakfast.
4. Oatmeal topped with berries

Lunch
Packing lunch is a struggle for many parents and children, but it doesn’t have to be.  Read on for solutions to common problems that parents and children face when it comes to school lunches.

1. Kids get bored with the same lunch every day
Even if you are sending them with a sandwich every day, switch up the grain product and the toppings.  One day you could do chicken on whole grain bread with some veggies and the next day you could send tuna in a whole grain pita.  The concept is the same, but it gives your child more variety so that they don’t get bored.

2. Kids don’t like the food being sent for lunch
Children, especially picky eaters, can be difficult to pack lunches for.  Allow them to participate in the process to ensure they are getting food that they want to eat.  Take your child grocery shopping with you so they can pick out healthy foods that they will eat for lunch.  You can also have them help with packing their lunch.  Let them choose what they want on their sandwich.  Let them pick their own snacks.  Working with your child to pack lunch will make sure they get something they like and will allow you to spend more time together.

3. Sandwiches get soggy
No one likes a soggy sandwich.  If your child opens their lunch bag to find a soggy sandwich, chances are they won’t eat very much of it.  If this is a problem, try packing the sandwich toppings separately and have your child assemble it at lunch time.  This could be too difficult or time consuming for the younger children, so they can eat it as a deconstructed sandwich – just as tasty!  Finally, avoid putting sauces directly onto the bread which will make it soggy as it sits throughout the morning. 

Ensure that you keep hot foods hot, and cold foods cold.  Use a thermos to keep foods hot.  For cold foods, use an ice pack in an insulated lunch bag to keep everything at a safe temperature. 

Finally, don’t forget to keep it nut free! If you’re a nut butter lover like myself, try Sun Butter or Wow Butter.  I’ve never tried Wow Butter, but Sun Butter is a peanut-free alternative that tastes very similar to peanut butter and has a similar amount of protein.

Happy eating!

---