Guest Blog: Back to School Nutrition Tips for a Stress Free Morning  

September 18, 2019

By: Carole Chang, Public Health Dietitian, Fraser Health

We’re now 2 weeks into another school year. Getting breakfast ready and packing lunches can be challenging. Here are some tips to help make this process easier for your family.

Image from “Raise a Food Lover” at Willoughby, January 2019

Energize with Breakfast  

Research shows children learn better when they eat a nutritious breakfast. Include some protein foods such as eggs, milk, cheese, beans or meats in your child’s meals to keep them feeling full longer. Try to avoid sugary cereal or sweetened instant oatmeal. Instead, try low sugar, high fibre cereals with milk or fortified soy beverages.

Time Savers

• Get prepping: To save time in the morning, cook enough oatmeal or boiled eggs for 2-3 days and keep them in a container in the fridge. For a nutritious oatmeal breakfast, just add some milk, frozen berries and chia seeds. If your kids don’t like oatmeal, try some boiled eggs or nut/seed butter on whole grain toast for a protein-packed breakfast.
• Keep the pantry and fridge well stocked: Ready-to-eat foods such as whole grain crackers and low-fat cheese sticks, can be versatile staples. Read the label to find healthy choices. You can also cut up extra veggies when making dinner and store them in the fridge, or make extra food at dinner to use for lunches the next day. Preparing the night before will make those rushed mornings run smoothly.

Lunchtime Ideas

Lunches do not need to be complicated to be nutritious and tasty. Keep it simple and easy to eat.

• Try fun finger foods: Children love dipping their food. Try this bean dip recipe from Cookspiration and serve with pre-cut veggies. French toast can be cut in strips and dipped into yogurt or apple sauce.
• Up the colours: Try to offer a variety of vegetables and fruit for lunch and snacks. You don’t need to use fresh produce all the time; frozen options can be added to casseroles, sauces or soups to make a healthy lunch.
• Think outside of sandwiches: Try whole grain pita bread, tortillas, chapatti, roti or bannock paired with canned or cooked fish, hummus, black beans or ricotta cheese. Leftovers from dinner can also be packed in a thermos and make a nice warm meal for those cold rainy days.
• Make water your child’s drink of choice: Did you know that juice is no longer recommended as a source of fruit and vegetables in Canada’s Food Guide? Pack a reusable water bottle. Drinking water throughout the day can help your child feel energized and prevent dehydration. You can make your own flavoured water by adding raspberries or cucumber slices.
• Limit highly processed foods: Did you think veggie chips and fruit gummy snacks are healthy? Think again. These foods are highly processed and contain large amounts of sodium and/or sugar and little nutrition. When in doubt, check the Brand Name Food List from HealthLink BC to help you find healthier options.

Image from last year’s Plastic Challenge at West Langley Elementary

Lunchbox comes back untouched?

You can encourage your child to eat their lunch by involving them in grocery shopping or preparing their lunches. Kids are more likely to eat a lunch that they helped make. Ultimately, it is your child’s decision whether they eat or not – you can’t force them. If they don’t eat their lunch at school, offer it to them after school. Or serve dinner after school so your child doesn’t fill up on unhealthy snacks.

As parents, we are responsible for what, when and where to serve meals, and children are responsible for how much and whether they want to eat. Following this division of responsibility can help take the pressure off and allow children to develop a healthy relationship with food.

Have a nutrition question? Speak to a Registered Dietitian for free by dialing HealthLink BC at 811.