The Oliver Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Houston, encourages
families to send kids back to school with the proper nutrition they need to
succeed in the classroom. Planning ahead and cooking meals and snacks the night
before will give students a head start in staying healthy and keeping fuel in
the body.
With the current economy keeping some foods off the grocery list, these ideas
will help keep costs down while avoiding turning to fast food, which is usually
much higher in calories, fat and less nutrient dense than foods prepared at
home. With a little extra planning, kids can get the proper nutrients that are
vital to their healthy growth.
When preparing meals and snacks, always keep in mind the following guidelines,
which are the core message (CHOICES) of the Oliver Foundation:
C – Choose 5-A-Day servings of fruits and vegetables
H – Have more water and less sugary beverages
O – Opt for healthy snacks
I – Increase active play and decrease screen time
C – Choose 3-A-Day servings of low-fat dairy products
E – Enjoy a healthy breakfast
S – Serve a smart portion size
Involve children in preparing meals and snacks so they can develop a sense of
responsibility for their health. Oliver Foundation Teen Advisory Board members
offer alternatives for snacks and meals that families can enjoy making
together.
Carissa Gilbert, 16, suggests whole-wheat pita triangles with carrots, celery
and hummus for a snack. Ronit Joselevitz, 16, snacks on carrot chips with
low-fat or fat-free ranch dressing, natural or air popped popcorn and low-fat
yogurt with fresh fruit or whole grain cereal. Peanut butter and jelly wraps on
a whole-wheat tortilla with fresh apple slices makes a nutritious lunch or
snack, according to Mackenzie Kink, 16.
“Bumps on a Log” are a healthy snack using celery, low-fat cream cheese, peanut butter or
pimento cheese with raisins that Grant Mueller, 15, likes to make after school.
Healthy sandwiches can include lean turkey, chicken salad or tuna salad made
with low fat mayonnaise or mustard on whole-grain bread. Ryan Lisse, 17, adds a
serving of vegetables by including slices of tomatoes, cucumbers or baby
spinach to his sandwiches and wraps.
Adding orange juice or pineapple chunks to slices of apples or pears in a
plastic bag will keep them from turning brown during the day and are good items
to pack for lunch. Kyle Brickhouse, 14, makes spider crackers as a snack by
spreading peanut butter on a whole grain cracker and adds pretzels for legs and
raisins for eyes. Keep a frozen bottle of water in the lunch bag to keep food
cold and by lunch time the water will be ready to drink.
Younger children can take part in preparing dinner before the parents return
home by filling a pitcher of water or ice tea for the table rather than soda.
They can also help wash vegetables, pull items from the freezer to thaw and set
the table. Frozen grapes or blueberries added to water provide vitamins and
minerals through the skins, as well as flavor the water.
Most kids are not getting the recommended daily servings of calcium. In fact,
only 1 in 10 teenage girls and 2 in 10 teenage boys are getting enough, which
is vital for bone formation. It is predicted that children who do not consume
enough calcium will be more susceptible to osteoporosis, orthopedic problems
and other bone disorders at a much younger age in adulthood. It is vital that
kids have three servings a day of low-fat milk, yogurt or cheese.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Families who eat dinner at 6
p.m. and breakfast at 7 a.m. have gone 13 hours without eating. Children who
skip breakfast and eat at noon will have gone 18 hours without food. During
this lengthy period, children can develop headaches, feel lethargic and
unfocused in the classroom. Sending children to school without breakfast is
like trying to drive a car without fuel. Additionally, children who skip
breakfast tend to have a lower intake of micronutrients,
which they do not make up for later in the day.
According to Journal of American Dietetic Association, “Regularity in breakfast consumption has been linked with improvement in academic
performance and psychosocial functioning as well as cognition among children.
Furthermore, br
eakfast consumption is considered an important determinant of a healthful
lifestyle and its association with healthful behaviors may favorably influence
body mass index (BMI).
” Studies show that anywhere from 10 percent to 30 percent of Americans skip
breakfast.
“Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper,” remarks Parker Kink, 18, president emeritus, Oliver Foundation Teen Advisory
Board. While still the best advice to load higher calorie meals on the front
end of the day, this is not always feasible with busy schedules. Breakfast does
not have to be a big, elaborate meal. Whole-wheat tortillas with low-fat
cheese, scrambled eggs and salsa is a quick and easy breakfast. Low-fat cereal
or granola bars with skim milk, low-fat cheese sticks, yogurt with animal
crackers, whole-grain waffles, turkey sausage or soy protein patties
(microwavable), whole fruit, toast with peanut butter all make healthy
breakfasts that won
’t take precious morning time to cook.
Parker also includes fruits and skim milk with breakfast. The following is an
easy recipe that can be made the night before and offers a fun activity that
parents and children can share:
Breakfast Rockets
1/2 cup vanilla or plain low-fat yogurt
1 tbsp. of peanut butter
2 tsp. of sugar or sugar substitute
2 cups of oat or wheat flaked cereal, crushed to 1 cup OR 1 cup of low-fat
granola
4 small bananas
Plastic wrap
4 popsicle sticks
Instructions: Measure yogurt, peanut butter, sugar and place in small bowl. Mix
well. Cut four large squares of plastic wrap. Over another bowl, crush flake
cereal with hands. Put 1/4 cup of crushed cereal or granola on each plastic
wrap square. Peel bananas. Insert popsicle stick in one end of each banana.
Spread each banana with yogurt mixture and lay on cereal. Turn each banana once
to evenly coat with crushed cereal. Wrap each banana in the plastic wrap
square. Twist ends to hold. Freeze until ready to eat with skim milk.
The state of Texas has made strides in improving the nutritional quality of
foods available in the school cafeterias, but there are still many choices
available that will not provide them with the nutrients they need and raise
their caloric intake with empty calories. With a little more planning and
creativity, parents can ensure that their children have a head start in
succeeding in the classroom.
