Let’s face it—this school year looks a whole lot different. Due to the pandemic, many schools have opted for virtual lesson plans, where classes will be taught online to keep our teachers, our children, and our families safe. For many families and kiddos preparing for the upcoming year, this will be a tremendous adjustment. Children will be required to be sedentary—spending long hours in front of screens where they will be expected to focus for extended periods of time. It is paramount during this time to give their bodies and minds energy to combat mental, physical, and emotional fatigue. We can do this by providing them with healthy snacks! Just because our school environment looks different does not mean our school snacks have to be. Just as it always has been, providing your children with foods that contain adequate calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates will fuel them up with energy and keep them satiated throughout the day.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has established a diagram that depicts the various food groups that should be incorporated into our children’s diets. According to USDA’s MyPlate, at each meal, 25% of our child’s plate should consist of protein, another 25% should be grains, and 50% of the plate should contain fruits and vegetables. We should also provide our children with one serving of dairy per meal. Incorporating adequate amounts of these food groups into our children’s meals and snacks will provide calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates to keep their energy levels up and their minds sharp.
Below is an outline of the various food groups shown on USDA’s MyPlate and some examples of healthy snacks from each food group.
Protein
Protein in your child’s diet is essential for muscle and tissue development, as well as hormone and enzyme production. Some healthy food items that you could include in your child’s snacks that contain protein are: nut butters (peanut butter, almond butter, etc.), mixed nuts (peanuts, almonds, cashews, etc.) and lean, unprocessed meats (turkey, chicken, tuna, fish, etc.).
Dairy
Dairy products include calcium, which is essential in promoting the development and maintenance of strong bones. Some dairy items that you could include in your child’s meals that provide calcium are cheeses (string cheese, cheese slices, etc.), yogurt, milk, and fortified orange juice (although not considered a dairy product, many juices are fortified with calcium! Look on the product label for fortification information).
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables include essential vitamins and minerals that help boost immunity, as well as fiber. Fiber is important in promoting bowel and intestinal health as well as providing satiety. Some high-fiber fruits and vegetables you can include in your child’s snacks are apples, bananas, grapes, carrots, celery, etc.
Grains
Grains, like fruits and vegetables, provide the body with significant amounts of fiber. Some examples of foods high in the grain food group are whole grain breads, crackers, rice, and quinoa.
Food group combinations: Eating foods from each food group does not have to be boring! Many of these food items can be eaten in combination with each other for a delicious, nutritious snack! See some healthy and creative snack ideas by Eating Well at this website: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/18684/healthy-kids/snacks/
During this school year, stay strong and snack on!
by Amy Swiger, RN Valley Children’s Healthcare
This article originally appeared in the September edition of Central California Parent Magazine.