5 nutrition tips as children begin to head back to school

Nutrition plays a critical role in the learning and development of children.

Back-to-school season, which is now in full swing throughout much of Southern California, is the ideal time to reconsider eating habits to improve child nutrition. Start the new school year off right with a plan for healthy eating.

It’s important to remember that child nutrition is tightly connected to family nutrition. While school and peers may also influence children’s eating habits and nutrition, the home eating environment is probably the most impactful. This means that when attempting to improve the nutrition and eating habits of children, parents, teachers and caregivers should consider the home food environment.

Evidence suggests that children gain a disproportionate amount of weight during summer break compared to the school year. Families struggle to balance year-round work schedules with kids’ summer break schedules and eating habits can suffer. Increased screen time, disrupted schedules and decreased physical activity are some of the factors that can lead to unwanted weight gain.

If you’ve noticed that unhealthy eating habits have crept in over the summer, now is the ideal time to get back on track. To take action, assess habits that need to start and stop. For example, good habits to start may include eating breakfast regularly, packing lunch, grocery shopping with a list and eating family dinner on weeknights. Bad habits to stop might include eating in front of the television, purchasing too many ultra-processed snacks and skipping breakfast.

Here are top tips for parents and caregivers ready to take steps to improve kids’ nutrition and eating habits for the new school year:

1. Don’t skip breakfast. Not only does eating breakfast improve the memory, attention and performance of school-age children, but, according to a recent large-scale study published in Nutrition Journal, there is a linear relationship between eating breakfast and increased life satisfaction. Carving out five to ten minutes in the morning to eat a nutritious breakfast is a smart time investment in children’s physical and mental health and learning.
2. Stock up on nutritious snacks. Healthy school-day snacks like fruit, vegetables, yogurt, cheese, whole grain crackers, dried seaweed, hummus and popcorn, for example, can help get extra nutrients into your child’s daily diet. Try swapping out ultra-processed packaged snacks like chips and cookies with these better-for-you options.
3. Create a plan for weekly grocery shopping and meal planning. Planning meals ahead of time will give you a time-saving advantage for busy school days. Having the right ingredients on hand is the first step to making balanced meals for the whole family.
4. Model mindful eating habits during family meals. Children learn eating habits from adults and develop their relationship with food and eating at an early age. Make mealtime enjoyable by setting a timeframe for eating together, slowing down, limiting distractions such as cell phones and keeping conversation positive. Keep in mind that family meals don’t have to occur every day to make a positive impact in children’s lives.
5. Consider when you need more help. Challenges like selective eating, feeding problems, food allergies, financial concerns and more can interfere with adequate nutrition in kids. Seek out assistance from your pediatrician, school social worker or an appropriate specialist if you need additional support and resources.

LeeAnn Weintraub, MPH, RD is a registered dietitian, providing nutrition counseling and consulting to individuals, families and organizations. She can be reached by email at RD@halfacup.com.