Keep Health in Mind When scheduling School Day Menu

As parents get ready for their children's revisit to school, they want to remember that healthy meals and snacks are essential for learning.
"Parents can make the school day easier for their children by provided that nutritious and yummy breakfasts, lunches and snacks that promote optimal learning. Everyone is in a charge in the morning, but it only takes a few minutes on Sunday to plan healthy meals to fuel your child's week," Karin Richards,Exercise Science and Wellness Management program, director of the and director of Health Sciences at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, said in a university news release.
Richards offered the following advice for parents as they plan breakfast, lunch and snacks for their school-age children:

It contains at least three types of foods into each meal, making sure to include some type of protein and complex carbohydrates, such as whole wheat bagels or pasta. The complex carbohydrates will provide energy while the protein will satisfy your child's appetite for a longer period of time.

Bring your child to the market with you and let him or her select one fruit or vegetable each week. Encourage kids to try new and interesting produce such as kiwi, papaya and edamame.

Check portion size. Three to four ounces of meat is plenty. Adjust the amount based on your child's age and action level.
Add more vegetables into your child's diet, still if you have to sneak them in. For example, try zucchini bread, veggies with low-fat dip, or shred carrots into tomato sauce and soups.

For beverages, suggest low-fat milk or water. If you child prefers juice, make sure it's 100 percent juice.