Good nutrition is an important part of your child’s health and wellness. A well-nourished child performs better in the classroom, has fewer absences and behaves better during classes. Eating school meals is an opportunity for your child to learn to make choices about their meals and the food they eat. School meals can also help children learn about appropriate food portion sizes, and give them a chance to try new foods.

USDA Report: School Meal Participation and Its Association with Dietary Patterns and Childhood Obesity

A recent report from the USDA examined the impact of school meal program participation on student dietary behaviors and body mass index (BMI) in the 2004-2005 school year, based on the nationally representative Third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study (SNDA-III). Several key findings are highlighted here.

National School Lunch Program (NSLP) participation was associated with reduced intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (elementary and secondary schools) and a lower proportion of calories from low-nutrient, energy-dense (LNED) foods and beverages (elementary schools). NSLP participation was not significantly related to BMI or risk of obesity.

Although school breakfast participants consumed more calories from LNED baked goods at breakfast, and for the entire day, they also had a significantly lower BMI than nonparticipants.

Source: Gleason, P., Briefel, R., Wilson, A., & Dodd, A. H. (2009). School meal program participation and its association with dietary patterns and childhood obesity. Contractor and Cooperator Report, 55. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

Why Eat Breakfast?

Encourage your child to eat a healthy, nutritious breakfast from school or home. Studies have shown that children who eat breakfast have better school performance including: better class attendance, improved academic achievement, better classroom behavior, and fewer dropout rates. Breakfast can be a simple meal, like whole-wheat toast and peanut butter, cereal with milk, or fruit and yogurt. Breakfast is a great start to the day!

Practice Healthy Eating as a Family!

Help your child make healthy food selections by reading school menus with them and talking about healthy choices. Having regular family meals, serving a variety of healthy foods, being a good role model, avoiding arguments over food, and involving your kids in grocery shopping, meal planning and meal preparation are other ways you can help your child develop healthy eating habits.

• Having regular family meals gives families a chance to spend time together and helps develop a routine. Kids who regularly eat with their family are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables and are less likely to snack on unhealthy foods.
• Having a variety of healthy foods available and helping your child try new foods increases the variety of nutrients your child eats. Children often need eight to twelve exposures to a new food before they will try it. Have your child choose a new food at the store and then let them help prepare it for a meal or snack.
• Be a good role model by making healthy food choices for yourself. Eating healthy foods is just as important as providing your children with healthy meals. It sets a good example and helps keep you healthy!
• Turning off the TV and avoiding arguments over food can help make meal times more enjoyable and promotes a healthy eating environment.

• Try avoiding “the clean plate rule” and avoid using food as a reward or punishment. Decide when the meals will occur and what will be served but let your child choose how much food they want to eat.

Healthy Eating Tips

Simple changes in the foods you and your family choose can help contribute to a healthy diet! Make healthy choices like a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean or low-fat meats, low-fat dairy products, healthy oils and fats from vegetable oils and nuts, and limit foods with added sugar.

Eating Out

• Choose foods that are baked, broiled, roasted, boiled or poached instead of fried or sautéed. Try a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a breaded or crispy chicken sandwich.
• Ask for dressings or sauces on the side to help control portions, fat and calories. Ask for mustard and ketchup as condiments instead of mayonnaise.
• Split an entrée with a friend or relative, or take half home to eat later.
• Choose smaller portions of your favorite items like a regular hamburger instead of a double bacon cheeseburger.
• Choose a side salad with low-fat dressing as a meal accompaniment.

Grocery Shopping

• Choose high fiber foods like 100% whole wheat bread, brown rice, or beans.
• When choosing canned fruit try items that are packed in juice or lite syrup, instead of heavy syrup.
• Choose lean meats and low-fat milk and dairy products.
• Nutrient Rich Foods Shopping List

Snacking

• Have easy to eat fruits and vegetables on hand when a “snack attack” occurs. Try carrot or celery sticks, broccoli or cauliflower florets, individual packages of no sugar added applesauce, or a piece of fruit.
• Choose low fat milk or water to drink instead of soda or sugar sweetened fruit drinks.
• Healthy Snack ideas