With the rush of the new school year upon us, parents may have little to no time or energy to make breakfast or school lunches.
And while a quick fix may be to skip breakfast and buy a pie or sandwich to pack as a school lunch, or to give the kids tuck shop money, you may want to rethink this.
Jandri Barnard, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Association of Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA), said breakfast should still be the most important meal of the day, especially for children.
“It is especially important not to skip lunch as well and pack in healthy options for school. A good lunch box benefits a scholar by giving him the energy to remain alert during class time.
“This is true whether a scholar is in primary school, high school or even busy with tertiary education. As long as a heavy midday meal is avoided, which can cause lethargy and sleepiness, a healthy lunch helps maintain peak academic performance.
“Lunch can be made even more beneficial by choosing foods based on their nutritional benefits. Scholars who are hungry are distracted in the classroom, and malnutrition from habitual under-eating can interfere with the normal physical and mental development of growing children.
“In addition to the immediate relief of a growling stomach, lunch contributes to a solid foundation of good nutrition on a continuing basis. A healthy lunch should provide enough kilojoules to someone going throughout the day no matter what their activity level, coming from nutritious foods that are low in fat and high in fibre,” she said.
Barnard said good lunch choices included raw vegetables, whole grains and lean meat or protein sources.
“Include a light dressing or hummus or cottage cheese dip for vegetables. Whole grain or low-GI bread spread with peanut butter can be a protein-packed high-fibre meal with fruit added. Empty kilojoules – found in junk food or high sugar, high-fat snacks – should be avoided.
“These are foods like fried chips, processed meats and sausages, doughnuts, vetkoek, sweets, fizzy drinks and energy drinks, are without any specific beneficial nutritional value. They can rather be detrimental to a child’s health over the long term.”
Barnard said parents could educate their children on healthy food and what the school’s tuck shop was providing – be it healthy or unhealthy food options – to help them make positive choices.
“Also to lead by example from home. If you don’t pack in a healthy lunch for yourself, how can you expect your children to know what healthy options are better to eat?
“The same with fruit and vegetables. If a child does not see the parent eat it or have it available at home, they won’t make these healthy choices for themselves.
“It can be difficult to make healthy choices when faced with the temptations of the school tuck shop or convenience, readily available fast foods. To avoid these situations, be certain to take along to school and sport events healthier snacks,” she said.
These snacks include:
* Fresh fruit or tinned fruit in fruit juice or small packets of dried fruit.
* Sliced peppers, cherry tomatoes, carrot and celery sticks with hummus or low-fat cottage cheese as a dip.
* A small tub of low-fat or fat-free yoghurt or more convenient on-the-go drinking yoghurt.
* Pretzels or non-sugary popcorn.
* Provitas or Ryvita biscuits or low-GI bread with low-fat cheese and salads.
* Low-GI cereal bars
Barnard said over the last few decades there had been many changes in children’s eating habits, resulting in their unhealthy eating habits.
“The changes that have influenced eating trends include the increase in the availability of relatively cheap high-energy fast foods, and a significant increase in portion sizes compared to many other places in the world.
“It also includes the increase in the availability of high-energy ready-packed snacks and sweetened soft drinks.
“These items are more readily available not only at school tuck shops but also in vending machines, convenience stores and supermarkets. And fewer meals are being eaten at home because a lot of working parents are unable to find the time or energy to cook nutritious meals.
“From a young age children are influenced by the advertising of food products and popular misconceptions about eating habits. This can make it more difficult for both parents and children to make healthy food and nutrition choices.
“To counter these trends in the media, it is important for parents to teach children from a young age to make healthier food choices. But in turn, parents need to be aware of healthy choices and food trends themselves.
“Thus children’s eating behaviours, body image and growth are parents’ responsibility, until a child becomes an adolescent and the responsibility of their behaviour and food choices need to be shared by them and shifts slightly.”
Barnard said it was therefore important for nutritious, balanced meals to be available for children to buy at tuck shops, especially if parents did not pack in a lunchbox from home.
“Schools need to monitor tuck shops and vendors to provide healthy snack options during break times. Healthy guidelines need to be set out at schools to avoid the selling of high colourant, high sugar and fat snacks and drinks to children, especially after already being bombarded by advertisements from media sources.”
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