Healthy School Lunches Prevent Obesity in Children MAMA BLOGMothers are so obsessed with the diet of their school-going kid, and they are always struggling to feed them healthy. Well, moms are already occupied with planning good eating habits outdoors as well. This generation is so fanatical about junk food, which always causes combat between mothers and children. The major pros of eating junk are obesity, which is alarming for the mommies. Obesity is not something very common or oblivious thing. However, neglecting this health condition can lead to various severe diseases.
Pediatricians always recommend parents to make a healthy diet plan for their kids, not for home but lunch as well. If your kid has a problem with obesity, follow the below tips, and make their lunch exciting and healthy meanwhile.
Add Fruits and Vegetable in Half of the Plate
Add two cups of fruits and one and a half to three cups of vegetables daily. It has been recommended that, for elementary students, half a cup of fruits is important in the lunch meal and for the teens more than 1 cup. From the start, built a habit of eating fruits and vegetables in the meal, so they will never refuse them to eat in the school as well.
Avoid Sodium
Excessive sodium intake is common in children and adults in most countries. According to the recent school nutrition, sodium should be reduced from the school meals gradually, so by 2022 students will not take sodium more than the recommended amount from school lunches. Sodium is highly associated with obesity as it decreases energy intake, and causes metabolic disorders. Exclude sodium from the meal, use salt for taste only.
Give Vegetables of Several Colors
Add vegetables of a range of colors in the meal, like orange, yellow, purple, green, etc. to get a range of different nutrients. Over the weeks, moms should add color variety in the lunch box, this would make lunch fun and give a health-full meal to the kids as well.
Whole Grains
The best way to add minerals, fiber, and vitamin D is by giving whole grains to your kids. Whole grains make the kids feel full and keep them concentrated. The blend of whole grains in the lunch box implies your kid will stay energize for the whole day and perform well in school.
Parent’s Role
There are several schools that are serving school meals. Those lunch meals are prepared following the recommendations of national nutrition standards. However, when it comes to menus and taking a decision about the snack programs, here comes the part of parents. With the school staff, parents should stay involved in deciding and monitoring whether the food is healthy or not, fresh or not, and properly following the standards or not.
Moreover, if the school doesn’t offer lunch meals, moms should pack the home-made lunch with their children. The immediate healthy changes in the diet of your children will lead to more improved health and reduce the chances of obesity.