With the return of schools…
Nutritionist: It’s important to promote a healthy bag lunch culture at school –
Some mothers revealed their daily challenges due to their children’s refusal to eat breakfast or drink milk before going to school, which prompted them to seek other nutritional alternatives in order to feed their children. instead of going to school hungry. Nutritionists believe that healthy eating is essential for students. Being an important and essential stage for rapid physical growth, since boys and girls are exposed to many physical, physiological and behavioral changes, so it is necessary to pay attention to nutrition at this stage in terms of quality and quantity ; So as not to cause growth defect and prevent infection with many diseases. The diet must contain the basic elements necessary for the body. “Amman” surveyed mothers’ views on their children’s early breakfast when going to school, and discussed with experts and parents possible solutions to prevent children from refusing early breakfast.
Itimad bint Ahmad al-Hamdani says: I struggle in the morning with my daughters to have breakfast before going to school, so that I diversify the breakfast meals for them, one of them takes breakfast lunch, while the other refuses, and eats it with difficulty, so I have to be with her for breakfast. Addition: I decided to give them dinner in advance so that they would be hungry in the morning and have their breakfast. Noting that it is necessary to include in the school meal varieties of fruits, healthy sandwiches and milk. And Salwa Al-Yousifi added saying: I convince my son before going to school of the importance of breakfast and tell him that if he does not drink milk he will not be a diligent student and he will be dizzy, so I think of the food he likes to eat so that I keep it for him in the morning before he goes to school, and when he goes to school I prepare foods for him such as: biscuits, fruit, bread with jam and cheese so as to stimulate his appetite so that he eats when he is hungry. For her part, Amna bint Hamad Al-Mahrouqi says: I started thinking seriously about looking for food alternatives that I could offer my children when they go to school. Because I find it difficult to have breakfast with them, so I try to prepare the foods they prefer, force them and encourage them to drink milk. For fear of being dizzy, and not concentrating on school lessons.
Balanced breakfast
Halut Al-Mashaniya, nutritionist at Madinat Al-Haq Hospital in Taqah State, Dhofar Governorate, discussed possible solutions. Encourage students to follow healthy eating habits by saying: School-aged students go through the most important growth stages of their lives, so it is important to provide them with a healthy, balanced and varied diet that contains all the necessary nutrients . To meet the needs of the body and provide his body with the energy it needs to study its lessons and practice its daily activities to the fullest. As students spend more than a third of their day at school, they should therefore obtain a third of their daily nutritional requirements during this time to avoid diet-related health problems. Parents have an important role to play in supporting their children by providing and preparing meals in healthier ways and educating them to choose the right foods in the right amounts. She explained that breakfast is one of the most important daily meals for students and care should be taken to eat a healthy and balanced breakfast before starting the school day. the child to maintain their activity and concentration during the school day, and thus achieve high school achievement rates, and prevent the feeling of hunger for a period of time, and thus reduce the consumption of sweets in school.
She pointed out that there are school children who suffer from exhaustion, fatigue or anemia. Because they’re not eating healthy foods that contain the nutrients the body needs, and it’s important to emphasize that a meal break is not a meal.
Breakfast as many parents prepare it, and it is not a substitute for it, but both meals have their importance and their role in giving the student’s body its needs in stages during the day.
She added: The ideal breakfast before going to school should contain complex carbohydrates, protein and unsaturated vegetable fats, for example a low-fat cheese sandwich, eggs, hummus, labneh and thyme with the addition of vegetables. Milk and its derivatives are among the important foods for the student, since this group of foods provides a large proportion of protein, vitamin D and calcium for bone growth. The student also needs (3) daily servings of milk and milk products.
school lunch
Al-Ma’ashani recommended that to ensure the quality and quality of the food in the school meal, it is best to prepare it at home, to give up its purchase at school and to prepare and serve the lunch box. school lunch in a variety of appetizing, balanced and healthier ways. Meeting the student’s needs during the school day, and that doesn’t mean depriving them of the foods they like to eat. Variety is the key to a healthy food bag because one item does not meet all the necessary needs of the body, so it is important to provide items from different food groups such as carbohydrates, proteins, fruits, vegetables and healthy fats. Among the options that can be prepared for school children, for example: a healthy sandwich, preferably whole wheat bread that contains various additives, such as: low-fat dairy products, hummus, avocado and tuna.
It is better to accustom the child to products from whole grains or brown bread. Because it contains a higher percentage of dietary fiber which helps promote gut health and a feeling of fullness, as brown bread pastries are good options with healthy additions such as cheese, labneh, thyme and adding protein in the form of chunks or toppings such as meat, chicken, eggs, beans, chickpeas and Sudanese beans, and eating vegetables and various vegetable salads during the day as they contain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that increase the immune system’s ability to fight disease and protect the body against infection. also be careful to eat two to three types of fruit during the day. Because it is rich in vitamin C, which is responsible for strengthening the functioning of the immune system, such as: citrus fruits, berries and kiwi, and dried or fresh fruits can be served or in the form of 100% natural juice , as it is a high source of vitamins, minerals and fiber as an alternative to sweets which contain a high percentage of sugar and low nutritional value.
Adding that a bottle of water should be present and refraining from drinking energy drinks, soft drinks and juices, which lead to many health problems including obesity, type 2 diabetes , cardiovascular disease and fatty liver disease. It is better to refrain from providing the child with sweet and salty foods, which lead to a feeling of hunger and thirst after a short time, and thus limit his concentration in the child, causing weight gain .
food bag
With regard to foods and beverages that are not recommended to be served in the school meal; Because its ingredients are unhealthy and its nutritional value is low, and it is served, for example, on special occasions. Madinat Al-Haq Hospital nutritionist says: These foods are not useful, such as : pancakes, waffles, crepes, puddings, rice pudding, fruit smoothies, pizza, fried chicken and canned fruit juice, canned fruit, chocolate and fried potato chips.
She concluded her speech on the importance of promoting a healthy school lunch bag culture to students of all ages and grade levels through parents and the school community. And ensure that the family sets a good example for the child in food choices, because children are very affected by those around them, which increases the importance of good nutrition at school, and in fact an ideal way to instill the basics of a healthy lifestyle and healthy eating habits.
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