by Dr. Marita Schauch, ND, Tall Tree Integrated Health Centre
It’s hard to believe that school is about to start again! It’s a great time to be reminded of how important healthy food choices are to help support improved energy, concentration and academic performance for a successful school year.
With the abundance of commercially processed and high sugary foods available at the grocery stores and seen in the media, it can be very difficult to teach children about healthy and nutritious foods rather than low nutritional foods.
The best way to shift to healthier eating is to get your children excited about eating a whole foods diet with a balance of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, beans and legumes. Lean meats, free-range chicken, eggs and fish are great choices for proteins as well. These foods are high in vitamins, minerals, essential nutrients, fiber, proteins and healthy fats.
Easy Snack Ideas Include:
- Protein Smoothies! Blend fruit, protein powder (whey or plant based), plain organic yogurt, greens, flaxseed and water in a blender until smooth.
- Homemade granola and plain organic yogurt or coconut/almond yogurt for those who can’t do the dairy.
Sprouted grain bread/rice cakes with nut butters (almond, hazelnut, pumpkin seed) with cut up apple slices. - Plain rolled oats or quinoa cooked on the stovetop with fresh fruit and nuts. Overnight oats or chia pudding made the night before can also make breakfast quick and easy.
- A hardboiled egg on sprouted grain bread or quinoa and fresh fruit.
- Veggies and dips (hummus, bean dips, guacamole). Try adding a little colour by mixing in a steamed beet, yams, spinach or kale to your hummus!
- Mixed nuts and dried apricots or apples
- Hardboiled egg wrapped in lettuce leaf and drizzled with honey mustard
- Apple dipped in almond butter topped with shredded coconut
Make healthy homemade cookies or granola bars using raw nuts and seeds, oats, dried fruit and sweetened with apple sauce, dates or stevia (a natural sugar found in most grocery and health food stores).
Kale chips!
Some supplements to keep in mind:
- A Daily Multivitamin – Essential vitamins and minerals are necessary for proper growth, metabolism, digestion, immune system function, muscle and nerve function and detoxification processes in the liver.
- Fish Oil – Essential fatty acids are very important for everyone, especially children. Much of the gray matter of the brain is made up of fat, specifically the omega-3-fatty acid (DHA). Choose a good quality fish oil that is pure and clean, free of pollutants and heavy metals.
- Probiotic – Friendly bacteria, such as acidophilus and bifidobacteria, live in our digestive tracts and are essential for a healthy immune system as well as cognitive function. Healthy bacterial balance is easily affected by a poor diet and by the overuse of antibiotics. Remember that over 70% of our immune system is in our digestive tract!
I hope that you find these simple tips useful for creating a successful school year for you and your whole family!
