Keep Lunch Healthy & Fun
Tips for Back to School Nutrition
The lunchtime sandwich may be the standard option, but let’s face it: Slapping the same smears onto bread — day after day, week after week — can leave kids and parents a little bored. Here’s our suggestion for a healthy nut-free, sandwich-free lunch! Hummus and Pita Plate Nine out of 10 kids love a good hummus— why not make it the star of the show? Pack with things like: Salami, hard boiled eggs, olives, carrots, baby tomatoes, apple slices and grapes (note that dipping is easier and less messy if you pack the hummus in a separate container). Whatever your child loves will work! Using these back-to-school nutrition tips, you can set the tone for the school year and support your child’s health, happiness and success. Wishing all kids a wonderful first week back to school!
Ensure Your Kids Drink Plenty of Water Dehydration can lead to a system overload. Our thinking becomes cloudy, energy diminishes, cell activity becomes sluggish and elimination becomes stagnant. Sending your kids to school with 1-2 water bottles daily is one of the easiest and healthiest options. Adding freshly squeezed lemon and lime can add flavor and aids in digestion. Make Sure Children Get Enough Sleep Growing children need sleep, although they will beg to differ with you! It is vital to their mood, behavior and attention. Children aged 6-13 need about 9-11 hours of sleep a night. To help your children get a good night’s sleep, help instill a regular bedtime routine, ensure the TV, computer, video games and cell phone are out of your child’s bedroom and that the room is as dark as possible. Essential oils, such as lavender, can help to release tension and allow for relaxation as well.
MAXIMUM HYDRATION FOR FALL SPORTS Warm humid weather and intense high school sports practices lead to a lot of sweating and risk of heat exhaustion or more serious heat stroke. Appropriate hydration before, during, and after physical activity is an important ingredient to a healthy and successful team.
Tips to Prevent Dehydration • A schedule for hydration before, during, and after practice or games may be more helpful than simply relying on thirst to maintain hydration. • Weigh the athlete before and after the practices. Proper hydration will show no- or minimal- weight change from practice. • An example hydration schedule for a high school athlete could be: drinking 16 ounces of fluid two hours before physical activity, drinking another 8-16 ounces 15 minutes before physical activity, and during physical activity, drinking 4-8 ounces every 20 minutes. After physical activity, drinking 16-24 ounces of fluid for every pound lost during physical activity. • Athletes will continue to lose fluid after practice as they continue to cool their core body temperature and urinate. Using urine color as a measure for hydration status can be helpful. Bold yellow urine to dark yellow or apple juice colored urine signifies dehydration. Athletes should aim to start every practice fully hydrated.
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs