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What purpose do child nutrition programs serve?
- Teachers report that children with good eating habits
and well-balanced diets have higher energy, are more alert and bring
more enthusiasm for learning to the classroom. They are better able
to concentrate and to benefit from everything that good schooling has
to offer.
- Visit elementary school nutrition programs and you’ll
find caring, enthusiastic volunteers serving a tasty, nutritious breakfast,
snack or lunch to happy children, in a clean and nurturing environment.
- Nutrition programs vary from one school to the next.
Breakfast clubs serve a variety of good things to eat, everything from
banana slices and orange juice to cheese spread on toast or mini-pizzas.
The snack program in one school provides a basket of fresh apples at
the back of every classroom. At another, a cup of milk and child-size
packets of cheese and crackers are provided midway through the afternoon
when energy is flagging.
- There are many reasons why kids participate in nutrition
programs, including:
They take the school bus and don’t have time to eat breakfast;
… Or fresh fruit and veggies aren’t available at home on
a regular basis;
… Or they like the social aspects of eating breakfast with their
friends;
… Or an apple after afternoon recess helps revive flagging energy;
… Or family finances are tight.
These are just a few of the many reasons why nutrition programs have
become a regular part of the school day in so many Simcoe County schools.
- Childhood is an important time to establish lifelong
healthy-eating habits. School nutrition programs encourage kids to eat
servings, every day, from at least three of the four food groups in
Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating.
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