Article healthy eating for schoolchildren. Menu for proper nutrition of schoolchildren

How to organize a child’s nutrition so that the diet can satisfy all energy needs at this age. During the period when baby is coming to school, he has increased psychological and physical stress, so food should be healthy, nutritious and as beneficial as possible.

- this is the key to his strong immunity, good academic performance and. A lot of attention has been paid to this topic, but some questions remain unanswered. What foods should you limit in your diet? Which diet should you choose? What is the best cooking method?

Recommendations for organizing proper nutrition for schoolchildren

The following principles of healthy nutrition for schoolchildren are generally accepted by pediatricians and nutritionists around the world: Calorie content.
When creating a diet for every day, it is necessary to take into account the child’s energy consumption. Diversity.
This is one of the main principles of creating a menu; this is the only way to provide the body with essential amino acids. Mode.
The child should eat regularly, the intervals between meals should be regulated. Balanced diet
. The presence of animal proteins is considered mandatory. Carbohydrates that are quickly broken down should make up no more than 20%. Vitamins

. The diet should include vegetables and fruits. Of course, it is necessary to take into account individual characteristics

child. It is extremely important that children eat fish at least once or twice a week. Every day you need to consume dairy products, especially yogurt, milk, cheese. All kinds of sweet treats and fatty foods are allowed in the diet, but they should not replace healthy foods.

His Majesty's diet Children school age need to be taught to be independent. Breakfast can be scheduled for 7-8 am. Snack is at 10-11 o'clock, at school, during recess. Lunch can take place either at home or at school. We plan dinner for 19-20 pm. Proper nutrition for school age children

stipulates that breakfast and lunch should be the most energy-intensive, but it is better to have dinner two hours before bedtime. As for the cooking method, there are no special recommendations. If the child is prone to gaining excess weight

, then you should exclude fried foods from your diet, as well as sweets and carbonated drinks.

Primary school students have their own calorie allowance, which is no more than 2400 kcal.
Schoolchildren who study in high school, should receive – 2500 kcal.
High school students are entitled to up to 2800 kcal.
Children who are actively involved in sports need energy-dense nutrition, so they should consume 300 kcal more.

If you don’t have time to select the calorie intake for yourself and your family members, you can use ready-made menus from .

What should children be vaccinated?

Summing up everything on the topic “Proper nutrition for school-age children,” I would like to say that nutritional culture is of enormous importance, and it is necessary to learn to eat proper food from childhood. Encourage children to eat a variety of nutritious foods. Do not deny yourself fresh vegetables and fruits. Products with a high starch content deserve special attention, and the benefits of whole milk, yogurt and cheeses are generally incomparable. The main source of fluid entering the body should be water, not sweet soda.

School-age children need a balanced diet, high in vitamins and microelements, which will help their body develop and remain healthy. Below you will find information about what it is based on healthy eating schoolchildren.

Regular meals

Children need regular meals and snacks in between. This is especially important when we are talking about healthy eating for younger schoolchildren. If instead the child gets used to “catching” something on the go, there can, of course, be no talk of a balanced diet.

It's good for children to start their day with a nutritious breakfast, such as milk and cereal, to cope with the morning school load. Then one piece of toast, 1-2 pieces of fruit or a piece of muffin will give them extra energy to feel energetic until lunch. It is advisable to make the lunch itself as varied as possible.

The basic rules for healthy eating for schoolchildren are recommended to parents as follows:

It is advisable for a child to eat fish 1-2 times a week;
Once a week - red meat (such as beef);
1-2 times a week the child should eat legumes or dishes such as stuffed vegetables;
on other days, the child can be given white meat (for example, chicken) or dishes made from pasta.

Please note that healthy eating can be taught to schoolchildren through dinners and weekend lunches where the whole family gathers around the table.

Products from all food groups

Speaking about healthy nutrition for students, it should be noted that children need to eat foods from all food groups in order to satisfy their body’s need for nutrients. Let's look at this in more detail.

Bread, other cereals and potatoes. It is good that schoolchildren's nutrition is based on this group of products. When preparing food, give preference to wholemeal flour; a healthy diet assumes that 2/3 of the schoolchildren’s diet will consist of products made from this kind of flour.

Fruits and vegetables. For a healthy, nutritious diet, schoolchildren should be given 5 servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables daily.

1 medium-sized fruit - for example, banana, apple, orange;
2 small fruits (such as plums), 10-15 grapes, cherries, berries;
1 small portion of fresh vegetable salad;
3 heaping tablespoons of cooked vegetables, such as green peas;
3 heaping tablespoons of cooked legumes, such as beans (if your child eats more, it still counts as one serving);
1 tablespoon of dry fruits - such as raisins or dried apricots;
1 small glass of natural juice (if the child drinks more, it still counts as one serving).

Milk and dairy products. Give children at least 3 servings of dairy products per day. This could be 1 package of yogurt, 1 glass of milk or 1 matchbox-sized piece of cheese. This is especially important for the healthy nutrition of younger schoolchildren. Low-fat dairy products usually contain the same amount of calcium and the same list of vitamins that we find in normal-fat products. However, it is not advisable for children to consume completely low-fat dairy products.

Meat, fish and alternative products. Meat (especially red meat) and fish are the best sources of iron. However, legumes (lentils, beans), green leafy vegetables and fortified grains can also provide enough iron to a student's body.

Fatty fish - such as sardines, anchovies, mackerel, salmon - are very rich in Ω-3 fatty acids. These acids are necessary for the proper functioning of the nervous, immune and cardiac vascular systems child. The rules of healthy eating not only for schoolchildren, but also for children in general, say that children need to eat 2 servings of fatty fish per week. However, avoid giving your child swordfish as it contains high levels of mercury.

Fatty or sugary foods. Foods high in fat or high in sugar - such as cakes, cookies, chocolate waffles, crisps - give schoolchildren a lot of energy, but contain almost no vitamins. IN small quantity Children can, however, consume sweets only as a component balanced nutrition, and not as a replacement for basic, healthy and wholesome food.

Healthy drinks. As the most suitable drinks healthy food offers milk and water for schoolchildren - as they do not damage their teeth. Juices are highly acidic and contain a high percentage of sugar (even in natural juices we find natural sugars). Therefore, it is better to give juices to children with food - otherwise, it is advisable to dilute them with water.

The total amount of fluid a schoolchild needs during the day depends on the weather, physical activity child and the foods he eats. It's a good idea to give children one glass of water (milk or juice) with each meal, and one glass between meals. Give children more fluids during hot weather and periods of increased physical activity.

A healthy diet for younger schoolchildren generally does not allow the consumption of carbonated drinks such as Coca-Cola that contain caffeine. For older schoolchildren, avoid giving them caffeinated sodas with meals, as caffeine interferes with the body's ability to absorb iron.

Many parents are concerned about what their child eats, and rightly so, because a schoolchild’s nutrition is a very important component in his development. Foods and meals contain essential vitamins and substances for growth, body development and mental activity throughout the day, especially in class. In order for a child to receive the right amount of nutrients, a healthy and balanced menu is necessary.

Schoolchild's menu for the week

Monday (we start healthy menu)

Breakfast - any porridge, bread and butter, tea with lemon or cocoa are recommended.
Lunch - a schoolchild happily eats borscht along with bread, vegetable salad, chicken or meat cutlets with potatoes or noodles, then drinks compote.
Afternoon snack (snack) - eat any fruit (apple, pear) or kefir with cookies.
Dinner – it is advisable to make it light and 2 hours before bedtime. Milk with bread cottage cheese casserole and vegetables.

Tuesday (continue healthy menu)

Breakfast - oatmeal, green tea, bread and butter and a couple of fried eggs would be appropriate.
Lunch is fine potato casserole with vegetable salad, cabbage soup, jelly with bread.
Snack (afternoon snack) – a bun with milk.
Dinner - some favorite salad, fish with pasta, green or black tea, bread.

Breakfast - a sandwich with cheese and butter, buckwheat or rice porridge, black tea.
Lunch - the child will be happy to eat soup at meat broth, vegetable salad, mashed potatoes with cutlets, tea with sugar and lemon to taste, black bread.
Afternoon snack – 1 fruit (apple, pear, banana), drink 1.5% fat yogurt with cookies or a bun.
Dinner – Boil rice or buckwheat with meat gravy, vegetables, bread and tea.

Thursday (we continue the healthy menu for every day)

Breakfast - in the morning it is useful to eat porridge; if the child likes coffee, then with milk and a sandwich.
Lunch – Mashed potatoes with chicken or meat, vegetable salad, choice of your favorite soup, orange or apple juice and black bread.
Snack – 2 pieces boiled eggs, fermented baked milk with baked goods.
Dinner - noodles with meatballs and tomato sauce, fresh cucumbers or tomatoes for a bite and bread with tea.

Breakfast - milk porridge or noodles, coffee with milk, sandwich with butter.
Lunch – buckwheat with fried fish, fresh vegetable salad, compote or juice, choice of bread.
Afternoon snack (snack) – a couple of vegetables or fruits.
Dinner – cottage cheese casserole, salad, tea, bread.

Saturday (the sixth day of the healthy menu has arrived)

Breakfast - pearl barley or oatmeal, 1-2 eggs, tea with lemon, bread and butter.
Lunch - a student will appreciate a vegetable salad, meat with cabbage, borscht, tea and bread.
Afternoon snack – tea or milk with a bun or pastry.
Dinner – Fish, low-fat cottage cheese with 10% sour cream, tea and black bread.

Sunday

Breakfast - buckwheat or millet porridge, green or black tea with or without lemon, a bun with cheese.
Lunch - the child will be delighted with soup with meatballs, boiled chicken fillet, salad and tea.
Snack – fermented baked milk, kefir, a delicious bun and 1 fruit (apple or pear).
Dinner – cottage cheese with sour cream 10%, chicken fillet, tea or juice and bread.

A teenager’s diet should include vegetables and fruits every day, because they contain healthy vitamins and minerals.
It is necessary to drink enough water, especially if the child plays sports or leads an active lifestyle, often plays football, rides a bike or skis, etc.
Dairy products contain calcium, which is necessary for bone growth.
Vegetable fats should also be present in the daily menu, as they have a beneficial effect on hair and nails. And animal fats should be kept to a minimum in the daily diet.
Protein is also necessary, because it is a builder for muscle mass and restoration of the body after exercise during the day.

Parents should take care of the diet of schoolchildren, because their mood, well-being and performance at school will depend on this. Adjust the nutrition menu, and let your children be strong and healthy and do well in school.

Junk Foods – Eliminate Them Today

Sausages - probably favorite dish from schoolchildren's meals. Sausages are quite harmful. People often eat them with pasta or omelettes, but you need to get rid of this habit and replace them with chicken cutlets or chicken fillets. Moreover, cheap sausages contain no meat, and almost half consist of fats and soy protein. The sister of sausages, this is a cheap sausage that should be excluded from the diet of children and adults. Give preference to natural meat.
Crackers - do not represent any nutritional value. A large number of salt, and too much of it is also not good, you understand. And crackers are ordinary bread that has been dried and various ingredients have been added to give it flavor. We also exclude them from our healthy diet.
Sweet drinks, especially carbonated ones - sodium benzoate is present in the composition and these guys, as you understand, are bad. They usually contain a lot of sugar and it is difficult for the body to cope with such amounts of glucose. We exclude dietary analogues, because they are no better, but only harm internal organs.
Chewing gum – do you like to chew? It's time to get out of the habit and now you'll find out exactly why. After all, this is a harmful product, just like fast food and breakfast cereals. Flavor modifiers, stabilizers, dyes, etc. All this is contained in chewing gum.
Chips - made from potato powder, they are full of fat and all sorts of other things harmful substances, including salt and solid nutritional supplements. So, you are spending money on them and getting a taste sensation, but at the same time harming your health, especially when daily use chips. So what are we doing? That's right, let's stop eating chips.

And every parent dreams that his schoolchild has enough energy and desire to master new material and get good grades, while attending some other sections and clubs, paying attention to reading necessary books, watching the programs you want and chatting with friends and family.

Proper nutrition in childhood creates healthy eating habits and ensures the absence of stomach problems in adulthood.

Where can a schoolchild get energy for all this and how to maintain good health throughout school year? Proper nutrition for high mental and physical activity– a guarantee of both excellent health and high academic performance. Our 10 tips will help you avoid mistakes in the question of how and what to eat as a schoolchild.

How should a schoolchild eat?

A schoolchild must have breakfast! Charging your body with the right amount of calories in the morning will have a beneficial effect on its condition throughout the day.
It is better to provide a schoolchild with 5 meals a day: with mandatory breakfast, lunch and dinner, there should be snacks between breakfast and lunch, lunch and dinner. The snack may be small, but it should be there.
Monitor the water balance of the student’s body, because a lack of fluid leads to headaches and premature fatigue. The child should get used to drinking at least 1 liter of clean still water per day.
A schoolchild's diet should include a sufficient amount of protein, because its deficiency leads to stunted growth, decreased resistance to disease, academic failure and loss of ability to work. Therefore, if you are raising a vegetarian, then introduce more protein plant foods into his diet.
Schoolchildren, especially junior classes, should eat at least 3 servings of dairy products daily: milk, natural yoghurts without sugar, hard cheese.
Try to completely exclude from the student’s diet everything fried, fatty and smoked, as well as sausage, frankfurters and other processed foods. meat products. Steam, boil or stew natural meat, fish and poultry.
The calorie intake of a schoolchild from 7 to 10 years old should be at least 2400 kcal, from 10 to 14 years old - 2400-2600 kcal, and from 14 to 17 years old - 2600-3000 kcal per day. If your child plays sports, then the calorie content of his menu should increase by 300-500 kcal.
Sweets provide a significant amount of calories, but have absolutely no vitamins and spoil teeth. Therefore, never replace sweets with a nutritious diet. Let's have something sweet limited quantities and only as a dessert.
Try to find time to go to the school canteen and try what they feed the children there. You might be lucky and your school lunch will replace your home lunch. Or vice versa - the child will have to be given more sandwiches and prohibited from eating school food.
Healthy, adequate sleep is no less important than nutrition. Do not give children caffeine-containing drinks (coffee, cocoa, strong tea, chocolate) in the afternoon; try to ensure that the child goes to bed no later than 10 pm and sleeps at least 8-9 hours a day.

Now let’s talk about the menu itself for the schoolchild, which will fill him with energy and essential vitamins without overloading the stomach.

Breakfast

Breakfast has always been considered the most important meal of the day. In order for your child to eat normally in the morning, you need to wake him up an hour before leaving the house. It would be nice to teach him not only to wash his face and brush his teeth, but also to do a little exercise and shower himself cold water. Morning activity will immediately chase away sleep and awaken your appetite. You need to have a high-calorie breakfast so that you have enough energy for 3-4 hours.

It can be various cereals with milk or water, with butter or with fruit, mashed potatoes or pasta, large scrambled eggs or steam omelet. You can drink everything in the morning - coffee, cocoa, juice, tea, milk.

Second breakfast (“big break”)

If the school canteen provides good food, then the question of a second breakfast disappears by itself. But if the food there is disgusting, then you should think about an additional bag of sandwiches.

First, replace the white wheat bread on any whole grain or dark flour. Flour products made from white flour are extremely unhealthy for a young, growing organism.

Secondly, replace the sausage with chicken or turkey meat. And instead of butter, which you are used to spreading on a sandwich, put a lettuce leaf, fresh cucumber or tomato.

You can also drink whatever you choose. It would not be a mistake to stick to simple clean water.

Dinner

At lunch, the child must eat something liquid and hot (soup or borscht) and carbohydrate-protein (meat or fish with vegetables). Dessert can be sweet.

It is better to cook the first dishes for a schoolchild not with broths, but with water. Prepare small pots of soup or borscht, enough for 2-3 days. The child must have fresh food. It is better to stew, boil or bake meat, fish or poultry for main courses rather than fry. Completely exclude instant soups, cereals, mashed potatoes and other “meal substitutes” containing a bunch of preservatives, dyes, emulsifiers and other inedible “E-sheks”.

Sweet dessert should be in moderation and not immediately after eating, but at least half an hour later.

Afternoon snack

A light snack will help the student wait until dinner without getting hungry, and help him avoid overeating during dinner. Therefore, 2 hours after lunch you can drink weak tea, milk, compote or juice with cookies. Or natural yogurt with fruits. Or just eat fresh fruit.

Dinner

Dinner should be light and no later than 2 hours before bedtime. For dinner, you can offer the schoolchild an omelet, cottage cheese, stewed or baked fish, vegetable stew or porridge (buckwheat, rice, oatmeal). It's best to drink Herb tea, milk or compote.

Prohibited Products

There are foods that are so harmful to a growing body that it is better to completely exclude them from a student’s diet. Apart from harm, they do nothing, especially since they are all produced in a factory way, and, as we said above, factory processing of products is harmful to the child’s body.
This:

And lastly, I would like to appeal to the parents of schoolchildren: you don’t want your child to be sick, unsuccessful and retarded? Then don’t buy him all the “goodies” listed. After all, his future, his career, his personal life depend on the health of your child, the foundation of which is laid by you, today!

The arrival of autumn marks the return of school days, rainy autumn weather and mental stress. That is why nutritionists advise paying attention to the proper nutrition of schoolchildren during this difficult period of their life. In addition to school, many children attend additional classes in dancing, drawing, and go to sports clubs.

The importance of proper and healthy nutrition for a schoolchild cannot be overestimated. A growing body needs to get the maximum useful microelements and minerals for its normal development. So what is important to include in a teenager’s diet? We study the advice of nutritionists and draw up correct menu.

Useful and harmful

Only parents can make a schoolchild’s diet nutritious. Healthy foods activate brain activity, give strength and energy, while junk food will create discomfort in the stomach and problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

Nutritionists advise introducing the following nutritional components into the correct menu for a schoolchild:

dairy products, as they help strengthen and grow bones;
fats plant origin, which have a beneficial effect on nails and hair;
vegetables and fruits, because they contain a whole storehouse of vitamins;
protein food, which will help restore energy after a hard day at school.

It is also important for the child to maintain a drinking regime, because water activates metabolic processes. Those parents whose child is involved in active sports should especially heed the recommendation.

Nutritionists have compiled a list of harmful foods that harm the body and cause the development of gastric diseases. Therefore, if you want to provide a healthy diet for a schoolchild, exclude this category from the diet:

sausages, sausages and other soy protein products;
store-bought crackers with various additives;
chips;
sweet soda;
fast food and various spicy foods;
sausages;
coffee and caffeinated products;
various sauces, mayonnaise, ketchup.

It is not necessary to introduce a ban on sweets if they do not replace, but complement the main dishes. The ideal way to cook food for schoolchildren is steaming or baking in the oven.

These are the basic nutritional rules that parents of teenagers should follow.

Food schedule

Meal times are greatly influenced by changes in a child's education. If a student attends classes during the first shift, then the best option for meals would be the following hours:

breakfast 7:00 - 8:00;
lunch 10:00 - 11:00;
lunch 13:00 - 14:00;
dinner 18:00 - 19:00.

For those who go to school during the second shift, you need to eat at the following times:

breakfast 8:00 - 9:00;
lunch 12:00 - 13:00;
afternoon tea 16:00 - 17:00;
dinner 19:00 - 20:00.

Don't forget about the basic rules of dietetics; lunch and breakfast together make up about 60% of your total daily calorie intake. Evening meals are taken no later than two hours before bedtime.

Making a menu

A schoolchild's weekly menu should consist of nutritious and energy-dense dishes. Such proper food will provide the child with energy and increase brain activity. So, what is recommended to include in your weekly diet?

Breakfast

One of the main meals that will energize you for the whole day.

oatmeal with apple or berries, green tea;
buckwheat porridge cooked with milk, chicory;
omelette with cheese, sweet tea;
cheesecakes, cocoa;
rice porrige with pumpkin pieces, tea;
pancakes, cocoa;
cottage cheese with berries or honey, sweet tea.

Dinner

Lunch is the most energetically valuable element of nutrition for a schoolchild. The lunch meal must include first liquid dishes to ensure normal bowel function. For the second meal, it is advisable to eat a meat or fish dish that will saturate the body with protein.

red borscht, mashed chicken cutlet, vegetable salad;
pickle, beet salad, beef stroganoff with stewed vegetables;
chicken noodle soup, fish cake with rice, vegetable salad;
potato soup, liver with rice, eggplant caviar;
beetroot soup, beef patty, carrot salad;
vegetable soup, baked fish with pasta, cauliflower;
seafood cream soup, chicken chop with vegetables.

Don't forget to supplement your student's lunch with drinks. Compotes, jelly, herbal decoctions and natural juices are suitable for nutrition.

Afternoon snack

This meal can be considered a pre-dinner snack. A child can have an afternoon snack both at home and at school. Options:

oatmeal cookies, apple, kefir;
cottage cheese bun, pear, milk;
bun with raisins, orange, yogurt;
biscuits, apple, fermented baked milk;
biscuit, orange, tea;
cottage cheese cookies, pear, kefir.

Dinner

A schoolchild's evening meal should be as light as possible and taken no later than 2 hours before bedtime. Do not give your child meat, otherwise the stomach will feel heaviness, which will make it difficult to sleep. For dinner you need to prepare the main course and drinks.

potato zrazy, cranberry juice;
omelette with green peas, tea;
pancakes with curd filling, cocoa;
rice pudding, fermented baked milk;
omelette with tomatoes, milk;
cottage cheese with candied fruits, cocoa;
cauliflower casserole, green tea.

This correct menu allows the student to eat rationally every day, without harming the body and ensuring that it receives the maximum amount of nutrients. Using this diet mode, you can create a suitable menu yourself. Remember that for breakfast and lunch you need to serve dishes with higher calorie content.

Cooking food for school

Nutrition for schoolchildren during school hours is no less important than at home. What can you prepare for your child if the establishment does not have a canteen or you do not trust the local catering?

First, ask your child what he would like to see in his lunch box for lunch. Perhaps it will be breakfast cereals made from dried fruits and nuts, or perhaps he will want a casserole. There is no need to put a teenager’s least favorite dish in a box, because there is a high probability that he will not want to eat it.

Based on the opinion of nutritionists, the correct lunch (or afternoon snack) for a schoolchild may consist of:

pieces of fresh fruit, nuts, dried fruits - this is a dry bulk breakfast;
yogurt, curds, cheese mass;
healthy sandwiches based on cereal bread, butter, fresh vegetables, and sliced meats;
nutritious rolls made from pita bread, fresh herbs and meat;
eggs, slices of cheese, vegetables;
cottage cheese or berry casseroles;
Japanese snack.

The latter nutrition option is optimal for a growing body, since a bento lunch or dry snack contains various dishes that are rich in protein, vitamins and minerals. As you can see, preparing lunches for school does not take much time. You just need to find your recipe and follow your child’s wishes.

It is very important to package food for your schoolchild beautifully so that he wants to eat it. Lunch boxes will help you with this. The color palette of the products is very bright, and the child can decorate it himself with stickers or drawings.

How much to eat

Nutritionists have calculated the optimal amount of food consumed for a schoolchild:

A 200 ml drink is added to all meals. It can be teas, jelly, berry fruit drinks, cocoa. Avoid giving your teen coffee, as the drink has a high caffeine content.

Proper nutrition of schoolchildren depends entirely on parents. You can teach your child to eat healthy food only by example. Eliminate all foods with artificial additives and dyes from your diet, diversify your menu with meat and fish dishes, and add vegetables. Healthy eating is the key to success in school.