Lunch for the Break

The food that children consume at school is just as important, if not more so, than what they eat at home; it is the school diet that determines their attention and retention in the classroom. In the online food consumption survey conducted by Profeco in 2011, it was found that 74% of participating parents who give their children money to spend at school reported that their children buy snacks, packaged juices, and fried foods. It is concerning that less than 26% have some type of nutritional food awareness. What foods like fried snacks and sweets have in common is a high caloric value but a very low nutritional value. What this indicates is that as the school year begins, it is important to pay attention to the types of foods that children consume within the school. Remember that nutrition is a decisive factor for their stable physical development and optimal academic performance. According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), a child without a proper diet is susceptible to academic performance problems as they suffer from alterations in both their biological and intellectual development. What is not possible is to keep an eye on our children at every moment, but what can be done is to prepare a suitable lunch for them to perform satisfactorily in school. A balanced snack should contain a combination of the three main food groups: fruits and vegetables, cereals and tubers, and legumes and proteins. For example, a sandwich with proteins (turkey ham and cheese), vegetables (avocado and tomato), and a bit of fat (mayonnaise) to keep the cereal (bread) from being too dry is an ideal alternative. A hamburger, similarly, can work as long as the meat is not prepared with too much oil. Now, according to Profeco, there are specific times when a child with a regular school schedule should eat: 7:00 - breakfast 10:00 – snack (lunch) 15:00 - lunch 18:00-20:00 - dinner Specifically regarding the lunch, it should be remembered that it is a snack that is between breakfast and lunch, so it should be assigned a lower caloric value than what is calculated for a regular meal. It should also be taken into account that no matter how well-balanced the school snack is, it does not replace breakfast at any moment, as this morning meal should be consumed within two hours after waking up, as this is how the body wakes up at different levels after a night of sleep. Lunch Recipes Fruit and Vegetable Skewers for Lunch Ingredients: - 1 kiwi, peeled and sliced into 1-centimeter thick rounds - 5 small strawberries, washed and disinfected - 2 to 3 large carrots, cut into 3 pieces - 1 stalk of celery - 100 grams of cottage cheese To prepare this recipe click here.   Magical Sandwich Ingredients: - 2 slices of sandwich bread - 1 boiled egg, chopped - 1 slice of ham, chopped - 1 tablespoon of chopped celery - 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise - 1/4 teaspoon of mustard - salt to taste - pepper to taste Click here to see how to prepare it.   And you, what do you prepare for your children's lunch?