Back-to-school means new schedules and routines for the whole family, and meal times are no exception.
Many kids will soon transition from summer lunches at home to lunchboxes and cafeteria lines. Meanwhile, parents are adjusting from dinners during long summer nights to tighter windows of meal times squeezed in between extracurriculars and homework.
Joanne Slavin, Ph.D., R.D., a professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, answers questions about how to make healthy choices this school year.
Q: How does eating healthy meals benefit students?
Prof. Slavin: Children need nutritious food and beverages in order to be successful in the classroom. Good nutrition not only maximizes students’ ability to think well, it’s essential for strong movement in gym class, recess and sports. Kids need to consume high-quality protein three times a day, and a variety of whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. These foods can help ensure students are getting important nutrients including dietary fiber and potassium. Understand that food is only nutritious if it is consumed, so make sure that available food and beverages don’t end up in the trash. Meals and snacks can be tailored to accommodate children with special needs, food allergies, or cultural preferences.
Q: What components make for a nutritious packed lunch or school snack?
Prof. Slavin: You might be surprised to learn that packaged snack foods continue to improve their nutrients. There are now more options that include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and isolated proteins. Most packed lunches and school snacks do still include ultra-processed foods, despite a recent push to limit these items. Parents should know that a perfectly healthy lunch could include a peanut butter sandwich, whole-grain chips, a fruit or vegetable snack, and a dairy beverage or alternative dairy beverage that is shelf stable and rich in Vitamin D and calcium. Focusing on the recommendations on myplate.gov can set students and parents up for success.
Q: How can I encourage my kids to make smart choices in the cafeteria line?
Prof. Slavin: If your child is eating school lunch, you can feel confident they will have healthy options. Provided meals stick to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, including limits on added sugars, solid fats, and sodium. Additionally, -eating school lunch could also help students develop a more varied palette. Firstly, school lunch can introduce children to protein sources, vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes that may be unfamiliar. Studies find that it can take more than 10 exposures to a vegetable before a child may try it and like it. School lunch offers this repeat exposure. Secondly, seeing other children enjoy vegetables and whole-grain products can make it more likely that your child will choose a vegetable they are not familiar with, or pizza with whole-grain crust.
Q: Back-to-school is a busy time – do you have any advice for easily upping the nutrition in quick weeknight meals?
Prof. Slavin: Back-to-school is such an exciting yet busy time. It seems like dinner is difficult as everyone is tired after work, school, sports, music, religious activities, and more. A key part of preparing the evening meal is having a plan. Using slow cookers so dinner is ready when everyone returns from a long day can be a lifesaver. Many cultural eating patterns and popular meal choices, including -casseroles, stir-fry, soups, salads, pizzas, and tortillas can be improved by reducing sodium, added sugars, and solid fats, and increasing whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes. Healthy meal options available at grocery stores and restaurants may work best for a family who needs to work around soccer or band practice. The most important thing is to gather as a family and enjoy breaking bread together while following guidelines for -better nutrition – moderation and variety.
Q: How does your work at the U of M support better nutrition for families across Minnesota?
Prof. Slavin: Our research portfolio includes studies on dietary fiber, whole grains, gut health, protein needs, alternative sweeteners, and sustainable nutrition. Growing up on a farm that I now own connects me with the farmers of our state, and the challenges of growing crops and animal products that help feed the world. We are fortunate in Minnesota to have a history of great food and agriculture companies that care about the environment and continue to be great employers for Minnesotans. Policies including school lunch for all puts Minnesota in an enviable position, but increasing food prices is challenging for everybody. CFANS continues to support food and nutrition needs in Minnesota, the U.S., and the world, and I feel privileged to be a professor at the University of Minnesota.
Joanne Slavin is a professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. She teaches Advanced Human Nutrition, a writing–intensive class that covers food policy and human health. She manages the Slavin Sisters Farm LLC in Walworth, Wis., and is a member of the Sustainable Nutrition Scientific Board. She served on the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee in 2010, and works with industry, commodity groups, and NGOs to promote food science, nutrition, and agriculture.