Nutrition Requirements for School-age children

Healthy eating and physcial activity help children grow, learn and build strong their overall development. As educators, parents or caregiver, we have the opportunity to be a role model of positive behaviour and a healthy lifestyle (Diabetes Canada, 2018).

Active Living for school age - children

Introduction to Healthy Eating

Lots of different things affect how healthy we are including what we eat and how active we are. Food plays a huge part in keeping us healthy and so we need to make sure we're eating a variety of foods to get all the right vitamins and nutrients (Eat Happy Project, 2017).

Benefits of Healthy Eating for school-age children

Good Nutrition is an essential for healthy growth and development in childhood.
can reduce the risk of health problems later years.
Healthy children are better learners (Ministry of Children and Youth Services, 2016).
Healthy body weight.
Strong heart, muscles and bones.
Improved concentration (Diabetes Canada, 2018). https://sites.google.com/view/schoolagenutrtionguide/home

Community Resources: Student Nutrtion Program

Nutritious food helps children learn. Research shows that students have trouble learning when they are hungry at school. They are better able to focus and learn if they eat nutritious meals and snacks (Ministry of Children and Youth Services, 2016).

Student Nutrition Program (SNP) helps schools and community locations provide nutritious breakfasts, morning meals, lunches and/or snacks to children and youth to support their learning and healthy development (Ministry of Children and Youth Services, 2016).

The SNP Nutrition Guidelines will help to model the most healthful breakfast, morning meal, lunch and snack, foods for children and youth participating in your program (Ministry of Children and Youth Services, 2016).

For example, when preparing breakfasts, morning meals, lunches or snacks for your SNP, use the following six program principles as a guide:

This resource was developed as part of Ontario’s Action Plan for Healthy Eating and Active Living and aims to help parents/caregivers bring physical activity and healthy eating to life with their children (Nutrtion Resource Centre, 2017).

This booklet can help. It is full of everyday ideas that you as a busy parent or caregiver can put into action so your 6 - 8 year old can eat well and be active (Nutrtion Resource Centre, 2017).

You are an important role model for your child. At home, at school and in the community, all the efforts you make will add up to a healthier child (Nutrtion Resource Centre, 2017).

For more information, Please click on this link

http://opha.on.ca/getmedia/a4d474ba-82b7-4a05-9296-cf593c5f1c2a/ERBA-6-8-updated.pdf.aspx

Strategies to promote healthy eating

Offer a variety of nutritious foods and beverages using Canada Food Guide (2011).
Avoid food and beverages that are high in added salt and/or sugar and low in nutrients.
Use the nutrition label (i.e., Nutrition Facts Table and ingredient list) on food packages to help avoid foods with artificial trans fat.
Visit Health Canada’s website on understanding food labels for more information about nutrition labelling.

Strategies to promote healthy eating (cont.)

FOOD AND BEVERAGE CHOICE TABLES

Nutrition labelling is information found on the labels of prepackaged foods. It includes the Nutrition Facts table and ingredient list. Use the information found there to choose foods to “Serve” (Ministry of Children and Youth Services, 2016).

More Strategies

Encourage healthy eating practices by giving children and youth enough time to eat (at least 20 minutes) when possible. Promote positive social skills by providing a pleasant eating environment.
Offer appealing food choices that are inclusive and reflect the faiths and cultures of the children, youth and their families. This is will support children's sense of well-being and belonging (Ontario Ministry of Education [OMEd], 2014b).
Children and youth are easily in uenced by casual comments aboutweight, body size and calories. Show a positive attitude for healthy eating and nutrition. Eating well gives you energy and improves your health (Ministry of Children and Youth Services, 2016).
Respect that children and youths’ appetites can change for a variety of reasons. Children are encouraged to listen to their hunger andfullness cues. For instance, If a child is full but has not nished his/her food, donot put pressure on the child to eat more. Likewise, do not withhold food from a child based on body size (Ministry of Children and Youth Services, 2016).
For more information about nutrition and food safety, connect with your local public health unit ((Ministry of Children and Youth Services, 2016).

"Good to Know"

Food and beverage choices are divided into tables based on Canada’s Food Guide food groups: Vegetables and Fruit, Grain Products, Milk and Alternatives, and Meat and Alternatives.
In each food group table, food choices are categorized as “Serve” or“Do Not Serve”.
When preparing mixed dishes, main ingredients should come from the "Serve" category (Ministry of Children and Youth Services, 2016).

http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/documents/studentnutrition/SNP-nutrition-guidelines-2016.pdf

Links for further reading for families

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/healthyeatingfact.pdf

Children can learn about healthy eating at home, school and in the community. Children who learn about healthy eating in the classroom take that knowledge home and pass it on to their families. By applying what they learn in a variety of other settings, such as community centres, child care settings, rinks, grocery stores, and restaurants, studentscan also influence the attitudes of others far beyond the school. In this way, the curriculum can help strengthen connections between the home, the school, and the broader community (Eat Right Ontario, 2015).