Nothing beats fruits, vegetables and prepared sandwiches. - File

With the new academic year now under way, director of the school feeding unit in the Ministry of Education and Youth, Helen Robertson, is encouraging parents to prepare healthy and nutritious meals and snacks for their children to take to school.

"Often I go into the supermarket and I see people's trolleys full of little bags of cheese trix and sachets of juice," Ms. Robertson said. "While they may have a place, nothing is going to beat fruits and vegetables and prepared sandwiches. It is easy to buy convenience foods because you just pick them up and pack them in a lunch pan, but that really does not provide a great deal of nutrition."

She was addressing a JIS 'Think Tank' at the agency's head office on Half-Way Tree Road recently.

Director of Nutrition in the Ministry of Health, Sharmaine Edwards, pointed out that children need to eat nutritious meals in order to avoid complications such as obesity.

"Obesity will cause a child to become lethargic, develop a negative body image, low self-esteem and it increases the risk of adulthood obesity and related illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes, all of which can affect the energy level and attention span," she pointed out.

Healthy menu

Giving an example of a healthy breakfast menu for a child, she said this could consist of half a cup of cereal with fruit and a milk drink.

For lunch, she suggested that parents pack lunches, but most schools have a feeding programme which entails a nutri snack and drink or a conventional meal.

For snacks, the nutrition director said parents could prepare nutritious items such as carrot sticks, bread, biscuits, popcorns that are sugar free, as well as other low fat products.

However, she cautioned parents against being overzealous as children often refuse to eat certain food, especially nutritious items such as fruits and vegetables.

Physical activities

"If the child is refusing a food, whatyou should do is withdraw it and then introduce it at another time as a new food," she advised. "If the child does not want anymore or refuses a food, talk with the child and find out what it is - if they are not feeling well, if they don't want anymore right now or whatever - but do not force the child to eat."

Parents should also encourage their children to participate in physical activities and get sufficient rest, as these combined with a balanced diet will promote good health.