A balanced diet is needed to maintain a healthy weight at school.Maintaining healthy eating habits will help you have enough energy for school.
Step 1: Breakfast is eaten before school starts.
A bowl of breakfast cereals that is low in sugar with low-fat milk is a good choice.If you start the morning off with a meal, you will be able to burn calories for the rest of the day.It's important to remember that what you eat at breakfast will affect your appetite for the rest of the day.Whole grains and healthy fats are good choices.Eggs and multigrain toast, a breakfast smoothie with a frozen banana, berries, water or coconut milk, and honey are all available.
Step 2: There is a full water bottle.
A poor diet and a temporary sugar high are caused by sugary soft drinks and sodas.Substitute drinks with a water bottle full of water.All natural flavors can be added with a slice of lemon, lime, cucumber, or orange.When you get thirsty at school, put the full water bottle in your bag.
Step 3: You should put healthy snacks in your bag.
You can put an apple and banana in a paper bag, or put a few sugar free bars in your bag.You can have healthy snacks instead of the vending machine when you are hungry.Foods that don't need to be kept cool should be the focus.Sometimes a cold pack can be used, but to eliminate the chance of food-borne illness, choose foods that are shelf-stable and can easily be carried around throughout the day.You can prepare healthy snacks the night before by cutting up fresh fruit and packing it in Tupperware or bags of trail mix.You can pack them in your school bag if you put them by the front door.
Step 4: You can create a meal schedule.
You should plan out your meals with a parent or guardian to make sure you have three meals a day.Lunch meals that are easy to transport, pack well, and are filling should be the focus.A grid for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner can be made with a dry erase board or a word processing program.Write the days of the week you go to school on.To come up with basic meals for a quick breakfast, a healthy and easy to carry lunch, and a filling dinner, you need to work with a parent.You can use an app on your phone to create a shopping list and a meal schedule.
Step 5: The night before, pack your lunch.
It should take less than 30 minutes to make your lunch the night before.If a parent usually packs your lunch, you should help him organize it and put it in containers or bags.Use leftover food from dinner or a large amount of prepared food in different ways, such as leftover BBQ chicken in a wrap or leftover vegetables on whole wheat pasta.
Step 6: If you leave campus for lunch, look for healthy options.
There are fast and healthy restaurants to choose from.If you find yourself at a fast food restaurant, avoid it.Pick from salads, wraps, or deli sandwiches.If your friends have a soft spot for fast food, look for the healthier options on the menu, like the vegetarian option or a sandwich with a side of salad instead of french fries.
Step 7: Don't skip a meal.
The metabolism slows down when you skip meals.During a long day of sitting in a classroom, this is not ideal.To signal the body to ramp up metabolism and keep it high with healthy snacks throughout the day would be the ideal situation.
Step 8: Ask your parents if you can help cook.
You can work with your parents in the kitchen.You can learn how to cut and treat vegetables.You can practice your cooking skills by asking your parents questions.Think about healthier ways to make certain dishes when you help prepare meals.Baking or steaming fish instead of frying it can be used to replace red meat.You can control the portion size on the plates by helping to cook meals.Limit your portion sizes to no more than a few of each dish or type of food.
Step 9: There are fruit and vegetable options.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued new standards for school lunches in 2012 which increased the amount of fruits and vegetables served, emphasized whole grain foods, allowed only low fat and nonfat milk, and reduced saturated fats and sodium.By law, your school should offer a daily serving of fruits and vegetables, fresh or in a fruit or veggie cup without added sugar.Fruit juices must be 100% juice with no added sugar.They may also offer dried fruit.There should be vegetables in the form of dark leafy greens like broccoli, or spinach, red or orange veggies like carrots or sweet potatoes, and beans or peas.There should be no added salt in corn or white potatoes.As meat alternatives, beans and peas may be offered.
Step 10: Most quick options are high in salt, sugar and fat.
It is possible to find healthy options in schools, but the best option is always packing a balanced lunch.According to a report by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, the five worst meals you can eat at school are:
Step 11: Load up on food.
Schools in the U.S. are required to serve whole grain options for lunch.Rice, quinoa, and/or couscous are included.These healthier grain options are better for you than pasta or bread.Tofu or soy yogurt can be a good alternative to red meat if you want to get a lot of nutrition.
Step 12: Look for drinks that are better for you.
Milk options with no added sugars or flavors should be available at your school, as well as 100% fruit juice.Milk and fruit juices should be offered at your school.Don't drink soda or fruit juices from the vending machines at school.
Step 13: Limit the amount of food you eat.
Portion control is an important way to maintain a healthy diet at school and to ensure you are getting all the energy you need for the day.Put dairy on the side of your plate, in the form of fat-free or low-fat milk.Fruits, vegetables, grains, and tofu are some of the types of food that should be balanced on your plate.You should have at least one cup of grains, vegetables, and fruits.Put your fist over your plate.The portions should not be bigger than your fist.The meat portion should be about the same size as your palm.The top of your thumb should be the size of the added fat.Your food should not be piled high.There should be some space between the four groups.