The Importance of Balanced Eating at School

During the school year, schedules get hectic. Families often find themselves scrambling to keep up with homework, afterschool activities, family time, and maintaining a decent bedtime. It’s easy for health and nutrition to fall through the cracks. This is why it’s very important that when students are at school, parents can rest assured that healthy foods are being served. Let’s look at a few reasons why healthy eating at school matters.

Health

A child’s physical health is dependent on the type of nutrition they are receiving. Nutrition affects their overall health and immune function. When kids have access to proper nutrition, they have better physical health. Kids who don’t have access to proper nutrition get sick more often and can even start to develop health conditions such as poor eyesight or weak bones. Good nutritious food during the school day means that children will have the energy and focus they need to carry throughout their many activities.

Behavior

As adults, we understand the frustrating feeling of being hungry, and that leads to feelings of stress and anger. Some refer to this as being hangry. Children experience this too. It’s important to know though that simply eating isn’t always enough to get rid of that feeling. Our body wants more than calories. It wants nutrition. Nutrients are what satisfy the feelings of hunger. If a child isn’t getting nutrient-dense food, they may still experience those negative feelings and that can lead to behavior problems throughout the day. This is why good nutrition is emphasized in a quality private preschool.

Academic Performance

The food we eat affects not only our physical body but also our attention span and ability to focus. When kids don’t have proper nutrition during the school day, it can affect their level of focus and their academic performance. You must feed the brain the necessary nutrients it needs in order to function at its best. A lot of academic struggles can be traced back to physical challenges, including a lack of nutrition.

These are just a few reasons why healthy eating is prioritized in a quality private preschool. According to We Are Teachers, there are over 64,000 elementary schools in the United States. If you’d like to learn more about our programs, please contact ICS Coral Gables today. We look forward to meeting you and your child soon!