Making sure children eat healthy at home and at school

• Children should avoid simple sugars and fats which are found in sweets, as well as salty snacks, and fast food products
• Pupils' diets should include protein, which is essential for building a young body, and omega-3 fatty acids, which support brain function

The UPWr nutritionist emphasises that breakfast is the first and most important meal of the day, and should provide about 25 percent of a child's total daily energy needs. So, preferably,  children and teenagers should eat breakfast at home, within an hour of waking up, before going to school, in order to stimulate the metabolism and prepare the body to function properly during the day, as well as protect against fluctuations in blood glucose levels. This is because fluctuations in blood glucose levels can lead to weakness and lack of concentration.

– For breakfast, you can give your child, for example, whole-grain cereal products: bread with a side of lean meat, cottage cheese, cheese or spread, e.g. egg or fish. For sandwiches, remember to include vegetables. Cornflakes on milk or with yoghurt can be varied depending on the season with fresh or dried fruit, the addition of nuts, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. It’s also important that breakfast should be accompanied by a drink, preferably a dairy drink, such as tea with milk or cocoa – says Monika Maćków.

The ideal lunch-box for school children

The second meal of the day should be eaten about 3-4 hours after the first one. What should a child lunch-box contain?

– It can be either a sandwich, tortilla or salad, depending on what the child likes. The important thing is that it provides the necessary ingredients for the body. Vegetables are an important ingredient in the lunchbox, so put a carrot, cucumber or other favourite vegetable in the child's lunchbox. Nuts, fresh or dried fruit can be added as snacks. You can also prepare a sweet lunch-box, e.g. in the form of oatmeal with fruit or fruit pancakes – says the dietician.

Monika Maćków emphasises that the diet of children and teenagers during the growth period should include protein of plant origin (nuts, seeds, pulses) and animal origin (lean meat, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products), which is essential for building up the young organism. Due to the intensive mental effort, it is also important to provide students with essential unsaturated fatty acids in the form of omega-3 fatty acids, which support brain function. Sources of these should include fatty fish, nuts, seeds, algae and vegetable oils.

And don't forget about carbohydrates, which are the brain's primary fuel for energy. The best sources of carbohydrates are whole-grain bread, dark pasta, buckwheat groats, brown rice and pulses. Wheat products are also a source of B vitamins, which support the nervous system.

An ingredient that has an important impact on memory processes is magnesium, which has an anti-stress and antidepressant effect. Its best sources are: wheat products (whole-grain bread, groats), nuts, cocoa and dark chocolate.

Say NO to sugars

– Avoid a high intake of simple sugars and fats, which are present in both sweets, salty snacks and fast food. If consumed in excess, these products can lead to obesity and other complications such as gastrointestinal problems. Also,  energy drinks are dangerous to the health of children and teenagers, as in addition to simple sugars, they contain caffeine that interferes with the length and quality of sleep. Consumption of such drinks can also lead to anxiety, hyperactivity, mood changes and irritability in the child – concludes the UPWr nutritionist.

In July, the government decided that energy drinks with taurine and caffeine will only be available to adults – the legislation will come into force on 1 January 2024. These drinks will not be sold in school shops, educational establishments or vending machines. According to the act, a banned energy drink is a beverage that "contains caffeine in a proportion exceeding 150 mg/l or taurine, excluding naturally occurring substances".

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  UPWr experts: salads, smoothies and soups – what to eat in hot weather

  Monika Maćków from the Department of Human Nutrition at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences talks about what to eat and drink on hot days, what to avoid and what to hydrate yourself with. - During hot weather, it is important to drink a lot and, what is important, to drink very often, in small portions, throughout the day. We should avoid fried products, fast food and spicy food, and if we reach for ice cream, it should be sorbets –says the dietician.

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  UPWr researchers took part in the SEASONED project summer school in Spain

  Ten young scientists from UPWr took part in the summer school of the SEASONED project organised by the Miguel Hernandez de Elche University in Orihuela (UMH) and coordinated by Wrocław University of Environmental Life Sciences. For five days, they learnt the ins and outs of sensory analysis, visited laboratories and local markets and discussed with representatives of leading Spanish food producers.