We wave our kids off to school every day. In the eight hours or so that they are in school, kids are required to maintain the physical and mental energy to listen, learn, concentrate, interact, and play.

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How do we help them achieve this so that they return home with energy to spare to do sports activities, complete their homework, and enjoy family time before going to bed?

To fuel their long day, our kids require:

• Complex carbohydrates for slow-releasing energy for brain power and physical energy

• Healthy fats for immunity and brain development

• Quality protein for growth and repair of brain cells and body tissues

• Fruits and vegetables for minerals, vitamins, and fibre required for increased immunity and better health

What our kids do not need is:

• Refined sugars, flours or oils (avoid white bread, white pasta, white rice, and refined oils)

• Processed or packaged foods

• Foods containing colours, additives or preservatives

These foods contribute nothing to our kids’ good health and are implicated in reduced concentration, reduced immunity, hyperactivity, and mood swings.

Give your kids the best start by providing a healthy breakfast including some fresh fruit, and one of the following examples:

• Wholegrain low- (or no-) sugar cereal, or oatmeal, with dairy or non-dairy milk, topped with berries, nuts or seeds

• Wholegrain toast with nut butter, hummus or cream cheese

• Wholegrain wrap or pita with scrambled egg and chopped vegetables

• No-sugar healthy granola with natural yogurt and fresh berries

For lunch and snacks at school provide a combination of:

• Complex carbs: whole grains – bread, pita, wrap, bagel, rice, noodles, pasta, pizza base

• Healthy fats – nuts (if allowed at school), seeds, avocado

• Quality protein – lean poultry or meat, tuna, salmon, beans, nuts, seeds, yogurts, eggs, cheese

Add to your child’s lunchbox whatever fruits and vegetables they enjoy – think lots of colour (in soups, crudités, chopped mixed fruits, apple sauce, dried fruits).

For treats that fall in line with the above guidelines, provide homemade and healthy – muffins, cookies, banana bread, granola bars, low-salt popcorn, whole grain pretzels, dry healthy cereal. Water should be the drink of choice (especially in hotter climates) or, alternatively, diluted fruit juice or healthy smoothies.

To make lunch and snack boxes more interesting:

• Use colourful bento boxes, thermos, and cutlery

• Hide notes and riddles, or one of their small toys in the lunch box so kids are excited to see what’s inside

• Make interesting shapes, letters or animals out of some foods

Most importantly, get your kids involved in deciding what healthy foods they want to eat; nothing works like empowerment.

To you and your family’s good health!

Visit the Health & Vitality page to find out more about Liza's business.

^{This article was originally published on Health and Vitality blog and has been reposted on Executive Lifestyle with the permission of the author. 
Edited by Nedda Chaplin
Image credit: Lunch box with sandwich, carrots and salad from Shutterstock}

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