Back to School, Back to School Meals

Summer offers a more laid-back pace than the busy school year. But in some ways summer can be more work for parents: preparing healthy breakfasts and lunches every day can be a chore.

School meals offer an easy way to ensure your child is getting nutritious meals each day. School meals must meet nutrition standards. For example, fruits and vegetables must be offered at lunch every day, and all grain foods must be whole-grain rich.

In the spirit of heading back to school, here’s a homework assignment to help you make the most of school meals:

·        Ask about the breakfast schedule at your child’s school. Is it offered in the cafeteria before the school day or in the classroom once the day begins? Make sure your child arrives in time to eat breakfast.

·       Complete Free and Reduced Meal forms when they are sent home. Don’t miss the opportunity for your child to receive a meal at low or no cost to you.

·       Find out how to put money on your child’s meal account, and if parents are able to control what their child spends money on. For example, can your child purchase snacks with his meal account, or is the account restricted to purchasing a full meal? Check the school district website for information on meal accounts.

·       If your child is young, practice skills he or she will need to do independently at school, such as unwrapping straws, opening milk cartons, or peeling oranges…and teach them to ask for help if they need it! This can prevent healthy food from ending up in the trash.

·       Review the monthly lunch menu with your child and discuss the fruit and vegetable options available. Encourage them to eat school lunch, especially on the days when they can try a new fruit or veggie!

Family Fitness During the School Year

As the school year starts, children and families often have busy schedules that leave less time for physical activity. While shorter days and cooling nights may not provide you with as much time for outdoor play, there are many creative ways to get you and your family moving before and after school.

Start your day with stretches: After rising, the whole family can do simple stretches together to provide energy to start the day. Begin with three deep breaths, raising your arms high towards the sky on the inhale, and lowering them on the exhale. Next, bend forward at the waist and see who can touch their toes. Finish by combining both exercises: reach high to the sky with both hands, then lower your arms and bend forward at the waist to touch your toes. Have your children teach you some of their favorite stretches, and incorporate these in the morning stretch time.

Host a family physical activity challenge: Challenge members of your family to do fun and simple activities like jumping jacks, leg kicks, push ups, and dancing. Record each family member’s progress for a week and then choose a family champion. Next week, start with a different set of activities and see who else can become a family champion.

Take a family walk: Walking is one of the easiest ways to get physical activity. In the morning, families can walk together to school or to the bus stop. In the evening, you can take a walk around the block. On the weekends, walk to your local market, restaurant, or favorite shops. If you are driving, park your car farther away from stores so you can take nice walk to the entrance--ask your children to count how many steps it takes to get from car to the door.

Participate in family fitness nights: Many schools offer weekly family fitness nights that are free of charge. Check with your child’s school to see what activities are available.

Create a family “half-time” rule: If you are sitting or inactive for a half hour, take a “half-time” break and walk around the house, go up and down the stairs, walk outside to the mailbox, or do ten jumping jacks. Have your children set timers so they know when to expect half-time, and have them choose the activity.

Visit your community recreation center: Many cities have public recreation centers that offer facilities for residents to use. Most rec centers offer open gym times for everyone to use in addition to fitness classes for adults and youth. Take the whole family to the rec center and explore what is available.

Take commercial dance breaks: While watching your favorite show, take a dance break during commercials. Have the music ready to go and try a different dance move or style each break. Have your children choose the music and you choose the moves, then switch!

Go on a bike ride: Late afternoon and weekends are the perfect time to enjoy a bike ride through your favorite park.

These are just a few ideas to help keep you and your family active once the summer fun comes to an end. Challenge your family to come up with new ideas to help you stay active all year long!

Beat the Back to School Blues!

The end of summer can feel like leaving care-free days behind. Starting a new school year can be exciting. For your child, there are new teachers to meet and new friends to make. Here are some reasons for you to get excited about a new school year:

Back-to-school meals: Breakfast and lunch is available to your child at school every day. This takes a lot of pressure off of you! Better yet, school meals can save you money. Have your child eat school meals and you’ll have more time and money to spend planning and preparing healthy dinners. Be sure to fill out the free and reduced price meal forms sent home at the beginning of the year to see if your child qualifies.

Back-to-school routines: Many kids love not having a strict schedule during the summer. However, by the end of summer, lack of schedule and hot weather can mean they aren’t spending much time being active. Use back-to-school routines to add physical activity back to your life. Walk to and from school as a family, or make an after school walk or outdoor play part of your daily routine. Help with dinner preparation can be part of your kids’ daily schedule as well—children are more likely to try healthy foods they helped prepare.

Back-to-school learning: While your kids gear up for a year of learning, you may be inspired to do some studying yourself. The Eat Smart website is a great resource for learning more about keeping your family healthy, including recipes, guidelines for healthy eating, and information about physical activity.

Back to School...Completing the Free and Reduced Meal Forms

This week is the end of summer and children are headed back to school.  Many important papers are sent home the first week of school.  Take special notice of the Free and Reduced Meal forms as they can help children who qualify receive free or reduced price meals at school.  Here are a few common questions and answers about Free and Reduced meals.

Q:  How do I know if my children qualify?
A:  If your family is receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, your child qualifies for free school meals.  Please contact your school to determine if you need to fill out an application. 

 Your children may also qualify for free and reduced meals:

• If you are eligible for unemployment compensation.
• If you are receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). 
• If you participate in WIC.
• If your earnings are at or below the current Income Eligibility Guidelines 

Q:  What do I need to do to apply?
A:  To determine eligibility, complete a school meal application.  The school will process your application and let you know if you are eligible.

Q:  If my child qualified last year, do I need to apply again?
A:  Yes.  Those families who received free and reduced meals last year still need to complete a new form for this school year.

Q:  When do I need to submit the forms?
A:  Schools send free and reduced meal applications home at the beginning of each school year.  It is better to apply early, but you may apply at any time during the school year.  So, if your family income level should change during the school year, ask for an application from your school.

Have a great school year!

Starting the School Year Off on the Right Foot

School is starting very soon!  As the kids are getting back to school, start the year off on the right foot by making healthy choices that can last all year long.  Follow these ideas for healthy choices to help your child be more focused and get the most out of their school day. 

1. Eat Breakfast!  Eating breakfast each morning helps your child start the day ready to learn.  Whether at home or school, breakfast is important.   Breakfast will help your child feel less
   
   hungry throughout the school day.  Try our breakfast ideas during the school year. 
2. Add fruits and veggies to your plate.  Fruits and veggies have many vitamins and minerals that help keep our bodies healthy.  Encourage your child to eat a fruit and veggie at lunch each day.  Look at the school lunch menu the night before to guide your child to choose a fruit and veggie that they may like or want to try.
3. Snack healthy.  Children are working hard all day as they are learning, so they are often hungry when they get home.  Have healthy snacks on hand to eat before dinner is ready.  Need quick and easy snack ideas?  Check out our previous blog post on 5 Types of Healthy Snacks for a Busy Lifestyle. 
4. Be Active Everyday!  As school starts and schedules fill up, it can sometimes be tough to get physical activity.  Set aside time each night with your family to take a walk, play a game of catch or get creative by making up a new game inside.  Physical activity also helps children use the energy they stored up from sitting in class all day.
5. Get enough sleep.  Is it is important that your child gets enough sleep to feel well-rested in the morning.  A well-rested student stays healthy and is ready to learn!

Have a great school year!

Start the School Year Off Right, Together!

The first day of school is just around the corner!  Here are some family-friendly tips to help you plan ahead, stay organized and involve your whole family.

Before the school year begins:


Mom, can I make... before the busy school year starts, spend some time cooking together with kids.  Even preschool age children can help in the kitchen by washing fresh fruits and vegetables, stirring, and pouring.  Children are more likely to try new foods they help to make.

Let's go to the farmers market... visiting your local farmers market to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables is a great way to make healthy choices, teach kids where foods come from, and try new fruits and vegetables.  Many local farmers markets accept EBT cards.

What's for lunch... visit your child's school website for information about school breakfast and school lunch menus.  Talking about healthy choices before school starts gives kids a chance to talk about their favorite foods and new foods they would like to try.  Visit the kids' page at:  ChooseMyPlate to learn about MyPlate and healthy eating.

Before bed each night: 

• I don't like eating... make lunch choices a family activity.  When kids help to make healthy choices they are much more likely to eat their lunch at school.  Read the school lunch menu together the night before, so kids can enjoy a healthy lunch at school.  While you're at it, pack a healthy lunch for yourself.  Kids learn by watching you!
• What should I wear today... help kids choose their clothes before they go to sleep to make wake-up time easier.  Give young kids a choice of two outfits to pick from.  It will also leave extra time to have a healthy breakfast.
• I don't have time to eat breakfast... you know the old saying "breakfast is the most important meal of the day."  Save time and money by cooking oatmeal, whole grain pancakes, and muffins to freeze in single servings.  No time to cook?  For a quick and healthy breakfast, low fat yogurt topped with fresh fruit and whole grain cereal will start the day off right!