Planning Power Lunches
Students zoom into the lunchroom, unfurling brown bags and grabbing trays before you can say, “Let’s eat.” They talk, they laugh, they eat, all in a noisy blur.
Then they head back to class and slump in their chairs, heads bobbing and eyes glazing.
Every teacher knows it as the post-lunch daze.
What are parents and educators to do? Are there nutritional secrets to boost afternoon
concentration?
Avoid Overeating
“First, it’s important for the child to start the day off right with breakfast,” says Laurie Dunham MS, RD, LD, a registered dietitian in Nutrition Therapy at Cincinnati Children’s. “That might mean whole-grain cereal with milk and fruit or peanut butter toast. Then children aren’t so hungry at lunch that they overeat.”
Overeating and having a lunch too high in sugar or fat can lead to sluggishness. “A high-sugar lunch can cause a surge of energy by spiking the sugar in a child’s bloodstream. But it will cause a crash later. Students should avoid sugary foods and sodas.
“With high-fat food, it’s easy to overeat in total calories, and that makes you tired. Children who eat at a school food court should limit fried foods to no more than one at a time. If lunch includes french fries, for example, skip the fried meat and go for grilled chicken,” Ms. Dunham says.
Choose Energy Foods
Better choices are lean protein paired with whole grains, both of which slow down sugar absorption and make students feel fuller longer.
Ms. Dunham recommends peanut butter and jelly on whole-grain bread or crackers, served with fruit such as an apple or orange and vegetables such as carrots or green and red peppers. “Add a carton of milk, with white being better than chocolate because of the sugar.”
Parents concerned about the sugar in jelly can choose low-sugar or all-fruit varieties.
Other healthful choices are lean turkey, chicken, roast beef and ham on whole-grain breads. “Some families pack whole-wheat tortillas or wheat mini-bagels. Others make their own trail mix, pack low-fat yogurt with grain crackers, or hummus with vegetables for protein and fiber.”
Students who gravitate to the salad bar need to add a bit of protein for brain power in the afternoon: egg, cheese, turkey, beans and/or cottage cheese. “To balance that, I’d add a roll and milk,” Ms. Dunham advises.
“If students eat a balanced lunch in moderation, they should have a steady stream of energy for the rest of the day.”
