Nutritious eating is important for children to learn early in life. They are influenced by what they eat at home and at school. By finding fun and creative ways at home and by supporting schools that provide healthier food, you can greatly influence your children to enjoy eating nutritiously.     

Home is where your children gain a foundation for good nutrition. It’s true what they say, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Breakfast helps fuel your children for their day at school, which is why it is so important that you have influence over what your children eat. An NPR article presents studies showing that children who eat breakfast before going to school perform better, have more energy, and pay better attention to their teachers than those who do not. Studies have also shown that what your children eat for breakfast affects their performance throughout the day.

Sending your children to school with a nutritious lunch can be a deterrent to the vending machines. Dr. Geoffrey Greene, president of the Society of Nutrition Education, found that parental limitations on how many sugary drinks a child was allowed to drink at home made a difference for the better in how many sugary drinks they purchased at school.

As parents, you have a tremendous amount of influence over what your kids eat. The Super Kids Nutrition website has great articles and fun ideas about how to get your children involved in eating more nutritiously. By having fun and being creative with your children, they will want to eat better.