Health & Nutrition for Back to School Season

Health & Nutrition for Back to School Season

As back-to-school season approaches, many families are thinking about getting back into school-year routines with health as a top priority. If you’re not sure where to start, here are 6 of our best health and nutrition back-to-school tips. 

1. Make Space for a Balanced Breakfast

Having a full-on sit-down breakfast for kids can be tough during the week, depending on the day. Sometimes, a breakfast pastry in the car may have to do. But as much as is possible, carve out time for breakfast at the table before school. 

This doesn’t have to mean you have to wake up extra early to make pancakes from scratch, but having some healthy options available is helpful to start the day. 

Aim for a balance of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants in the morning. For example: 

  • Oatmeal with frozen blueberries and a dollop of peanut butter
  • Wheat toast with mashed avocado and pepitas
  • Low-sugar whole-grain breakfast cereal with soy milk and topped with banana slices
  • Yogurt with granola and apple slices
  • A protein-rich smoothie made with our Organic Protein Plant-Based Powder

2. Encourage Hydration Habits

As you embark on back-to-school shopping, consider getting your child their own reusable water bottle for the new year. Help them get in the habit of either filling them before bed and storing them in the fridge or filling them in the morning to stick in their backpack. 

Encourage them to locate the drinking fountains at school and refill them as needed during the day. If they get tired of plain water, consider water infused with lemon slices.

3. Involve Kids in Healthy Food Prep

Kids are more likely to try new things and make healthy choices when they have a say in what’s in their lunch box or backpack snack collection. Try to give them opportunities to help pack their lunches the night before. 

For example, you could ask them to pick a fruit and veggie from the fridge, grab 3 snacks from the shelf, or teach them how to make a PB&J sandwich or hummus wrap. 

4. Consider a Multivitamin

While it’s important to prioritize getting nutrients from food, a multivitamin is a great way to help fill any nutritional gaps in a growing child’s diet. 

Our Chewable Multivitamin for Children is formulated to help support immunity, healthy growth, and development for kids ages 4 years and older. Plus, they’re made with a blend of organic fruits and vegetables like beets, carrots, blueberry, broccoli, and spinach for an extra boost of whole-food nutrition. (Have older kids? Check out our Whole Food Multivitamin for Teens, Boys and Girls).

A simple healthy habit for kids is to set out a daily multivitamin with breakfast or have them take one after they brush their teeth for bedtime. 

5. Focus on Gut Health

A growing body of research points to the importance of maintaining a healthy gut microbiome (the community of bacteria living in our digestive system) to support overall health and wellness — for adults and kids.1 

Here are some ways to help promote gut health in your kids this school year: 

  • Include plenty of fiber in their diet, which comes from plant foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes
  • Offer fermented foods, like tempeh, miso, sauerkraut, and kefir, which are natural sources of probiotics (“friendly” bacteria for the gut)2 
  • Add a vitamin D supplement — like our Whole Food Vitamin D3 Gummies for Kids — as vitamin D has been shown to support healthy gut microbial diversity while offering benefits for bone and immune health in kids3,4 

6. Include Brain and Eye Nutrients

Kids are faced with academic and social challenges during the school year, including an increased use of technology that may strain the eyes. It’s important to encourage nutritional habits that support their brain and eye health, such as: 

  • Omega-3s: These healthy fats (DHA and EPA) are particularly important for brain and eye health. Good dietary sources include fatty fish (such as salmon and mackerel), flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts.5 
  • Antioxidants: Antioxidants help protect cells from oxidative stress that promotes inflammation and damage in the body, including the brain and eyes. Help your child get plenty of colorful fruits and veggies in their diet or consider adding our antioxidant-containing AREDS 2 Formula Vitamins For Eye Health.
  • Fiber: Fiber is highest in complex carb sources like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. While refined carbs, like white rice or candy, provide a short-term boost of energy, complex carbs help sustain blood sugar levels, which is important for concentration. 

Are you interested in other supplements for kids? Find our full back-to-school supplement line here.


Sources

  1. Hills RD Jr, Pontefract BA, Mishcon HR, Black CA, Sutton SC, Theberge CR. Gut Microbiome: Profound Implications for Diet and Disease. Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1613. Published 2019 Jul 16. doi:10.3390/nu11071613
  2. Leeuwendaal NK, Stanton C, O'Toole PW, Beresford TP. Fermented Foods, Health and the Gut Microbiome. Nutrients. 2022;14(7):1527. Published 2022 Apr 6. doi:10.3390/nu14071527
  3. Singh P, Rawat A, Alwakeel M, Sharif E, Al Khodor S. The potential role of vitamin D supplementation as a gut microbiota modifier in healthy individuals. Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):21641. Published 2020 Dec 10. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-77806-4
  4. Corsello A, Spolidoro GCI, Milani GP, Agostoni C. Vitamin D in pediatric age: Current evidence, recommendations, and misunderstandings. Front Med (Lausanne). 2023;10:1107855. Published 2023 Mar 16. doi:10.3389/fmed.2023.1107855
  5. DiNicolantonio JJ, O'Keefe JH. The Importance of Marine Omega-3s for Brain Development and the Prevention and Treatment of Behavior, Mood, and Other Brain Disorders. Nutrients. 2020;12(8):2333. Published 2020 Aug 4. doi:10.3390/nu12082333

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