Over the past 40 years, the health boards in many countries have come to a consensus on a healthy, balanced meal. Most countries prescribe to the belief that a diet rich in vegetables, whole grains, healthy proteins, fruits, and healthy oils improves one’s health. Access to such resources can limit or shift regional expectations and recommendations; however, we are lucky to have the resources in Dakar to meet these expectations.
Snacks are sometimes an overlooked opportunity. If your children had breakfast between 7 and 7:30, a snack is an essential MEAL within the 5 hours between breakfast and lunch!
Your child is working hard-physically and mentally-and within a 5-hour span, they will need healthy refueling.
Junk food is mainly made up of processed sugars, simple carbohydrates and contains excess fat and vanishing calories. For example, the Cheetoh is known as the perfect junk food-crunch and vanishing calories, which trick the brain you can keep eating! Those three ingredients-sugars, simple carbs, and excess fat have been studied thousands of times with results nearly always pointing to a higher risk of obesity and heart diseases. These studies appear to be immune to varying cultures, ethnicities, races, etc...
Please avoid sending cookies, pastries, and chips. Send a healthy snack with your child. Think of food as fuel for your child’s brain. Think of food as providing the energy for your child to run, jump, and be active during recess.
Here are some simple snack ideas: https://cspinet.org/protecting-our-health/nutrition/healthy-school-snacks