The source of energy for my schoolchild

Children need energy to get through the school day. «Primary school pupils get this best from a balanced, varied diet,» says Marianne Honegger from the City of Zurich's School Health Service. The nutritionist explains what an ideal morning snack looks like and how parents can encourage children who aren't keen on breakfast to eat.

Ms Honegger, what does a healthy diet for schoolchildren look like? 

Varied, colourful and covering all food groups. For example, two portions of fruit and three portions of vegetables a day are recommended. These provide a wide range of vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and phytochemicals. Wholemeal starchy foods such as rice, cereal flakes, bread or potatoes provide carbohydrates, minerals and dietary fibre. Dairy products, pulses, meat, fish and eggs add protein to the meal. Fats and oils provide essential fatty acids.

But which nutrients are considered particularly important at this age? 

The recommendations of the food pyramid also apply to children, provided the quantities are adjusted accordingly. A good intake of calcium and vitamin D is particularly important during growth, as these two nutrients support optimal bone development. The best sources of calcium are milk and dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese. The body can also absorb calcium effectively from certain vegetables such as broccoli, kale, fennel and leeks. Incidentally, around 90 per cent of vitamin D is produced in the skin under the influence of the sun. This is another reason why plenty of outdoor exercise is so important for children!  

What and how much should children of this age drink? 

About a litre spread throughout the day, and naturally more on particularly active or hot days – preferably tap water or unsweetened tea.  

Let's talk about the first meal of the day. What should the perfect breakfast look like? 

Breakfast and a mid-morning snack should provide enough energy to last until lunchtime. These foods cover all your nutritional needs: cereal products, preferably wholemeal bread, brown bread or porridge, muesli mixes with no added sugar or as little as possible, a glass of milk or a portion of cream cheese, cheese or plain yoghurt. In addition, a piece of fruit or 100 ml of unsweetened fruit juice. For spreads, we recommend a little butter or margarine, jam or honey.

If breakfast is a regular part of family life, it becomes part of the children's daily routine too.

And breakfast is enjoyed together in peace and quiet at the family table. 

Eating meals together is important. It gives children the chance to learn about nutrition from their parents. However, apart from at the weekend, a leisurely family breakfast is hardly feasible on a day-to-day basis. It is therefore important that parents provide their children with a nutritious breakfast.

What to do with children who don't like breakfast? 

If breakfast is a regular part of family life, it becomes part of the children's daily routine too. But as we all know, when we've had a good night's sleep and have time, we're more likely to fancy a balanced breakfast than on a – perhaps hectic – weekday when everyone has to leave the house early. For children who find it difficult to eat anything in the morning, we recommend that they at least have a drink. A glass of milk or unsweetened fruit juice provides both energy and nutrients.  

And the mid-morning snack should be a bit more substantial.

Exactly, then the rest of the breakfast can be made up for at morning tea. However, if parents have the opportunity to offer and try out different breakfast options early in the morning on a regular basis, this patience can pay off.  

What foods should go in a snack box? 

Ideally, a mid-morning snack should include an unsweetened drink and a piece of fruit or a vegetable. For children who aren't keen on breakfast, you could also offer a slice of wholemeal bread or a small sandwich. The same applies to the afternoon snack. For children who regularly skip these snacks, you can give them fruit cut into bite-sized pieces or pack homemade «kids» skewers’ or «robber's sandwiches». Ask your children what they would like to eat from the wide range of healthy morning snacks available. If they are allowed to have a say, the likelihood that the snack will actually be eaten increases, particularly for those who aren't keen on morning snacks.      

It goes without saying that sugary iced tea, chocolate bars or butter biscuits aren't suitable for a morning snack. But what can parents pack for their children when they don't have time in the morning to make a tasty sandwich or put together some creative fruit and vegetable skewers?  

An apple is quickly washed, a carrot quickly peeled, and packed into the snack box along with a handful of nuts, a few wholemeal crackers or a slice of bread.

As a general rule, the less processed a food is, the more advisable it is. However, there is no harm in replacing a portion of fruit with a smoothie every now and then. That said, you should not drink more than 100 millilitres a day, as they contain fructose in a highly concentrated form.

What about lifestyle products such as smoothies? Are they a quick and healthy option? 

No matter how healthy a snack I send my child to school with, if their friend unwraps some sweet treats at break time, my child will inevitably reach for them...

… and bring the healthy apple home again. That's just how it is. And if it happens now and then, that's no problem either. Sweets are also part of a balanced diet – in moderation. However, if this becomes the norm, I would discuss with my child what they'd like to eat as a snack. Usually, parents and children can agree on a morning snack that's healthy and that the child enjoys.      

And what can parents do whose children have become accustomed to sweet, fatty foods over the years and now hardly like anything else? 

Changing taste preferences takes time and needs to be approached gradually. For example, you could mix sweet crunchy muesli with unsweetened cereal flakes and gradually increase the proportion of cereal flakes. And when it comes to children who aren't keen on fruit and vegetables, the key is to be patient and keep offering them. Forcing the issue won't help; setting a good example is far more effective!  

Dos and don'ts

A healthy morning and afternoon snack 

  • enthält immer Wasser oder ungesüssten Kräuter- oder Früchtetee
  • besteht aus einer Frucht und/oder einem Gemüse, ist bunt zusammengestellt und zuckerfrei
  • kann je nach körperlicher Anstrengung und Hungergefühl durch ein Getreide- und/oder 
    Milchprodukt sowie mit Nüssen ergänzt werden
  • besteht idealerweise aus Produkten der Saison 

Das darf manchmal sein

  •   Exotische Früchte wie Mango, Ananas, Papaya, am besten in Bioqualität 
  • Trockenfrüchte 
  • Fleisch und Fleischprodukte wie Schinken, Trockenfleisch usw., dabei die fettarmen Varianten wählen 
  • Fruchtsäfte mit Mineralwasser (im Verhältnis 1:3) 

Nur in Ausnahmefällen 

  •   Schokoladen-, Kindermilch- und Getreideriegel 
  •   Gipfeli, Zopf, weisses Toastbrot 
  •   Gezuckerte Frühstückscerealien 
  •   Süsses Gebäck (Biskuits, Früchtekuchen usw.) 
  • Süssgetränke wie Eistee, Sirup, Cola, Energydrinks, künstlich gesüsste Getränke (Lightprodukte) 
  • Gesüsste, aromatische Milchmixgetränke (wie Schokolade) 
  • Fette oder stark gesalzene Produkte wie Salzstangen, Chips, gesalzene Nüsse 

Source: Federal Office of Public Health, Health Promotion Switzerland