To comply with the USDA’s Healthy HungerFree Kids Act, we are making healthy changes
to our school menus. Watch for more
fruits, vegetables and whole
grains, and fewer foods that are high in fat,
sodium or carbohydrates. These changes will help
all Eudora students be both body smart
and brain smart!
Healthy students are better learners. Children and teens who eat nutritious foods and are more active, stay
healthier, perform better in schools and develop habits that will keep them healthier throughout their lifetimes.
Researchers tell us that poor nutrition is linked to absenteeism, problem behavior, lack of concentration, low self-esteem and
academic difficulties. Let’s all work together to give Eudora students the best shot at success in school and in life!
Here are some things YOU can do:
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Make sure your child eats a nutritious breakfast before school — or take advantage of school breakfasts! Our schools all
offer a nutritious breakfast before school each morning, beginning at 7:40 a.m.
•
Keep lunches on track. Encourage your student to buy lunch at school and try the healthy foods that are offered. And if your
child forgets a lunch or has a special occasion, please choose something other than fast food to bring to school. Here are some
things to remember on those days when your child would rather bring a sack lunch:
•
Let them help pack it — kids are more likely to eat their lunch when they helped.
•
Surprise your child by tucking in a note with a positive message to encourage them in the middle of the day.
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Check out our Body Smart Lunchbox Guide for dozens of simple, nutritious tips you can use today!
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Make fast food a special treat to be enjoyed at home — not at school.
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Sock it to sodium, which is especially high in processed foods. Everyone should limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg a day,
or about one teaspoon of salt.
•
Add vegetables and fruits to your meals. Most Americans should eat more than 3 cups — and for some, up to 6 cups — of
vegetables and fruits each day.
•
Try a banana with breakfast and a sliced apple or bag of mini carrot sticks at lunch to add nutrition, as well as flavor and
texture.
•
Grill fruits and veggies for variety. Mushrooms, peppers and squash are easy to thread on a kabob skewer — just brush
them with a little olive oil to keep them moist and tender. And grilled fruit is a real treat — give pineapple, peaches or
mangos a try!
•
Expand the flavor of your casseroles. Mix vegetables such as sautéed onions, peas, pinto beans, or tomatoes into your
favorite dish for that extra flavor.
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Be a salad star. Toss in the freshest and tastiest ingredients to change things up. Try shredded carrots, strawberries,
spinach, watercress, orange segments, or sweet peas for a flavorful and fun salad.
•
Get creative with dessert
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Tinker with your favorite muffins and cakes. Add apples, bananas, blueberries, or pears to your favorite muffin recipe for
a treat. Or substitute applesauce for some of the oil in a recipe, and nobody will ever miss the extra fat and calories!
•
Offer baked sweets in moderation. Just about everyone likes a cookie for dessert now and then, and that’s okay! The
more you are able to bake from scratch, the better you can ensure wholesome ingredients ingredients and control portion
size — and the more easily you can avoid highly processed sweets!
•
Serve fruit for dessert. Even a dollop of whipped cream on top of fresh fruit can create a special treat that still packs a
great dose of nutrition. Keep this in mind when you’re eating out, too — consider serving yourself sliced fruit from from
the salad bar for dessert!
•
Make a tasty fruit smoothie. Blend strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries with frozen bananas and 100% fruit juice for
a delicious frozen fruit smoothie.
Find school menus, tips and more at www.eudoraschools.org/bodysmart