Share information to help parents with school lunch options

Good nutrition is such an important part of school success. Hungry kids don’t achieve as well as well-fed students. And kids with allergies are at a real risk of suffering dangerous food-related allergic reactions. 

Schools can help parents follow the rules for school meals by including nutrition information in back-to-school materials. Include all school guidelines to help parents ensure that their children have appropriate lunch options that meet their needs and avoid allergy triggers for their peers.

Do they know how important lunch is? 

Most parents understand that school lunch is essential. The required brainpower for learning needs to be refueled with a healthy lunch — and it should start out fueled with a healthy breakfast. 

“Nutrition can affect learning through three channels: physical development (e.g., sight), cognition (e.g., concentration, memory), and behavior (e.g., hyperactivity),” wrote a team of nutrition researchers from Berkeley. https://nyti.ms/2YwB1uH

A reminder about the connection between lunch and learning is helpful at the start of the year and periodically as the year progresses. 

Reaching out to parents with tips

Include this information in back-to-school materials, and use your school newsletter, website or social media to provide tips for parents. 

If you have a regular school meal column in your parent materials, topics could include:

Food education: Talking to kids about food to help them understand nutrition and learn about safe food habits. 

Understanding allergies: “Researchers estimate that up to 15 million Americans have food allergies, including 5.9 million children under age 18. That’s 1 in 13 children, or roughly two in every classroom. About 30 percent of children with food allergies are allergic to more than one food.” http://bit.ly/2ODtaHP

Talk to kids about being sensitive and careful around others who have potentially life-threatening allergies. Parents can help their children understand the health risks that children with allergies or food-related health issues face. Food education may prevent accidental exposure to food allergens by classmates.

Also, make sure that kids know what to do if they witness an allergic reaction. Explain how important it is to alert an adult at the first sign of an allergic reaction. 

Reading food labels: Understanding nutrition can be tricky. Teach them to read labels and recognize unhealthy foods and ingredients. 

Washing hands before and after eating: All kids should do this and most kids should be reminded frequently. This is important in preventing germ-related illnesses, but it also helps prevent exposure to allergens, such as peanut oil from a peanut butter sandwich. 

Preventing bullying: Parents must encouraging their children to report any bullying or harassment by other students. Bullying is not acceptable for any student. For students with food sensitivities, it adds additional anxiety about food and creates a hostile climate at school.  

Be sure parents understand the rules

In addition to sharing school rules about allergy-related food precautions, schools should take care to inform parents about school lunch policies. 
•	Are there additional items that are not allowed at school? 
•	Do they understand how to pay for school-provided lunches? 
•	Do they qualify for free- or reduced meals for their children? 
•	What is the policy to help their children avoid free-lunch stigmas or embarrassments?
•	Do they know that children cannot heat food items up at school? 
•	Are they aware of how much time is allotted for lunch?  

Give them some meal ideas

Packing a healthy school lunch is not easy — even for those who do not have children with special dietary needs. The following lunchtime suggestions from a nutritionist are nutritional, meal suggestions for any age level and most picky eaters. 

Build the meal with a focus on fruits and veggies. Consider wrapping sandwiches in lettuce, or using lettuce and celery to scoop chicken salads. 

The following examples cover a lot of nutritional bases:

•	Chicken with BBQ sauce, rice with frozen mixed veggies; a plum and orange.
•	Roll up spinach, guacamole, and sliced red bell peppers in lunch meat; serve with carrots and fruit salad.
•	Make a gluten-free pasta salad with cucumber, tomatoes, peperoni, Italian dressing and GF pasta; serve with berries.
•	Pack a corn taco shell with leftover hamburger or chicken; throw in some watermelon and celery
•	Wrap up your tuna in lettuce; enjoy with a peach or plum
•	Pickles work well rolled into lunch meat as well; serve with grapes and cherry tomatoes

The following tips can help parents manage smoother lunch preparations:
•	Pre-make sandwiches for the whole week.
•	Make baked goods in large batches.
•	Specify a crate, box or bucket in the pantry with easy-to-grab designated lunch items.
•	Pack leftovers for lunch the next day. 
•	Buy in bulk.
•	Talk to your child about what he is eating and what he throws away. 

For more tips on allergy-free food options, see this printable list from the website Allergy Awesomeness.com: https://allergyawesomeness.com/food-allergy-school-lunch-ideas.

Contributed by  Shannon Priem, APR, former communications director for Oregon School Boards Association; health writer for Salem Health