Catering at school is an essential part of quality education for children. For elementary, middle and high school students, due to their increased activity during lessons and breaks, it is required large number nutrients. And such significant energy costs must be compensated by appropriate hot dishes served daily in educational institutions. What are the main characteristics, features and requirements for school meals?

The regulations on catering at the school can be found in detail on the official website educational institution or directly from the school administration.

Main points of the provision

1. Regulations and orders are established by each educational institution for an indefinite period and apply to all students.

2. Guaranteed by the regulations high quality and food safety for the schoolchild, as well as satisfaction of the basic needs of his body.

3. Each educational institution must have a food block (canteen, buffet) for adequate nutrition for students.

4. The diet and diet must be developed in accordance with all epidemiological requirements.

5. Hygienic indicators of products must comply with the standards of the Sanitary and Epidemiological Station.

6. Hot meals are organized for each class, taking into account the schoolchildren’s educational regime. Tables in the food block are set in advance.

7. Food control at school is carried out by an authorized person(s).

What should a hot meal include at school?

The calorie content, energy value and vitamin content in school meals must fully meet the needs of the growing body. Therefore, school nutrition should provide students with first and second meals, as well as several snacks.

Breakfast

The main dish is a hot dish. Most often, schoolchildren are offered milk porridge, cottage cheese casserole or omelet with various additives. Some educational institutions also offer flour products: pancakes made from wheat flour with jam or sour cream, pancakes, cheesecakes. Serving sizes should be appropriate to the physiological needs of students.

Breakfast should also contain some kind of snack. It could be:

• sandwich with sausage, butter or cheese;
• fruity or vegetable salad;
• confectionery product.

A drink is required (cocoa with milk, hot tea, jelly or compote).

Dinner

The school lunch contains more dishes and can be much more varied than breakfast. Students should also be offered a snack, and in this case, a light vegetable salad that stimulates the appetite is preferable.

A classic school lunch should consist of two courses (not counting salad): first and second. For the first course, a hot liquid dish is offered (borscht, soup of any kind, cabbage soup, pickle). For the second course, meat or fish or poultry. Rice, buckwheat, corn porridge, pasta different varieties, potatoes or mashed potatoes, vegetable stew. Gravy is often added to the serving. The school lunch should also contain a hot or cold drink: compote, jelly, tea. For hot dishes we offer wheat or rye bread.

Afternoon snack

For students who are at school after lunch ( additional classes, sections, mugs) an afternoon snack can also be offered, consisting of a confectionery product without adding cream and a drink (milk, kefir, drinking yoghurt, fruit or vegetable juice, jelly).

Basic requirements for school meals

• The organization of hot meals at school must ensure the complete safety of the products offered.
• The students' diet should be prepared in advance, 20-30 days in advance.
• Diet of various age groups(7-11 years and 12-18 years) should be compiled separately, taking into account the required nutritional value and calorie content of the products.
• Products must undergo the necessary heat treatment.
• The weekly diet should be varied, but it can be repeated on specific days of the week (Friday menu, Saturday menu, etc.).
• It is recommended to prepare meals immediately before eating; you should not prepare food in advance or store it in the refrigerator.
• Meals in educational institutions should be accessible to students with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, that is, preference should be given to methods of preparing foods such as boiling, stewing, steaming or oven cooking.
• The current diet must correspond to the compiled menu, however, if necessary, it is allowed to replace dishes with others that are equivalent in nutritional value and energy value.
• The daily menu may be presented to students for review and should be posted in front of or in the food unit.
• Acceptance of food from suppliers must be accompanied by receipt necessary documents, indicating the quality and safety of products.
• Transportation of products to educational institutions must comply with sanitary requirements.
• It is possible to organize additional food blocks on school grounds: buffets for free choice by students food products and their acquisitions.

Requirements for food department employees

• It is necessary to wear special clothing (robe, apron), hat and work shoes at all times.
• Work clothes and shoes must be kept clean by employees.
• Outerwear and street shoes are left in a special room for staff.
• Employees are required to wash their hands well and keep their nails trimmed (no polish allowed).
• Smoking or dining in the workplace is prohibited.
• Previous and concomitant illnesses must be reported to management.
• Each employee of the food unit must have the proper qualifications and the necessary documents.

Checking catering in schools

What are the main aspects of production control? Monitoring of school catering is carried out on an ongoing basis.

1. Control is carried out by authorized persons holding a certain position in the bodies involved in sanitary and epidemiological regulation of nutrition.

2. The above-mentioned person(s) monitor compliance with sanitary standards and timely implementation of the necessary preventive measures.

3. Inspection of catering in schools is carried out as planned, according to pre-established programs.

4. An authorized person checks the documentation of the educational institution and the officially documented results of laboratory tests.

5. Compliance with hygienic sanitary standards by employees of the food block is also subject to mandatory inspection (the presence of a medical cap, gloves, and appropriate uniform is required).

6. The results of the control must be transferred to the management of the educational institution and, if necessary, communicated to the parents of students.

Requirements for catering at school

• A general education institution must have a school food plant or a special department in the food block in which food products are stored and prepared.
• The size of the room, the number of seats, as well as the set of dishes and cutlery must correspond to the number of students in the school.
• For meals, canteens or blocks should be organized in the main school building or in an attached building.
• Warehouses for storing food should be located on the ground floor of the building.
• School students do not have the right to be present in the production premises of the food block.
• Secondary school students (over 14 years old) can be involved in pre-setting the tables.

The fulfillment of the above requirements is regulated by the law on catering in schools. Article 37 of the Education Law contains all regulations on this issue.

School catering plan

School students should also receive education related to their diet. In connection with this need, mass events are held in educational institutions, cool watch and preventive conversations with students on the topic of correct and healthy eating. Before the start of each academic quarter (half-year), a school nutrition plan is developed. The main part of its development is drawing up a high-quality menu and planning the supply of necessary products to the school. A preliminary list of activities is also drawn up.

For example, with students primary school(grades 1-4) you can hold an interesting event on the theme “Nutrition Day” or “Life of a Sweet Tooth.”

For students in grades 5-9, you can arrange class hour on the following topics: "Who are valeologists?", " Proper nutrition at school" or "Why diet?"

And for students high school(grades 10-11) you can arrange a survey “My Nutrition” or a round table on the topics: “We are what we eat” or “What is fast food, or why you shouldn’t follow modern fashion?”

Meals in schools around the world

In conclusion of this article, I would like to introduce you to the diet of students in foreign schools. Each state has national dishes and special eating habits. Organizing meals for school students is an urgent task for the leadership of all developed countries of the world.

USA

This photo shows a typical breakfast for American school students. It consists of green peas, chicken nuggets with ketchup and mashed potatoes, oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips and fruit jelly. In terms of nutritional value, it is not inferior to the Russian breakfast, but is much less healthy and balanced.

France

Italy

School breakfast in Italy is significantly different from others. You can identify a state from a photograph, even without having specific information. We see traditional Italian pasta, baked fish, baguette, salads and grapes. This breakfast is very balanced and healthy, so we can confidently say that students of Italian schools receive the right amount of nutrients.

Greece

A Greek breakfast consists of boiled chicken, a special type of pasta (orzo), fresh fruits and vegetables and natural yogurt. This breakfast is healthy, nutritious and rich in vitamins and minerals.

Ukraine

Breakfast for Ukrainian schoolchildren combines an appetizer, a main course and a dessert. As a snack, students are offered a vegetable salad, the main course is rice with sausages, and for dessert - a pancake with jam. This complete breakfast can easily replace lunch.

Brazil

Brazilian breakfast is distinguished by a fairly large portion size. It also contains special products typical for the inhabitants of South America. Thus, the school breakfast contains Brazilian rice and beans, several types of salads, whole grain bread and traditional fried banana.

Hot meals in educational institutions should be complete and balanced, as well as healthy, so that as few schoolchildren as possible get serious diseases such as gastritis, pancreatitis, gastroduodenitis, helicobacteriosis or even an ulcer. After all, during school years it is important to remain healthy, active and able to receive a quality education. That is why the organization of children's nutrition at school is the basis for the formation of the intellectual potential of students and healthy image life.

Question about proper diet for children school age worries all parents who care about the health of their offspring. Pocket money given out for “small expenses” is most often spent on unhealthy goodies, which means you need to not only meticulously study the menu in the school canteen, but also create a diet yourself in which all the needs of a growing body will be fully satisfied.

The schoolchild's diet must be adequate to the child's energy expenditure. Modern school programs are very intense and require significant effort and a lot of time spent not only at school, but also at home. The sea of ​​information (most often, unfortunately, unnecessary) falling on children’s heads literally from everywhere creates a great burden on the nervous system. Our children are atomic, their physical and sexual development is an order of magnitude faster. Add to this the incredible mental stress associated with social adaptation and raging hormones - and you get a rather sad picture. How to keep your child healthy and help him cope with all the stress?

Remember the ancient expression - “You are what you eat”? Strange as it may sound, the nutrition of schoolchildren plays a very important role. important role. Proper nutrition of schoolchildren is the key to their health, academic performance and normal development. According to nutritionists, a child studying at school should eat at least 4 times a day, and breakfasts, lunches and dinners must include hot dishes. Schoolchildren spend half a day outside the home, and some even spend the entire day, staying in after-school care. Our task is to feed the cub the right breakfast and dinner and give it not only a tasty, but also a healthy “brake”.

When creating a diet for a schoolchild, remember the balance of important nutrients and vitamins. But first, let's remember what these substances are needed for and where they are located.

Vitamin A- ensures the normal condition of the mucous membranes and skin, improves the body's resistance, and is responsible for the normal state of vision. Vitamin A is found in fish and seafood, liver, apricots, and carrots.

Vitamin B1- improves digestion, strengthens the nervous system and memory. This vitamin is found in vegetables, rice, and poultry.

Vitamin B2- strengthens nails and hair and has a positive effect on the condition of nerves. Vitamin B2 is found in eggs, milk, and broccoli.

Vitamin B6- is responsible for the normal functioning of the liver, improves hematopoiesis, and has a beneficial effect on the functions of the nervous system. This vitamin is found in egg yolks, brewer's yeast, legumes and whole grains.

Vitamin B12- stimulates growth, promotes hematopoiesis, improves the condition of the central and peripheral nervous system. Contained in meat, cheese, seafood.

Vitamin PP- regulates cholesterol levels and improves blood circulation. Vitamin PP is found in fish, meat, nuts, vegetables, and wholemeal bread.

Pantothenic acid- has a beneficial effect on the functions of the nervous system and intestinal motor function. Contained in egg yolk, meat, beans, cauliflower.

Foliic acid- necessary for growth and normal hematopoiesis. This is a "green" vitamin folic acid a lot in spinach, green peas, savoy cabbage, etc.

Biotin- responsible for the condition of the skin, nails and hair, regulates blood sugar levels. Biotin is found in egg yolk, brown rice, soybeans, and tomatoes.

Vitamin C- good for the immune system, connective tissue and bones, accelerates wound healing. There is a lot of vitamin C in rosehip, sea buckthorn, sweet pepper, black currant, lemon.

Vitamin D- strengthens teeth and bones. Vitamin D is found in liver, caviar, eggs, and milk.

Vitamin E- fights the destructive effects of free radicals, affects the functions of the endocrine and sex glands, and slows down aging. Contained in nuts and vegetable oils.

Vitamin K- responsible for normal blood clotting. This vitamin is found in spinach, zucchini, lettuce and cabbage.

The well-known trio of essential nutrients - proteins, fats, carbohydrates - are found in all types of products in different proportions, but the quality of these substances directly depends on the type and quality of the product.

Squirrels- This building material for body cells. Proteins are especially important for a growing organism, so you should approach this issue consciously. Most parents are firmly convinced that meat is the best supplier of protein to the body, and they heavily stuff their children with cutlets, fried legs and dumplings. But, according to nutritionists, it is best to give children fish, eggs and dairy products - it is their proteins that are best absorbed. Don't forget about plant proteins - they are found in legumes. Beans, beans, chickpeas, mung beans, soybeans (not the kind in sausage, but real soybeans) - all this variety should appear on the table at least 2-3 times a week. And meat, so beloved by many, is just a couple of times, and then boiled, stewed or baked, and certainly not fried. Separately, it is necessary to say about sausage, frankfurters and sausages. IN baby food these “delicacies” should not appear at all! Along with healthy protein, your child will receive a lot of completely unhealthy ingredients such as dyes, flavors identical to natural ones, preservatives and other “joys”. Don’t buy into names like “Children’s Sausage” or “Children’s Sausages”; they are no different from the usual ones except for the name (and sometimes they are even worse!). If your family loves sandwiches, make homemade sausage or a simplified version.

Fats are the main supplier of energy to our body, ensure the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins in the intestines, participate in many vital processes of body cells, and fat reserves in the body are necessary for maintaining and cushioning internal organs and for thermal insulation. So no fats at all. Even if your child is obese, this is not a reason to put him on a low-fat diet. All types of fat are healthy and necessary in their own way. Give preference vegetable oils(preferably unrefined) and don’t forget about butter, just choose quality, without various additives. A sufficient amount of fat is found in cream, sour cream, soft cheeses, pork, turkey and duck meat. But at the same time, don’t forget about the norm!

Carbohydrates are an integral component of the cells and tissues of all living organisms. They serve as a source of energy and also act as reserve nutrients. Carbohydrates are fast and slow. Fast (or simple) carbohydrates are quickly absorbed by the body and spent just as quickly. Fast carbohydrates are divided into monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose) and disaccharides (sucrose, lactose, maltose). Simple carbohydrates found in sweet fruits, vegetables, berries, dairy products, and beer. Slow (or complex) carbohydrates (starch, glycogen, fiber, insulin, pectin) slowly release sugar into the blood, which maintains a constant energy level and helps keep you feeling full longer. Slow carbohydrates are found in potatoes, grains and legumes, yeast, seafood, and fruits. Despite the fact that excessive consumption of fast carbohydrates can lead to obesity and diabetes, you cannot refuse them. Just instead of sweet buns and candies, buy fruits, berries, honey and dried fruits for your children, it’s much healthier. As for slow carbohydrates, they are the ones you need to pay special attention to when preparing breakfast and dinner for your baby. A breakfast consisting of porridge or muesli with yogurt or juice is best option. You can read more about proper breakfast and a balanced diet in general in the Healthy Eating section of our website.

It is imperative to take into account the child’s calorie needs. Children 7-11 years old need to receive approximately 2300 kcal per day, 11-14 years old - 2500 kcal, 14-18 years old - up to 3000 kcal. If your child attends sports sections, you need to increase the calorie content of food by about 300 kcal, in the same way you should increase the calorie content if the child studies in a specialized school with in-depth study of a particular subject.

The student's diet depends on the time of study. For children studying in the first shift, the following regime will be optimal:

1 breakfast - 7-00 - 7-30
2 breakfast - 10-30 - 11-00
Lunch - 14-00 - 15-00
Dinner - 19-00 - 20-00

For children studying in the second shift:

Breakfast - 8-00
Lunch - 12-30
Afternoon snack - 15-00
Dinner - 20-00 - 20-30

The intervals between meals should not exceed 4-5 hours, as this ensures better digestion and absorption of food.

Pay attention to how schoolchildren's meals are organized at the school itself. The menu should not include dishes like navy pasta with minced meat, scrambled eggs, cold soups, or fermented milk products with added flavors. In the school cafeteria, the requirements of SanPiN 2.5.2409-08 strictly prohibit the sale of baked goods with cream, caramel, chips, popcorn, chewing gum, canned food, raw smoked meat products, sausages, mushrooms and dishes made from them, pates and pancakes with cottage cheese and minced meat, sauces , deep-fried dishes, dairy products and ice cream based on vegetable fats, apricot and peanut kernels, offal (except liver, heart and tongue) and sweet carbonated drinks. If there are violations of these rules at school, you should contact Rospotrebnadzor.

At home, try to instill in your child a culture of nutrition and the desire to eat healthy foods. When preparing meals for your family, remember that not all dishes are equally good for both adults and children. Do not feed your children undercooked rare meat (as well as fried meat), sushi and raw eggs. The exception is quail eggs; they are not infected with salmonellosis, just remember to wash the shell before breaking it. Try to limit as much as possible the consumption of products with artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and stabilizers. Of course, it is difficult to keep a child from the temptation to eat something tasty and harmful, but you need to try to reduce the amount of all this nasty stuff to a minimum.

The basic principles of healthy eating are the same for the whole family. Prepare salads from fresh vegetables and herbs more often, let children recharge with vitamins. Teach your child to use a blender and give him the opportunity to prepare healthy smoothies from fresh juices, fruits or berries with herbs or wheat germ. Give preference to steaming - it's fast, convenient and much healthier than, say, boiling or frying. For a side dish, try to cook non-traditional pasta or fried potatoes, and vegetable dishes, stewed, steamed or baked in the oven. To regular breakfast pancakes, add apples cut into thin slices, grated carrots or cabbage, chopped as finely as possible - this is both tasty and healthy. Generously add bran to the dough for homemade baking - fiber is vital for absolutely everyone, and even more so for children who spend half a day at a desk. Bran can also be added to cottage cheese casserole. Don't forget about legumes as a source of plant protein. Except pea soup, from legumes you can cook a lot of very delicious dishes, you just have to want it. Bean cutlets, chickpea falafel, Indian dhal, rice and mung bean pilaf - on our website you can find almost any recipe!

Proper organization of nutrition for schoolchildren provides the children's body with all the resources not only for growth and development, but also for increasing stress at school and puberty. And your contribution as parents is especially important.

Eat varied and healthy and be healthy!

Larisa Shuftaykina

Basic principles of organization rational nutrition remain relevant for people of all ages. Let's call them again:

1. Adequate energy value of the diet, corresponding to the energy expenditure of the child.
2. Balanced diet for all replaceable and essential nutritional factors.
3. Maximum variety of diet, which is the main condition for ensuring its balance.
4. Optimal diet.
5. Adequate technological and culinary processing of products and dishes, ensuring their high taste and preservation of the original nutritional value.
6. Taking into account the individual characteristics of children.
7. Ensuring food safety, including compliance with all sanitary requirements to the state of the catering unit, the food products supplied, their transportation, storage, preparation and distribution of dishes.

However, the organization of nutrition for adolescents and schoolchildren aged 10-17 years has its own characteristics, which consists in taking into account all the changes that occur in the child’s body at this age. During this period, you should pay special attention to the following points:

• There is an intensive growth of the whole organism, comparable to the rate of development of a person in the first year of life.
• All basic systems are developing: musculoskeletal (especially the skeleton), there is an increase in muscle mass(taking into account gender characteristics), cardiovascular and nervous system, and there is also a radical hormonal change in the body associated with puberty of a teenager.
• Against the background of all the physical restructuring, the load on the psycho-emotional sphere increases.
• Not only school workloads increase, but also the stress caused by the teenager’s social adaptation.

Proper organization of nutrition for schoolchildren can help solve many problems that arise during adolescence. Now it is especially important to provide the body with all the resources not only for growth and development, but also for the ever-increasing stress at school and puberty.

It is during these years - in fact, starting from the age of 10 - that the child becomes an adult. And this applies to his physical development, psycho-emotional, and intellectual. The child learns new rules adult life. He learns responsibility and independence, learns to build his relationships with people in a new way.

It is also important that it is during this period of growing up that the child learns to independently follow a diet and eat rationally, regardless of adult supervision. Firstly, to help your body with difficult work now, and secondly, to develop a habit that will be useful in independent life. After all, our health depends on how we eat.

When compiling a diet for schoolchildren aged 10-17 years, changes in physiological needs for nutrients and energy are taken into account depending on the age and gender of the child.

Average daily norms of physiological needs for nutrients and energy for school-age children and adolescents

Substances	7-10 years	11-13, boys	11-13, girls	14-17, boys	14-17, girls
Energy, kcal	2350	2750	2500	3000	2600
Proteins, g, including animals	77 46	90 54	82 49	98 59	90 54
Fats, g	79	92	84	100	90
Carbohydrates, g	335	390	355	425	360

Minerals, mg

Substances	7-10 years	11-13, boys	11-13, girls	14-17, boys	14-17, girls
Calcium	1100	1200	1200	1200	1200
Phosphorus	1650	1800	1800	1800	1800
Magnesium	250	300	300	300	300
Iron	12	15	18	15	18
Zinc	10	15	12	15	12
Iodine	0,10	0,10	0,10	0,13	0,13

Vitamins

Substances	7-10 years	11-13, boys	11-13, girls	14-17, boys	14-17, girls
C, mg	60	70	70	70	70
A, µg	700	1000	800	1000	800
E, mg	10	12	10	15	12
D, µg	2,5	2,5	2,5	2,5	2,5
B1, mg	1,2	1,4	1,3	1,5	1,3
B2, mg	1,4	1,7	1,5	1,8	1,5
B6, mg	1,6	1,8	1,6	2	1,6
PP, mg	15	18	17	20	17
Folate, mcg	200	200	200	200	200
B12, mcg	2	3	3	3	3

Approximate weight daily ration(net) teenagers 14-17 years old about 2.5 kg.

Based on these data, it is possible to create an average daily set of products needed for schoolchildren.

Products	Student age
	7-10 years	11-13 years old	14-17 years old Boys	14-17 years old Girls
Wheat bread	150	200	250	200
Rye bread	70	100	150	100
Wheat flour	25	30	35	30
Cereals, legumes, pasta	45	50	60	50
Potato	200	250	300	250
Various vegetables	275	300	350	320
Fresh fruits	150-300	150-300	150-300	150-300
Dry fruits	15	20	25	20
Sugar	60	65	80	65
Confectionery	10	15	20	15
Butter	25	30	40	30
Vegetable oil	10	15	20	15
Egg, pcs.	1	1	1	1
Milk, KMPr	500	500	600	500
Cottage cheese	40	45	60	60
Sour cream	10	10	20	15
Cheese	10	10	20	15
Meat, poultry, sausages	140	170	220	200
Fish	40	50	70	60

A student’s diet is directly related to his daily routine. Teenagers spend most of their time at school. In this regard, alternation of mental stress and periods of rest should be taken into account. During periods of significant mental stress, meals should be fractional and easily digestible. The dense part of the diet, a hearty lunch that supplies proteins and fats and requires long digestion, should be postponed to a period of more or less prolonged rest.

Typical nutritional regimens for schoolchildren during training in the first and second shifts.

First shift

• 7.30 - 8.00 Breakfast at home
• 10.00 - 11.00 Hot breakfast at school
• 12.00 - 13.00 Lunch at home or at school
• 19.00 - 19.30 Dinner at home

Second shift

• 8.00 - 8.30 Breakfast at home
• 12.30 - 13.00 Lunch at home (before leaving for school)
• 16.00 - 16.30 Hot meals at school
• 19.30 - 20.00 Dinner at home

When organizing meals in schools, you should keep in mind the basic medical and biological requirements:

1. The school diet should consist of breakfast and lunch and provide 25% and 35% of the daily requirement, respectively, and in terms of the content of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, mineral salts and microelements, breakfast and lunch in total should provide 55-60% of the recommended daily physiological requirements .
2. Diets should be distributed according to their energy value, protein, fat content, etc. depending on age.
3. Compliance is necessary - breakfast before leaving for school, second breakfast at school (10-11 o'clock), necessary to replenish energy costs and reserves of nutrients intensively consumed during the learning process; lunch (at home or at school) and dinner (no later than 2 hours before bedtime).
4. School meals must be gentle in terms of the method of preparation (restriction fried foods), and in his own way chemical composition(limitation of synthetic food additives, salt, spices, etc.).

Unfortunately, all requirements are met modern school there is no need to wait. In addition, it is absolutely impossible to take into account the individual characteristics of each teenager. Therefore, children and their parents must do a lot in this direction themselves.

Breakfast at home

Often children have a poor breakfast before school or refuse to eat at all. This could be bad for their health. On the other hand, at this difficult age, it is impossible to forcefully solve the problem, and it is not worth it. How can a child get the nutrition he needs?

Adults should observe the teenager’s taste preferences and try to offer the schoolchild something healthy and tasty for breakfast. Explain to him why it is so important to eat before school.

Breakfast food should not be “heavy”, oversaturated with fats. It could be a fish boiled egg or omelet, cutlet, cottage cheese, porridge. And of course - some vegetables. You can supplement the menu with tea, cocoa with milk or juice.

Breakfast to go

You can take a sandwich with boiled meat or cheese to school. You can invite your child to take yogurt, bagels, pies, buns. If possible, you can prepare cheesecakes and casseroles for your child. In autumn, apples, pears, cucumbers or carrots are especially good. The student can take juice, compote or tea with him in a thoroughly washed flask or bottle.

It is very important to consider that some products can quickly deteriorate when room temperature. Meat products spoil especially quickly. Stale boiled sausage will only harm your stomach. This topic is especially relevant during the cold season, when schools turn on the heating and food spoils faster.

Hot lunch

A “school sandwich” cannot replace a full lunch. Therefore, it is important to explain to the child, especially if he stays after school for an “after-school program,” that it is very important and healthy to eat “hot” food. If a child is in class for up to an hour or two and then goes home, adults should make sure that a full lunch is waiting for him there.

Home packaging

Of great importance is how the school breakfast is packaged and under what conditions the child will eat it. You can use plastic bowls or cling film. Food will not lose its flavor in the containers primary form, will not stain textbooks. But breakfast packed in film is safer and more convenient from a food hygiene point of view. It's no secret that schoolchildren do not always wash their hands before eating. In such a bag you can bite a sandwich without touching it, holding only the film. True, this does not mean that the child does not need to take care of the cleanliness of his hands. Parents should tell the student about the importance of personal hygiene for his health.

Diet

Many teenagers, due to the restructuring of the whole body, often have problems with metabolism and, as a consequence, problems with overweight and skin condition. Sometimes these troubles seem insignificant to adults, but for the teenager himself they are very painful. It is important not to leave the child alone with these problems, especially since many of them can be corrected with the help of a properly selected diet.

However, under no circumstances should you create this diet yourself, without the help of a nutritionist. Because in any case, the child must receive all the necessary substances and microelements. Any fasting, “fasting days,” or diets with strict calorie restrictions, which are difficult even for an adult body, are strictly excluded.

All of these problems are usually temporary and can be eliminated by balanced nutrition, And physical exercise. However, if the violations are more serious, then treatment issues should be resolved by specialists.

A 6-7 year old child experiences a turning point in his life when he goes to school. During this period, the baby’s routine changes, and colossal physical and mental stress appears. During educational process Students spend a lot of energy, and the body continues to grow rapidly.

Therefore, parents need to organize correct mode schoolchild nutrition. It is important to know which foods are healthiest for children at this age, how to properly create a menu, and which recipes to choose.

⚙ Basic principles

If with early childhood If you teach your child to eat healthy food, then at school age he will adhere to the basic principles of healthy eating. What are they? The following rules of proper nutrition for preschoolers can be distinguished:

• the diet should be varied and balanced, with plenty of vitamins and nutrients;
• it is compiled taking into account the individual characteristics of each child’s body;
• calorie content of food depends on the energy expenditure of boys and girls;
• at least 65% of the protein consumed must be of animal origin;
• It is better to minimize animal fats and focus on plant analogues;
• proper nutrition for schoolchildren involves a ratio of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the ratio 4:1:1;
• fast carbohydrates (sweets, sugary drinks) are allocated only 9-12% of the menu;
• food should be consumed by the body in small portions, so it is important to clearly think through the food consumption regimen and clearly determine the time of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks;
• flour products lead to obesity, so it is better to replace buns from the school canteen homemade cakes from wholemeal flour;
• 1-2 times a week, fish must be present in the dishes;
• It’s good if the baby eats a lot of vegetables and fruits per day;
• It’s better to forget about frying; vegetables can be baked, stewed or boiled;
• a growing body simply needs dairy products, so they should be on the menu every day;
• If your child attends sports clubs or spends too much time after school, it is important to monitor his water balance.

The principles of healthy eating for schoolchildren are quite simple; both children 7 years old and teenagers over 15 can adhere to them.

⚙ Useful and harmful

What foods must be included in a student’s diet? ☺ Below is a list of the most useful:

• various dairy products (sour cream, butter, cottage cheese, hard cheese, kefir, yogurt, cream, milk);
• meat and fish (different varieties);
• eggs (at least one per day);
• legumes, pasta;
• a variety of cereals (cooked in both water and milk);
• all kinds of vegetables, fruits and berries (fresh and processed);
• vegetable and butter;
• bread and bakery products made from wholemeal flour;
• sweets (no more than 100 g per day).

Recipes for proper nutrition for schoolchildren should not contain useless and often very harmful products.

☹️ These include:

• margarine;
• sugar in large quantities;
• sweet soda;
• sausages and sausages;
• semi-finished products;
• fast food;
• ketchup, mayonnaise and other store-bought sauces;
• mushrooms;
• smoked meats;
• packaged juices;
• any products that contain dyes, preservatives, flavor enhancers and other dangerous “chemicals”.

⚙ Regime moments

The most important task of adults is to ensure that the entire set healthy products entered the child's body in fractions. A well-chosen regime will help you avoid starvation and overeating. Proper nutrition for younger schoolchildren is slightly different from the diet of a teenager, but the times for lunch, breakfast, dinner and snacks can be scheduled approximately the same.

☄ For children who go to school for the first shift, it is better to offer the following scheme:

1. Breakfast at home or at school from 7.00 to 8.00.

2. First snack at school from 10.00 to 11.00.

3. Lunch at school or at home from 13.00 to 14.00.

4. Second snack at home at approximately 16.00.

5. Dinner at home from 18.00 to 19.00.

☄ If a child studies in the second shift, then a different, slightly adjusted nutrition plan will suit him. It could be like this:

1. Breakfast at home from 8.00 to 9.00.

2. Lunch at home (half an hour before going to school) from 11.00 to 12.00.

3. Snack at school around 15.00.

4. Dinner at school or at home from 17.00 to 18.00.

5. Light snack before bed at 20.00.

Adults should know some rules of healthy eating for schoolchildren. Lunch and breakfast are the main meals consisting of maximum quantity calories. Dinner and the last snack are allowed no later than 2 hours before bedtime. For snacks, fresh fruits and berries, dairy drinks, and homemade baked goods are used.

⚙ Product value

When creating a menu for a child, you need to remember the balance of vitamins and all necessary nutrients. Products that help primary schoolchildren and adolescents develop must contain vitamins and minerals. Why are they needed?

— Vitamin A is responsible for vision and skin condition.

— B1 improves digestion.

— B2 has a positive effect on the nervous system.

— B6 improves blood circulation.

— B12 stimulates growth.

— PP controls cholesterol levels in the blood.

— C is needed by the immune system (increases immunity).

— D strengthens bones and tooth enamel.

— E is necessary for the endocrine and reproductive systems.

— Vitamin K helps blood clotting.

— Calcium is the most common element that forms the basis of the bone skeleton.

— Phosphorus is part of many enzymes in the body that are involved in fat metabolism.

— Magnesium takes an active part in metabolic processes.

— Iron is part of the hemoglobin of red blood cells; the circulatory system needs this substance.

— Zinc is needed for normal blood formation.

— Iodine is the basis of thyroid hormones.

⚙ Healthy food menu

In order not to throw away stale food or not to run to the store five times a day, you should make purchases for the whole week according to a pre-compiled menu.

☀ Example of a healthy food menu for schoolchildren:

Breakfast. You can cook muesli, various casseroles, porridges (including milk), pasta, and cheesecakes. Usually children are served a drink in the form of tea, cocoa or chicory. It is also preferable to eat sandwiches with butter in the morning.

Dinner. Must contain a first course (soup, cabbage soup, borscht, fish soup) and a second course. Hearty dishes consist of meat and fish, served with a side dish of vegetables. As for drinks, you should give preference to jelly or compote.

Dinner. This meal should not be too heavy. It is best to prepare a cottage cheese dish, porridge, fish balls, stewed potatoes or an omelet.

Proper nutrition for a schoolchild also includes bread, both rye and wheat, on the menu. For one meal, 100-150 grams is enough.

Snacks. They can be 2-3 times a day. As a snack for a child, a vegetable or fruit salad, a handful of nuts and seeds are perfect. A good choice would be a glass of milk, kefir, or fruit drink combined with cookies or homemade cakes.

If the baby does not go to school yet, then his diet may be slightly different.

☀ Here is the healthy food menu for the day for a preschooler:

• In the morning, the child should be offered rice milk porridge with raisins, a glass of warm tea and a sandwich.
• A pre-dinner snack consists of an orange.
• For lunch, it is better to serve borscht with a slice of bread, rabbit cutlets with a side dish of boiled cauliflower, and freshly squeezed apple juice.
• For the second snack, he can drink kefir or eat an apple pie.
• Potato zrazy with meat and tea with milk are suitable for dinner.

If the child does not fall asleep, declaring that he wants to eat, then you can “drive away” the feeling of hunger with a glass of milk with honey and a few pieces of oatmeal cookies.

Caring parents should download it from the Internet e-book“Healthy nutrition for schoolchildren. Recipes" and cook according to it different dishes for a growing child's body. This way, neither the products nor the methods of preparing them will be repeated on the menu for the week.

⚙ Possible power problems

After 7 years, children already develop clear preferences in food, so a sudden change in diet affects their psychological state and behavior. For example, a child flatly refuses boiled vegetables, and instead asks for fried potatoes at night. There is no need to shout at him, insist and force him, otherwise the situation will worsen. The student will generally refuse healthy food. In such a situation, it’s better to cheat a little - serve it with boiled vegetables very delicious sauce or stew vegetables in the oven.

Sometimes, due to heavy academic workloads, students suffer from stress, which in turn negatively affects their appetite. Parents need to be attentive and respond instantly to such situations. A child can be captivated by some interesting activity or hobby, after which an excellent appetite usually appears. The kid literally sweeps away the offered food.

⚙ Proper nutrition for schoolchildren video

How to organize a child’s nutrition so that the diet can satisfy all energy needs at this age. During the period when baby is coming to school, he has increased psychological and physical activity, so food should be healthy, nutritious and as beneficial as possible. - this is the key to his strong immunity, good academic performance and. A lot of attention has been paid to this topic, but some questions remain unanswered. What foods should you limit in your diet? Which diet should you choose? What is the best cooking method?

Recommendations for organizing proper nutrition for schoolchildren

The following principles of healthy nutrition for schoolchildren are generally accepted by pediatricians and nutritionists around the world:

• Calorie content. When creating a diet for every day, it is necessary to take into account the child’s energy consumption.
• Diversity. This is one of the main principles of creating a menu; this is the only way to provide the body with essential amino acids.
• Mode. The child should eat regularly, the intervals between meals should be regulated.
• Balanced diet. The presence of animal proteins is considered mandatory. Carbohydrates that are quickly broken down should make up no more than 20%.
• Vitamins. The diet should include vegetables and fruits.

Of course, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the child. It is extremely important that children eat fish at least once or twice a week. Every day you need to consume dairy products, especially yogurt, milk, cheese. All kinds of sweet treats and fatty foods are allowed in the diet, but they should not replace healthy foods.

His Majesty's diet

School-age children must be taught to be independent. Breakfast can be scheduled for 7-8 am. Snack is at 10-11 o'clock, at school, during recess. Lunch can take place either at home or at school. We plan dinner for 19-20 pm. Proper nutrition for school-age children stipulates that breakfast and lunch should be the most energy-intensive, but it is better to have dinner two hours before bedtime.

As for the cooking method, there are no special recommendations. If the child is prone to gaining excess weight, then you should exclude fried foods from your diet, as well as sweets and carbonated drinks.

A few words about calories

• Primary school students have their own calorie allowance, which is no more than 2400 kcal.
• Schoolchildren who study in secondary school should receive 2500 kcal.
• High school students are entitled to up to 2800 kcal.
• Children who are actively involved need energy-rich nutrition, so they should consume 300 kcal more.

If you don’t have time to select the calorie intake for yourself and your family members, you can use ready-made menus from.

What should children be vaccinated?

Summing up everything on the topic “Proper nutrition for school-age children,” I would like to say that nutritional culture is of enormous importance, and it is necessary to learn to eat proper food from childhood. Encourage children to eat a variety of nutritious foods. Do not deny yourself fresh vegetables and fruits. Products with a high starch content deserve special attention, and the benefits of whole milk, yogurt and cheeses are generally incomparable. The main source of fluid entering the body should be water, not sweet soda.