How to keep your child healthy even at school

May 05, 2016

Jamiru Mpiima, a nutritionist at Family Nutritionist recommends parents to pack nutritious and healthy snacks for their children like whole meal sugar free biscuits that contain vitamins and minerals.


Besides the school requirements, have you ever thought of what best edibles for your child to take to school? Most parents are just after filling their children's suitcases with as many edibles as possible without putting into consideration the nutrition value.

Paul Bazira, a teacher at Seeta High School says students need drinks like juice with glucose for sports sessions to quench their thirst and to regain their lost strength.

"A variety of drinks like milk, preserved fruit juices and many more are a necessity for children in schools since they too use a lot of energy while learning and undertaking various extracurricular activities like sports, music, dance and drama," Bazira says.

He however adds that, despite the school authorizing almost all types soft drinks and eats, some like intoxicants and food appetizers are prohibited to prevent food poisoning possibilities among students.

Good grades call for healthy minds and bodies which makes it a priority for school administrators to prohibit harmful edibles and intoxicants on school premises.  

Jamiru Mpiima, a nutritionist at Family Nutritionist recommends parents to pack nutritious and healthy snacks for their children like whole meal sugar free biscuits that contain vitamins and minerals.

"Sunflower, sim sim and pumpkin seeds are also a brilliant idea as well as groundnuts and hard corns," Mpiima says.

He continues to say that cereals like corn flakes, Weetabix, bran flakes are suitable for children-students since they contain carbohydrates, a necessity for energy and vitamin B which helps in physical growth.

Gloria Nabbasa, also nutritionist at Mulago hospital says, health snacks are supplements to the food the schools provides to children, snacks also act as an extra meal for children. "Schools offer three meals a day but children need an extra meal to help them get energy and in growth," she says.

Nabbasa, adds that blue band and milk contain minerals, vitamins and proteins which help to balance the diet. She says school canteens usually sell unhealthy snacks which can endanger children's life.

Suzan Musoke, another nutritionist at God's mercy medical center says frequent snacks keeps metabolism up and normalize blood sugar. "Blood sugar drops three to five hours after eating, so a children having a snack may be in the evening or after preps is on a safer side," says Musoke.

Foods like nuts and whole grains contain nutrients, fibers and proteins which the body needs. Musoke, says they also guard the body against high and low sugar.

Having several snacks a day, helps a child-student do away with that post meal sleepiness that is caused by too many calories. "Mainly after lunch children tend to doze in classes but it is more likely that they will not if they grab a snack," explains Musoke.


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