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Eating and drinking at school

Children and teenagers need to be able to perform mentally and physically well at school. They therefore need a balanced diet. This also means that they should

• have breakfast before going to school and also have enough to drink,
• bring a suitable snack for their breaks, which again includes something to eat and drink, and
• have the chance to enjoy a healthy lunch.
  

Unfortunately, this ideal-case scenario is often far removed from reality. Many pupils come to school without having had breakfast or bringing a snack and they often eat a very unhealthy lunch or even no lunch at all. This sort of problem especially concerns primary school children from poor and underprivileged areas or socially disadvantaged parts of the population as well as pupils who go to any kind of underprivileged school. For many schools, nutrition has therefore become more than just another teaching subject. It has turned into a very real, day-to-day problem.

In the case of primary school children, there are two physiological factors that influence their learning ability:

• Children need a lot of fluids and
• can store only small amounts of glycogen in their liver and muscles.

Primary school children - especially if they are physically very active - should enjoy some small snacks rich in carbohydrates in between meals, and they need to drink plenty of fluids.

Young people of all ages should have breakfast before going to school. Various studies have shown that 10-25% of all pupils come to school without having had breakfast at home. The replacement breakfast they might buy on the way to school is often not very nutritious. The same is true for what the kiosks at school have on offer and for a high percentage of packed lunches the pupils bring from home.

Having breakfast before or during lessons is an important subject to be addressed together with the parents. Parents need to understand the importance of having breakfast and snacks and they need to learn what is healthy and what is not. The janitor should not be the only person looking after the kiosk. Perhaps the parents or older pupils can take over some resonsibility here. In primary schools and many other schools in socially disadvantaged areas and/or with children from underprivileged families, having breakfast in the classroom together has become the norm. This practice can be recommended for all schools. It not only teaches the children about different eating habits in different families and cultures, but it also creates a social situation that can strengthen communication skills and tolerance amongst children and teenagers.

Many children and teenagers drink far too little before and during their time at school. This problem particularly concerns older pupils. Why not co-finance a crate of mineral water for the classroom? It is a lot more complicated to organise buying milk, chocolate milk or other dairy drinks for everyone. Pupils should have the chance to have a drink at least after every lesson. Most schools do not allow their pupils to drink during lessons. Some schools, however, where everyone can drink water during the lessons, have proven that that is quite possible without interruptions.

Pupils who spend all day at school and therefore cannot have lunch at home need to be able to have a healthy lunch at school. The school kiosk and the nearest fast-food-restaurant are not suitable as a healthy and performance-enhancing replacement. Wherever children stay in school all day, the schools will have to provide a lunch which caters for the dietary needs of all children and teenagers. This is not only a good opportunity to talk to pupils about a balanced diet, but also to directly influence young people's eating habits.

Any kind of food available in schools should not only contain the right amount of energy and nutrients. It should also consist of a sufficient amount of fresh fruit and vegetables. The meal should look appetizing, be served in a nice environment and form a positive experience on the whole.

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