Exams and academic tests are all part of a child’s learning journey throughout their school age. Children are expected to excel in them, which can cause stress. Because healthy kids are happier and better learners, it is in a parent’s best interest to provide them with best supporting nutrition. Effort put in now will go a long way to helping your child maintain a healthy mind and body well into adult life. Here are a couple of nutritional ways to support children throughout their schooling years.¹ 

Make breakfast, lunch and dinner with healthy real food

Children who have had breakfast do better in school because they are more focused. Pack your child’s lunch as much as possible to ensure healthy eating. At dinner time, eat together as a family and set healthy eating habit examples.¹  

When preparing meals to support your child’s mental and physical well being, make sure that you include:

Protein – Include lean meats, skinless poultry, eggs, beans, or milk in any of your child’s meals to provide nourishment for the brain and better concentration. ¹ 

Good carbs – Fuel for the brain and various activities. To help your child’s brain function efficiently, provide your child with grain foods, fruit and milk to keep up with daily demands.¹  

Provide plenty of good fats – Fatty acids like (polyunsaturated) omega-3 and omega-6 improves memory function so make sure you include plenty of food sources that provide them (eg. mackerel, walnuts, soybeans, tofu, corn, meat, eggs) in your child’s diet.^{1, 2}

Vitamins and important minerals – Only needed in smaller amounts compared to other nutrients, vitamins are essential for a child’s brain function at peak ability. Read food labels, compare to natural foods, and pick ones that will deliver the most vitamins per serving to support the overall well being of your child.¹  

Fiber – Fiber in a child’s diet keeps them full longer and supports their gut health by feeding the ‘good’ probiotic bacteria in the gut. Fibers aid in breaking down hard to digest foods to extract the most nutrients.¹  

Reference(s):

1. https://abbottfamily.com.sg/articles/school/exams#

https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Fat/What%E2%80%99s-the-difference-between-omega-3-and-omega-6