Nutrition refers to everything that your child eats and drinks. Your child’s body uses nutrients from food to function properly and stay healthy. Nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and fats. In the right amounts, nutrients give your child energy to grow, learn, and be active.

Calories are the amount of energy in the foods and drinks your child consumes. Children need a certain amount of calories to grow and develop. But if your child takes in more calories than his or her body needs, the extra calories will be stored as body fat

School lunches are designed to provide healthy food options for children. For a healthy start for the day, our school also offers a breakfast program.

The program promotes nutrition standards for school lunches that include the following:

• Offer fruits and vegetables every day

• Increase whole-grain food options

• Offer only fat-free or low-fat milk options

• Serve appropriately sized portions that meet students’ calorie requirements

• Reduce saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium

Planning your meals and snacks to include the following tips for eating well.

• Eat plenty of fruit - To get the benefit of the natural fiber in fruits, you should eat whole fruit rather than drink juices.

• Eat plenty of vegetables - Eat a variety of colors and types of vegetables every day.

• Eat plenty of whole grains - At least half of the cereals, breads, crackers, and pastas you eat should be whole grains.

• Choose low fat or fat free milk - These provide calcium and vitamin D to help keep your bones strong.