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Katie Bradley, registered dietician
With the start of the new school year around the corner, we spoke with registered dietitian, Katie Bradley for some healthy information to keep in mind as those school lunches are packed.
Bradley has 43 years of experience as a registered dietitian with much of her career spent in the field of pediatrics. She retired last summer after more than 11 years with Huron Valley Sinai Hospital and agreed to speak with The Spinal Column about healthy ways to feed our children at school and at home.
For students of all ages, K-12, do you recommend eating breakfast before beginning the school day? What are some good breakfast choices?
Skipping breakfast can definitely contribute to suboptimal school performance due to low blood sugar from inadequate energy intake. As well as the distraction of hunger!
My years working as a dietitian in psychiatry taught me that although food intake problems (overeating, restricting, bingeing) generally affects performance in many areas (academic, sports, social), the root problem is usually related to an unidentified stressor in the child’s life, especially when a medical diagnosis has already been ruled out by their physician.
Ideas for breakfasts:
• Egg and cheese rolled in a tortilla (breakfast burrito) or on an English muffin or bagel
• Peanut butter on bagel with orange juice
• Cereal with fresh berries or sliced bananas
• Yogurt with berries and/or nuts, seeds, or granola
Is the nutritional quality of school lunches improving? If students are eating breakfast or lunch at school, what are good choices kids can make regarding school offerings?
For kids who purchase their meals through school, rest assured that there are strict governmental guidelines in place for the meals that the school provides. À la carte selections are a little trickier, but you can teach your child what you would consider the healthier options and hope for the best. I would recommend not worrying too much if you know your kid is getting healthier foods at other meals or snacks.
Please share your ideas for packing a healthy lunch?
Ideas for lunches:
• Tuna or egg salad sandwich with lettuce and tomato, fruit, milk or yogurt
• Mixed greens salad with hardboiled egg, cheese, or ham (or all); sprinkle with sunflower seeds or walnuts
• Peanut butter & jelly with fruit and milk
A couple of cookies can be added to any lunch but I recommend avoiding beverages containing added sugar.
What are some tips on teaching kids the importance of nutrition and making healthy food choices for themselves?
I have always been a firm believer in the idea that there are no “good” foods and no “bad” foods. Trying to give food moral labels can lead to disordered eating as children get older. If a parent offers their children a variety of healthy foods (think fruits, veggies, lean proteins, whole grains) and doesn’t restrict popular foods which they consider “unhealthy” (think potato chips), most children will grow to enjoy eating a variety of foods (vs. the child who sneaks forbidden foods such as candy and chips).
Fact: Humans are biologically programmed to desire sugars and fats. This is a biological survival mechanism.
How do you recommend keeping meat or other temperature-sensitive foods safe until lunch time?
There are a number of good insulated lunchboxes on the market. If concerned, I wouldn’t hesitate to ask a teacher, lunch staff, or administrator to provide a place where the lunch can be refrigerated. But… remember that many kids do not want to be singled out in this way.
You say a parent’s job is to feed kids and children’s job is to eat. Please explain.
Food should never be used as a bribe, reward, or punishment. Giving a child two reasonable choices is a good idea. Allow them to help with menu planning, shopping, and even preparation-especially with school lunches brought from home. The parents’ job:
• Choose and prepare the food
• Provide meals and snacks at regular times (allow water in between; no additional foods or beverages)
• Make eating times pleasant
• Show children by example how to behave at family mealtime
• Let children grow up to get bodies that are right for them (ie- no talk of calories or dieting or weight)
Back to school can be a scramble for families, can you recommend any easy, quick and healthy dinners?
Ideas for Dinners:
• Pasta with veggies and lean protein or cheese
• Tacos
• Veggie Pizza
Offer a glass of milk with dinner.
How about healthy snacks? What would you recommend?
I would recommend a nonmeat protein such as peanut butter, cheese sticks, trail mix, or a granola bar. Along with fruit.
It’s not that hard to provide fruits and veggies throughout the day- fresh, frozen, pre-cut, dried, grilled, single-serve container, frozen bars, juices.
Finally, is there anything that you would like to add?
A word for parents who are concerned that their child weighs more than they feel they should. The same feeding principles apply. The child needs to be provided regularly spaced meals and snacks. Seconds should be allowed. Anything but water in between should be restricted as feasible.
Many overweight children will go on to achieve a normal weight for their body type if their food intake is not emphasized or restricted. Kids need and deserve some control over their food intake.
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