Lunch time determines the children's menu

Do they have to see meal times and types of food consumed? There are signs that indicate that yes, the sooner you feel the youngest of the house at the table, the healthier is the menu that is presented. This is what the American Nutrition Society after analyzing 151 students from different schools and their eating habits.

All of them were analyzed according to the time at which they had lunch, the type of food they ate during these hours and the amount of exercise performed by these minors. A way to know how a family's schedule can directly affect the quality of nutrition within the home.

Eat later, less exercise

The theory of the researchers was based on the fact that the later they ate, the less time was left for other activities and the less space was left to prepare a healthy menu. Indeed, the investigated students who postponed the time of lunch, presented a worse nutritional quality and a lower load of daily physical exercise.


The reason? The investigators indicate the schedules of the house. Those parents who leave their jobs later and arrive home have less time to prepare a healthy menu. In fact, in many cases, fast food is used as an alternative to something cooked by themselves. On the contrary, those who sat at the table at a relatively normal time consumed more vegetables than the rest. This delay when sitting at the table also affects the physical activity of the little ones.

Eating later means starting later in school work. The delay in these obligations means that there is less time to go out to play to the park or walk for a while and practice some exercise. At this point the American Nutrition Society encourages parents to try to advance work the afternoon before or in the morning so that the departure schedule does not influence the quality of the menu.


Healthy diet

A healthy diet is essential. With a little effort the nutritional quality in the family can improve considerably. These are some tips with which to prevent shortcomings in this field:

- Breakfast, essential. They do not call it the most important meal of the day. Breakfast every day is essential to start well and have the strength to endure the work you expect without having to resort to meals between meals.

- Five meals. The nutritionists suggest to make five meals distributed throughout the day in which large intakes are avoided. You should avoid eating between meals, if the hunger is too much, it is best to take some fruit.

- Eat soon. The time to sit at the table should not be postponed. At the latest at around 3:00 pm, he should have had lunch and dinner should always take place at least two hours before going to bed to make a bad digestion not affect the quality of sleep.


- Grilled. Foods that are cooked on the grill or in the oven are always healthier than those that are fried. The preparation of steamed vegetables is also highly recommended.

Damián Montero

Video: Kid taste test determines free breakfast menu for Toledo Public Schools


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