Ideas to Keep Kids Healthy During the School Year

Worry-free health is a necessity these days. It doesn’t matter if you’re finding yourself sick or if your home is coming down with an illness, it’s time to find some solutions for the whole family and especially the little ones.

Let’s start with lunch and sugary drinks

Are you looking for ideas for healthy lunches? Try packing your kids a nutrient-rich lunch with healthy fats, proteins, and colourful fibre. Through those long afternoons, this can keep their energy high and their brain functioning optimally.

Protein ideas:
Organic free-range hard-boiled eggs, organic chicken or other meat chunks,  beans, nuts, nut-butters

Healthy fat ideas:
Chia seed pudding, nuts and seeds, nut butter, avocados, extra-virgin olive oil  or coconut oil, and grass-fed butter

Healthy colourful fibre:
Baked sweet potatoes, vegetables, fruits, beans, quinoa

Sugary drinks cause blood sugar dysregulation and metabolic chaos that can lead to energy crashes, weakening immune systems and more. Instead, drink filtered water, diffused water or coconut water—they’re all way better for your kids health!

Tasty snacks, and keep them organic if you can
Most snacks marketed to children are full of unhealthy ingredients and don’t compare to the nutrition and taste of even a small handful of whole fruits or veggies.

Make it easy for them with snacks that taste good and don’t contain unhealthy ingredients. Fruit with natural yogurt, seeded crackers, organic popcorn cooked in olive or avocado oil, hummus with cucumber / celery sticks, cleaner crackers without inflammatory oils or even homemade oat cakes

Eating pesticide-free foods is a way to avoid ingesting harmful chemicals that can cause long-lasting health consequences, as well as damaging their gut.

Extra supplements

Even though I’m a huge gut health advocate, I don’t think kids should be on probiotics every day of the year. However, probiotics may be helpful if they are fighting an infection, skin issue, or if sickness is going around daycare/school! Just keep in mind it depends on your child’s unique body type and lifestyle.

Get active as a family

Being active is great for your kids and your health. Kids who are physically active have lower rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and mental health problems. But getting active isn’t always easy—or fun! 

Try these tips to see if they work in their family: Encourage them to join a sport or pick up a hobby that gets them moving. This helps with mental and physical health. Be an example by getting active yourself. Family walks, bike rides, and nature walks are great ways to be active as a family. Even if it is just for 15 minutes, head to the park in the evening for the sunset and some fresh air!

Sleep and limiting screen time

Sleep is important for your health and vitality. Studies show that sleep deprivation can leave your kids more susceptible to illnesses. Having a regular bedtime routine may help keep the entire household healthy, which also includes you!

Blue light exposure from electronics and devices can disrupt your internal body clock, which occurs through an out of sync circadian rhythm. This causes disruptions in our sleep-wake schedule that can affect overall health, especially when it comes to our mood and energy levels.

Switch to non-toxic products in the home

Your home is a first line of defence for your entire family. Understanding the toxic burden that your children are exposed to and taking steps to do more than give them soap and water to wash with will go a long way toward keeping them safe and supported, both inside their homes and out in the world.

Instead of your body attempting to eliminate toxins, fragrances, chemicals, heavy metals, microplastics, and dust, it can focus on the real threats like harmful viruses, bacteria and pathogenic invaders. 

Round up

A healthy immune system is an important tool in the fight against disease. The right preparation can help your child develop a strong immune system that will protect them from infections and other health challenges. Staying up-to-date on immunisations, practising good hygiene, and getting plenty of sleep help maintain an active immune response. The right amount of bacteria and viruses, in proper amounts, helps your child’s immune system build up over time to better combat the stresses of childhood.