Christina Nicholas

Help your kids eat well at school

School-age kids eat a third of their meals away from home. For advice on how to ensure kids get the most out of lunch at school, tbjkids spoke to Nina Lenton, a UK-registered dietician who works as health educator and community liaison at the Bayley and Jackson Medical Center in Beijing.

How can you judge the lunch offerings at your child’s school?
Ask the school to send you a copy of one or two weekly menus. It is often difficult to judge whether food is healthy or not unless you see it or know a little more about the ingredients, such as how much oil or salt is used in the cooking. If you are really concerned, visit the school at lunchtime. Make sure there are vegetarian and low-fat options available, that high-fat foods such as pizza and fries are kept to a minimum, and that there are plenty of vegetable and salad dishes. Some schools publish information about their school canteen and healthy eating policy on their website.

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