Nourishing children’s success: How nutrition is vital for school performance

Parents always want the best for their children. They want to see their children excel in academics and participate in healthy physical activities like sports. However, children nowadays face many challenges throughout the school day – learning 5-6 subjects and participating in extra-curricular activities and sports.

While children begin their day full of energy, their energy levels are depleted in a few hours due to the mental and physical demands of the school day. In a recent survey of 300 Pakistani women, conducted by Four Corners Group Private Limited, 73% said that their children often complain that they feel tired after the school break. This decline in energy adversely affects their learning and participation in school activities.

Proper nutrition during the school break can help prevent this slump during the school day. “School lunch is a make or break for children’s nutrition and performance,” says nutritionist, Dr. Ayesha Abbas. A balanced diet during this time lays the foundation for improved academic performance by sustaining children’s energy levels, allowing them to keep up with today’s demanding school environment.

Dr. Abbas encourages parents to give their children a balanced lunch box, which includes a mix of macronutrients – protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Carbohydrates serve as the primary source of energy for the body, aiding in mental focus. Protein keeps children fuller longer, stabilising blood sugar, and prevents energy crashes. Healthy fats are crucial for cognitive function, supporting memory, concentration, and learning. A combination of all three macronutrients is essential for children to function well in school.A chicken sandwich or kababs, fruits and vegetables like apples, carrots or cucumbers, and a handful of nuts with milk can form the basis of a macro-rich lunchbox.

Decades of research have shown that milk is one of the most important foods that children can consume during their school lunch break. A research conducted by the Institute of Nutrition in Vietnam found that consumption of milk led to a positive impact on student’s memory and physical growth. Another research conducted by Nutrition Society of South Korea established the relationship between milk consumption at school and improved academic performance & motivation for learning. Therefore, milk is given to students in school breaks through government programs in USA, UK, Europe, China and Turkey.

“In today’s fast-paced world, I am always looking for convenient and nutritious options to give my nine-year-old for their school lunch”, says one mother, Mariya.

While parents might struggle to ensure milk consumption during school, one of the easiest solutions is to add flavoured milk to their children’s lunch box. 96% of survey respondents believed that flavoured milk is the ideal drink for their children’s school lunch box. Olper’s Flavoured Milk provides a convenient way to improve the nutrition of their children’s lunch box. It includes all the goodness of milk with added vitamins and calcium, in flavours that children love.

Packing a lunch box with a selection of nutritious snacks and an Olper’s Flavoured Milk ensures that children receive a balanced intake of essential nutrients in a form they find enjoyable. Parents can ensure that their children improve their performance in school and extracurriculars by providing essential nutrition when they need it the most. When a child’s day-to-day challenges are made easier through the right nutritional habits, lifelong success is guaranteed.

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