We know that the majority of students in elementary and middle school do eat lunch in the school cafeteria, plus many high school students.

As teachers,food service and cafeteria staff,it is our job to help kids make the "best" and "healthiest" choices from school lunch and breakfast.                                

Recent news about changes to school lunch menus is exciting and long awaited, but many schools are still challenged by how to help children eat healthier while at school.

Below are some suggestions food service staff and teachers can do encourage kids to eat healthier.

• Promote nutrition throughout the school. Include announcements about nutrition and healthy lunch options during the morning announcements and have the teachers reinforce the ideas right before going to lunch.

• Arrange food so that the healthiest choices are at the children's eye level,at both the beginning and end of the line.
      
• Create a healthy tray and place at the beginning of the food line at eye level of the students.

• Place the low-fat or skim milk at the front of the milk case for easier access.
         
• Provide a variety of healthy vegetable and fruit offerings.  

Cameron Markoff serves as Treasurer and has been a member of the Teen Board since 2010.  Cameron is a senior at Emery/Weiner High School where he is President of the student body. He is active in sports, student government, community service and is a member of National Honor Society.  He volunteers at the Refugee Center, the Benavidez School and the Houston Food Bank.  He recently spent three weeks touring East Africa.  Cameron has attended Blue Star Camp for the past nine years and was awarded the Ultimate Teen Award.  He enjoys mountain biking, kayaking and traveling.

• Eat Bananas - Heart Healthy, rich in potassium
• Avocados - For dry skin, incorporate avocados into your diet. They are rich in monounsaturated fat and vitamin E, both of which promote healthy skin.
• Drink water - Staying hydrated keeps you more energized and able to exercise more without fatigue.
• Apples - When I was a young child I would never eat the apple slices in my lunch box as they had turned brown and I would throw them away. My Mom started putting a little orange juice with them so they would stay nice & white. She also added fresh cut up pineapple to pears.  So, I recommend adding acid like orange juice, pineapple or even lemon or lime juice to apples and pears so kids will eat them.

Oliver Foundation Summer Program Grant Recipient