Nyman: School meals and snacks in and out of the classroom

It is back-to-school time and schools, cafeterias and parents are trying to piece together how the 2020-2021 academic year will look among the COVID-19 pandemic. While school districts are coming up with in-person, virtual and a hybrid of both in-person and virtual learning options, parents and school nutrition directors are inventing ways to keep nutritious foods, like dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grain, in students’ daily routines.

During stay-at-home orders, schools were quick on their feet when it came to delivering students much needed nutrition. According to a recent School Nutrition Association survey, more than 80% of schools offered food boxes via drive-through pickup. These boxes, which included items like gallons of milk, fruits and vegetables, contained up to a week’s worth of food to create balanced breakfasts and lunches at home.

Now school nutrition directors are re-imagining what meal service will look like in the future. With so much uncertainty in the new school year, many schools may have to do away with a traditional lunch period in the cafeteria in order to maintain health, safety and social distancing. To do this, some schools are looking at expanding one popular breakfast program, Breakfast In The Classroom, to lunch, as well. This possible solution to school meals would deliver lunch directly to students in the classroom to consume at their desks.

No matter the method a school chooses to get food to their students, the St. Louis District Dairy Council is trying to help with the unforeseeable future that schools will face with their Dollars for Dairy Grant. This is a great opportunity for schools over the summer months to apply to receive funding to help get healthy foods like dairy to students. We have seen an increase in grant applications for coolers, insulated bags and mobile carts — all which would allow school nutrition staff to safely get food to students in the classroom.

While school nutrition directors are tackling meals in the schools, parents who choose to home-school or participate in virtual learning this coming school year will be tasked with providing balanced meals and snacks in their homes. Healthy eating has been linked to better learning, memory and higher grades, but figuring out healthy meals and snacks can be an added stress to families unable to participate in school meal options through school districts.

To promote healthy eating and brain function outside of school meals, parents should provide their kids with smaller meals and snacks every three to four hours. The dairy group packs a powerful nutrition package, including 8 grams of protein per serving, and can be paired with any food group to create an easy and balanced meal or snack. Healthy snack and meal ideas include fruit smoothies made with yogurt, string cheese paired with whole grain crackers, whole grain pitas filled with turkey and cheese, vegetable quesadillas, or oatmeal with milk. The possibilities are endless.

Peanut Butter Honey Yogurt Dip

This dip is the perfect sweet, creamy and healthy after school snack to serve with apple slices or your kid’s favorite snack foods.

Ingredients

6-ounce container of low-fat, plain Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

3 teaspoons honey

Fruit of choice for dipping graham crackers

Procedure

In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, peanut butter and honey.

Stir until combined and smooth.

Serve with apple and pear slices and/or graham crackers for dipping.

Nutrition Information: 230 calories. 14g fat, 15g protein, 7% daily value for calcium.

Pinwheel Lollipops

Sending lunch to school or making lunch for home school, this quick kid-friendly recipe can make lunch fun and memorable.

Ingredients

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese (softened)

1/2 ounce package of ranch dip mix

2 large whole wheat tortillas

9 ounces lunch meat of choice

8 ounces thinly sliced cheese of choice

Lollipop sticks

Procedure

Combine cream cheese and ranch dressing mix.

Spread the mixture on the tortilla, almost all the way to the edges.

Lay 4 slices of lunch meat and 4 slices of cheese on top of the cream cheese mixture.

Roll the tortilla around the meat and cheese as tightly as possible.

Cut rolled tortillas into 1 1/2 inch pinwheel slices and insert an end of a lollipop stick into the edge of the tortilla pinwheel.

Nutrition Information: 315 calories, 23g fat, 17g protein, 21% daily value for calcium.

For more healthy school meal and snack ideas or to learn more about the St. Louis District Dairy Council's Dollars for Dairy Grant, visit www.stldairycouncil.org.

Monica Nyman is a registered dietitian and senior nutrition educator with the St. Louis District Dairy Council.