Nutrition For Teachers

Students must be healthy to learn... but they also need to learn to be healthy. Proper nutrition in the school age years can reinforce lifelong eating habits that can contribute to a student's overall well being. This will help them to grow and learn to their fullest potential... and then go on to lead a long healthy life. 

The winning recipe for a healthy lifestyle includes a combination of both good nutrition and physical activity. Your body needs a variety of nutrient rich foods to grow and prevent illness. And your body also needs to move and exercise every day.

Key things you need to know about leading a healthy lifestyle are:
  • Eat a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables and whole grain products
  • Control portion sizes and never "supersize"
  • Get active for at least 60 minutes, five times a week for ages 6-18
  • Avoid tobacco and illegal drugs all together

Well-nourished students have higher test scores, increased school attendance, improved concentration, and improved classroom behavior. Students, who are physically fit, sleep better and are better able to handle the physical and emotional challenges that they encounter during the day.

Good nutrition leads to great academic performance

Your body needs healthy fuel to perform, to grow and to ward off illness and disease. Would you feed a million dollar racehorse junk food & soda? Of course not, so think about what you eat...because you are worth far more than a horse!

Good nutrition has a positive and direct impact on your ability to do well in school. When your nutritional needs are met, you have the cognitive energy to learn and achieve. You will be better prepared to learn, more likely to attend school, and are more apt to take advantage of learning opportunities.

Protein – Choose a variety of foods with lean protein

Protein is an indispensable nutrient and can be found throughout every tissue in our body. Protein is a vital source of energy but the most important function of protein is building and repairing tissue. We also need protein for our immune function, proteins transport vitamins and minerals throughout our body.

Grains – Make half of all the grains you eat whole grains

Eating grains, especially whole grains, provides health benefits. Dietary fiber from whole grains, may help reduce blood cholesterol levels and lower risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Grains are important sources of many nutrients, including several B vitamins, magnesium and selenium.

Vegetables - Make at least half of your plate fruits and vegetables

Eating vegetables provides health benefits — people who eat more vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Vegetables provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your body.

Fruits – Make at least half of your plate fruits and vegetables

Eating fruit provides health benefits — people who eat more fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Fruits provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your body.

Dairy – Always choose fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk

Milk and dairy products are especially important to bone health during school aged years, when bone mass is being built. It provides important sources of calcium, potassium and vitamin D, and help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and help to lower blood pressure in adults.

School aged athletes need to energize their bodies with good nutrition if they hope to perform their at their best. Whether it's playing football, swimming or jogging, athletes need to eat a nutritious, balanced diet to fuel their body. Good nutrition, like any sporting event, has basic ground rules and nothing affects your ability to compete more than good nutrition.

Eating the right foods helps you stay physically fit and reach your optimum performance. To reach your highest potential and maintain a winning edge, all of your body systems must be perfectly tuned using proper nutrition.

Eat a variety of Healthy Foods and stay Hydrated. The young bodies of student athletes are still growing. It is important to nourish that growth and fuel the demands of strenuous exercise and organized sports.

That translates into eating a variety of foods every day - grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, lean meats, and low fat dairy products. The base of the diet should come from carbohydrates in the form of starches and sugars. Fluids, especially water, are also important to the winning combination. Dehydration can stop even the finest athlete from playing his or her best game.

Eat enough Energy, Protein, Vitamins, Minerals and Fiber.

  • Choose lots of brightly colored Fruits and Vegetables.
  • Get plenty of Calcium. Calcium helps build healthy bones.
  • Iron is important. Iron helps carry oxygen throughout the body. Iron-rich foods include red meat, chicken, tuna, salmon, eggs, dried fruits, leafy green vegetables, and whole grains.
  • Protein for strength. Protein can help build muscles, along with regular training and exercise. Protein-rich foods include fish, lean red meat and poultry, dairy products, nuts, soy products, and peanut butter.
  • Smart Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates or "carbs" provide energy for the body and are an important source of fuel for young athletics. However, there is no need for "carb loading" before a big game. Choose carbohydrates in whole-grain foods that are less processed and high in fiber, like pasta, brown rice, whole-grain bread, and cereal. Fiber also helps lower cholesterol and may help prevent diabetes and heart disease.
  • Water, and staying properly hydrated, is key to an athlete’s success.

Without the right foods, even physical conditioning and expert coaching aren't enough to push you to be your best.Good nutrition must be a key part of your training program for you to succeed.

60 Minutes of Activity a Day...do it for life!

Fit "Fitness" into your busy day - It is important to your health and success. Whether it is walking the dog, running, or riding a bike... make physical activity one of the healthy habits in your daily life.

Get out and get active - limit sedentary activities. Student's lifestyles today are very different from their parents'. TV, video games, texting and online social networks are now replacing the neighborhood kickball game. Kids and teens are spending more time sitting and less time running, jumping and playing. Commit to staying active.

What are the Benefits? Students who are physically fit will...

  • Find it easier to maintain a healthy weight
  • Sleep better
  • Have higher self-esteem and self-confidence
  • Be more attentive in class and perform better in school
  • Have proper growth with stronger bones, muscles, and joints
  • Feel less stressed
  • Reduce their risk of chronic disease
  • Decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
  • Have lower blood pressure
  • Have lower LDL "bad" blood cholesterol levels, and raise HDL "good" cholesterol levels
  • Feel happier and have a better outlook on life!

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Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.


To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at:  https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling 866-632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:


1. mail: 
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
2. fax: 
833-256-1665 or  (202) 690-7442; or
3. email: 
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