Nutrition Nibbles

Power Up: Nutrition Tips for a Successful School Year

As summer starts to wind down, the academic year starts heating up! August is right on our doorstep, and with it, an exciting start to a new school year. As kids’ days start earlier, healthy breakfasts are important to start the day. Studies consistently show that routine and healthy breakfasts are linked to not only increased academic performance, but also more consistent on-task behavior in classrooms!¹

If you find yourself strapped for time getting the kids out the door, no need to worry! Schools, through the School Breakfast Program, can supply children with a nutritious start to their day.² Serving times vary by local county and school, so follow up with your child’s school for site-specific details.

Fortunately, preparing a healthy at-home breakfast is not as daunting as it may seem. The FDA recommends a balanced breakfast consisting of fruits and/or vegetables, a protein source, grains, and dairy, all consistent with MyPlate standards.³ A good idea to keep in mind is that breakfast can be any food, not just the traditional eggs, bacon, toast, etc. Be creative and get the kids involved with selecting healthy foods they like to start the day. Preparing breakfast the night before can also help alleviate any time constraints that may be present for a full breakfast.

Let's Get Movin'!

As children start going back to school, their activity level tends to decrease and seated time increases. This can lead to stiffness and aches from sitting too long. These aches and soreness from stillness can be combated by some light stretching. A bonus is that this can help alleviate similar soreness for parents stuck in desk jobs too!

A quick mid-day stretch session or evening family stretch time can help not only physical aches but also with mental stress! These poses, as suggested by Sanford, and family friendly and can be done at any skill level!⁴

Forward Fold

Stand tall with your legs together. Inhale and raise your arms above your head next to your ears. Exhale and bend forward from your hips, leading with your heart center. Make a straight line with your arms and upper body. Keep exhaling. Bend forward and grab your ankles or calves.

Crescent Pose

Stand with feet hip-width apart, step one foot back and bend your front knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Align your knee over your ankle, while keeping your back leg straight and strong. Inhale and sweep your arms overhead, palms facing each other, keeping your lower ribs drawn in and your chest lifted, and lengthen your spine.

Cat/Cow Pose

Kneel on the floor and put your hands on the floor in front of you. Inhale deeply while curving your lower back and bringing your head up, tilting your pelvis up like a "cow." Exhale deeply and bring your abdomen in, arching your spine and bringing your head and pelvis down like a "cat."

Cobra Pose

Place your palms flat on the ground directly under your shoulders. Bend your elbows back and hug them into your sides. Inhale to lift your chest off the floor. Roll your shoulders back and keep your low ribs on the mat. Keep your neck neutral

Child’s Pose

Kneel and sit on your knees. Lean forward and rest your forehead on the floor. Move your arms so they're next to your legs, palms facing up.

Tree Pose

Bring one foot to the inner thigh or calf of the standing leg, while maintaining an upright posture with arms extended or in a prayer position.

Harvest of the Month: Pears!

North Carolina’s climate is suitable for the cultivation of a variety of pears. Some pears that you may see in grocers that are grown here are Moonglow pears, Kieffer pears, and Bartlett pears, just to name a few.⁵ For best growth, pear trees are planted during their dormant season – late autumn to early spring. After planting, pear trees can take anywhere between 3 and 10 years to flower and produce their initial pears, but once they do, the trees are prolific and long-lasting. Once flowering, pears take about one to two months to be ready for harvest.⁶

Recipe Highlight: Griddled Pears with Goat's Cheese & Hazelnut Dressing

Ingredients :

40g toasted hazelnuts finely chopped or crushed
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
2 pears, cored
handful of watercress to serve
100g goat's cheese, crumbled

Instructions:

Combine the hazelnuts with the oil, vinegar and a pinch of sea salt flakes. Slice each pear into six wedges.
Heat a griddle pan over a high heat and griddle the pear wedges until slightly charred. Arrange three in a line on each plate. Tuck some watercress around the pears, then crumble over the goat’s cheese. Dot over the hazelnut dressing.

Kids Corner

Sun Bucks is Back!

SUN Bucks is back for Summer 2025! SUN Bucks is a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program that provides grocery-buying benefits in the form of a one-time payment of $120 per eligible child on a debit-like card. This card can be used to purchase nutritious food during the summer months when schools are out. If you would like to know more about the SUN Bucks program or check to see if your child may be eligible, please visit https://www.ncdhhs.gov/sunbucks.

Snap Corner

SNAP provides monetary assistance to supplement the food budget of households that meet the financial and resource requirements.

Foods available under SNAP:

Fruits and vegetables
Meat, poultry, and fish
Dairy products
Breads and cereals
Other foods such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages
Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat

Scan QR Code or Click Here for More info on SNAP

For questions or assistance, call (336) 422-7758 or email fnsoutreach@secondharvestnwnc.org

Second Harvest Food Bank's Nutrition Services is committed to working with low-income families seeking to improve their nutrition and health, partnering with our agency programs and community groups.

Learn More about Nutrition Services Here!

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