Tips To Improve The Health Status Of Your School

February 23, 2015

Pizza, chicken fingers, fries, and chips on the side – all student friendly favorites that often end up on a school cafeteria’s lunch menu. But although these are what most students would call their favorite foods, their hearts and bodies are likely thinking otherwise.

As we mentioned in a previous blog, February is American Heart Month. In addition to increasing the amount of physical activity a student gets during their time in the classroom, another great way to honor this month’s observance is to carefully inspect the menu items offered to those who prefer to buy rather than bring and analyze the policies and procedures related to food that your school has in place. If while doing so you realize that your current atmosphere hinders a students’ ability to make healthy choices, here are a few tips on how you can start to transform your school into a healthier setting:

1. Offer Salad: Regardless of whether it is pre-made or offered as a DIY station, salad is a great alternative that can be offered to encourage students to eat healthy.
2. Avoid Fried Or Processed: Any foods that come deep fried or highly processed should be the last thing on your list of things to buy for your cafeteria. Instead, increase the number of greens and whole grain based foods that you offer.
3. Minimize Vending Machines: When vending machines are stocked full with candies and cookies, it’s only natural for students to gravitate towards them when the cafeteria is closed. However, if the cafeteria has longer hours and vending machines are less accessible, students will wind up making healthier choices – so long as the cafeteria offers them, of course!
4. Carefully Plan Lunch Periods: According to the NY Coalition For Healthy School Food, students should eat lunch no earlier than 11:00 AM and no later than 1:00 PM. As you plan out the lunch periods for your students, use these recommended times as a guideline.

At Nickerson Corporation, we are proud to supply cafeteria and food court furniture that can be used to make your school a healthier place. If your school is located in New York or New Jersey and is looking for ways to further promote healthy habits, ask us about our cafeteria and food court furniture today; (631) 666-0200.