School life is the best time to make your kids realize the importance of healthy eating as they learn very quickly during this phase. Introducing them to health issues and importance of exercise leads to long term healthy lifestyle habits. School going kids also get easily influenced by friends and popular trends. So it is a challenging job for parents to balance their diet in such a way that kids don’t feel deprived of their favorite foods yet have their nutritional requirements fulfilled.

Following are 10 foods your kid must have:

1. Fruits

–are extremely important for your kids as they contain a lot of fiber and vitamins. Make them fall in love with fruits. Introduce fruits salads into your daily meals.

2. Vegetables

–Staying closer to fresh food is what your kid needs. Make them eat fresh vegetables. If they love taking sandwiches to school, add more fresh vegetables into them like onions, salad leaves, lettuce, tomatoes etc.

3. Nuts

–are the natural energy boosts for people of all ages. Healthy snacking is very important for kids as it helps in keeping their energy levels high. Offer them nuts while on the way home from school, or in the evening when they are going out to play. Try adding a few nuts to their salad bowls.

4. Fish

–The ultimate source of protein. Kids MUST have protein enriched diet. Do not fry fish, bake it. There are so many healthy recipes available on the internet; that are tasty as well.

5. Dairy

–Cheese, milk and other dairy products are also an essential for your school going kid. Make them eat cereal with milk in breakfast, plus in the evening.

6. Eggs

– These make a very nutritional breakfast for kids and are yummy as well. Make them eat eggs in the morning or give them an egg sandwich for recess at school.

7. Whole grains

–contains more fiber and protein and are essential for a kid’s health. Make whole grain pasta instead of white pasta; make them eat whole grain cereals, whole grain wheat and rice.

8. Beans

–Another protein enriched food for your kid. Nutritionists suggest that beans are a great source of protein, fiber and good carbohydrates.

9. Healthy Beverages

—the best drink you can make your kid drink is ‘water’. Make them drink as much water as they can even in summer instead of sugary drinks and sodas. Packaged juices contain nothing but chemicals and sugar. Make them drink fresh homemade smoothies.

10. Meat

–Healthy fats are also very important in growing kid’s diet. Make them eat baked or grilled meat (chicken, mutton, beef etc).

The important thing to remember is that school going kids copy elders, so make sure you eat along with them!