 |
National School Lunch Week
October 14 -18, 2019
The Texas Department of Agriculture's theme for the 2019 National School Lunch Week (NSLW) is "Save the Day with a Healthy School Lunch!" This year's theme zaps into everyone's love of superheroes! So suit up and get ready to participate this year.
October 16, 2019 has been designated as TAKE YOUR PARENTS TO LUNCH DAY.
|
|
Healthy Choices Grants
Next Deadline October 15, 2019
Rolling deadlines for grants: April 15, July 15 and October 15.
|
Upcoming Conferences and Events
Healthier Texas Summit
October 17-18, 2019 Austin, Texas
Southern Obesity Summit
October 29-30, 2018 Oklahoma City, OK
Texas Action for Healthy Kids Summit
November 18, 2019 8 - 4 PM
Education Service Center - Region 13
5701 Springdale Rd.
Austin, TX 78723
TAHPERD Annual Conference
December 4-7, 2019 Arlington, Texas
|
Meet the Oliver Teen Advisory Board
The Oliver Foundation Teen Advisory Board is a 12-18 member
organization represented by students across the Houston area. Each month you'll meet a different member who will share their perspective on living a healthy life.
Raj Solanki, Board Member
Kempner High School - Sugar Land, Texas
Teen Board Member 2016-Present
Raj is a senior at Kempner High School. He is an active member of his debate program, serving as the Public Forum captain of his team. He enjoys music and sports. Raj would like to attend law school and become a lawyer. His dream job is to be part of the front office for an NBA team.
Eating Lunch, the Right Way
There are so many things to take care of when getting ready for school. How many binders do we need? Do we need to restock on pens? How am I getting to school this year? One thing that is always overlooked, however, is the lunch situation. Because of a heavy workload, parents often waive off lunch on the priority list because the school always provides a lunch option. However, reading this piece may put lunch on the top of the checklist.
Having a proper school lunch is critical. Most children in the United States spend 6-8 hours at school every day, having about a half an hour to recharge in the middle of the day. Research shows that kids who eat healthy foods at school have better long-term habits and have higher academic readiness. Although the government has imposed mandates to promote healthier eating, not all schools follow it and kids choose not to go the healthy route because it seems unappealing. The effects of unhealthy school lunches take a physical toll; Children who eat too much sugar, sodium, and processed foods have a higher propensity to chronic health problems such as diabetes, kidney stones, bone loss, and heart disease. Moreover, it goes beyond the physical scope. Kids who eat unhealthy lunches are more likely to have lower test scores and have a hard time completing homework. This is because an unhealthy diet negatively influences sleep patterns, which have a huge effect on cognitive abilities.
Although it takes time and effort, students and parents should consider preparing packed lunches for school. This is due to the increased choice and variety that comes with a packed lunch. Take fruits for example. Schools provide little fruit during school lunch, but even if they do, it's probably going to be the same applesauce every time. When students pack their own lunch, they can pack their favorite, sweet, nutritious, and healthy fruit every single day. Another benefit of the diversity of packed lunches is the ability to switch things up. The problem with school lunch is the mental exhaustion of eating the same thing every other day. Some new, healthy back to school lunch ideas include Hummus and Pita, Pasta Salad, and Veggie Wraps. These are tasty options that you can't find at school with much more nutritional value.
In a day-to-day mindset, school lunches don't seem to be that important. But eating the right meal every single day can have a lasting impact on a child's long-term health and academic performance. Eat smart and eat well!
Raj Solanki
September 2019
|
This recipe is a great way to make sure you start your day with protein and vegetables. In our house, we make these ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator. In the morning, I warm a couple of these up in the microwave and grab some fruit, and I have a nutritious start to the day. The best part of this recipe is that you can trade the vegetables and cheese for whatever you like. You can also add chopped breakfast meat or use only egg whites.
Kale and Parmesan Mini Crust Less Quiche
8 whole eggs (or 12 egg whites)
1/2 cup yogurt (plain-regular or Greek)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups of chopped baby kale*
Salt and pepper to taste
*If you would like to add a second vegetable or breakfast meat, modify the amount of kale such that the two added ingredients together equal 2 cups total.
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line a muffin tin with parchment paper or parchment paper cup liners.
3. Mix all of the ingredients above together.
4. Pour the egg batter into the liners almost to the top.
5. Bake for 30 minutes until cooked through and golden on top.
Yield is 8-12 mini quiches, depending on the size of egg used.
|
|
|
|
Oliver Foundation
5535 Memorial Drive, Suite F, #256
Houston, Texas 77007
Info@olivefoundation.org
www.oliverfoundation.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
