Improving performance

Better grades with the right school snack

Strengthened by the often strenuous school day with the right snack.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV)

Austrians want all pupils to have a healthy snack during the break. This is the only way they can stay focused and perform well at school. But what is actually healthy and recommended? The "Krone" spoke to experts. 

Three quarters of all Austrians believe that children in this country should receive free and, above all, healthy school meals. This is clearly shown by the "Voice of Austria". But what is the right diet at school? Sweets and fast food are certainly not part of it. A healthy school snack consists of four building blocks.

"Complex carbohydrates form the basis. These are digested more slowly in the body than sugar and do not lead to a sharp rise in blood sugar levels. The most popular form is the snack bread or roll. However, it can also be cereals such as unsweetened cornflakes or muesli," explains Manuel Schätzer, nutritionist and national coordinator of SIPCAN.

Dairy products and fruit
The second building block is protein in the form of dairy products such as cheese or yogurt. Milk alternatives, vegetarian or vegan spreads or lean ham can also be good sources of protein. Of course, no healthy snack should be without fruit and vegetables. There is only one rule here - it should be colorful. These three building blocks are rounded off with water as an ideal thirst quencher, as well as unsweetened teas or a sparkling fruit juice.

These foods and drinks are ideal for a school snack.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

"Children generally like to eat the foods they know. This makes it all the more important to offer them healthy foods as often as possible," emphasizes Dr. Schätzer. "Child-friendly presentation plays an important role here. For example, children prefer to eat fruit when it is cut open. However, the older children get, the more important it becomes to give them the opportunity to have a say." Especially when it comes to the right school snack, it is therefore advisable to determine this together with the children.

Snack license for the kids
Dr. Schätzer: "As part of our free program 'The drinking and snack driver's license', in which over 100,000 children have already successfully taken part, pupils learn which snacks are not only healthy but also beneficial for their everyday school life. The positive effect on nutritional competence and eating habits has been scientifically tested and published internationally."

Fewer and fewer pupils eat breakfast
But it's not just snacks that are important for health and performance. Data on breakfast behavior from a recent study shows that the proportion of children who eat something every morning during the school week has decreased over the last 10 years. Overall, around 40% of pupils from the 5th grade onwards do not eat breakfast.

In a new study, Dr. Schätzer investigated the current food situation in Austrian schools. "The result is sobering. There are no hot lunches available at 32% of all schools. This means that over 150,000 children and young people at secondary schools, grammar schools and vocational schools nationwide have no opportunity to eat a hot meal at school. Two thirds of schools with lunchtime meals are not checked to ensure that their menus are healthy."

Interview mit Experten

Was sollten Sie Ihrem Kind als Jause in die Schule mitgeben?

The "Krone" interviewed Dr. Friedrich Hoppichler, specialist in internal medicine and SIPCAN board member (Institute for a Healthy Life), on the subject of healthy food for pupils:

What should parents look out for when it comes to healthy school days?
What parents should avoid at all costs is giving their children sweets or pastries as snacks at school. These are highly processed foods that can cause severe fluctuations in blood sugar levels. The consequence of this is not only a possible craving for even more sweets, but also a poorer ability to concentrate. In other words, exactly what pupils need least of all in the school workplace.

What role do parents actually play in healthy eating?
Children's eating habits are very much based on those around them. Mothers and fathers play a decisive role in this, especially for children and toddlers. They trust their parents, observe them and also imitate them. If dad only likes meat but not vegetables or mom prefers lemonade to water, then there is a great risk that the children will adopt this unhealthy behavior from their "grown-ups".

When are peers the most important role models for children?
When children start school, they increasingly look to their peers as role models. These can be internet influencers, but also classmates. The class community, with which children spend the majority of their day, plays a very special role in this. This makes it all the more important for schools to take part in health projects and for children to learn as early as possible which foods and school snacks are good for them.