Back to school in UAE: Healthy lunchboxes key for students to have good focus, memory

Back to school in UAE: Healthy lunchboxes key for students to have good focus, memory

Experts discourage parents from giving kids ready-to-eat snacks, unhealthy food

Published: Sun 28 Aug 2022, 2:15 PM Last updated: Sun 28 Aug 2022, 2:26 PM

As almost a million students go back to school tomorrow, experts are calling on parents to give them nutritious lunchboxes to ensure adequate nourishment.

According to a guide by Dubai Municipality, strong scientific evidence supports the link between healthy eating, physical activity and success in school. It clarifies that children who consume healthier food options and are physically active tend to be more focused during classes and have better memory.

"It is important to give children home-cooked meals which are easy to eat in school," said Dr Ambily Kushal, Nutritionist and Dietician at Dr Iqbal Alternative Medical Center.

"Parents are sometimes tempted to put ready-to-eat snacks in their children's tiffin box for convenience. This is a very wrong approach. Childhood is the time when they develop a taste for different foods, and it's important to make them try different vegetables and home-cooked balanced meals. Processed and packaged foods may be tasty due to the high added sugar, salt content, but these extra sugar preservatives will do more harm than good to your child and your child will never learn to