Back to school in UAE: Your guide to packing a super nutritious lunch through the week

With over a million students going back to school, experts are stressing on the need for packing healthy lunchboxes to ensure efficient nutrition.

A Dubai Municipality (DM) guide indicates that there is strong scientific evidence that supports the link between healthy eating, physical activity and success in school. According to it, children who consume healthier food options and are physically active tend to be more focused during classes and have better memory.

Meanwhile, some doctors have reported seeing a drop in childhood obesity over the last couple of months. They have attributed it to the UAE government’s staunch stand against the epidemic.

Last week, in an interview with KT, DM officials had revealed their strategies to bring about long-lasting nutritious changes to the eating culture through school canteens.

Weekly Guide

In their guidelines and requirements for food and nutrition in schools in Dubai, a panel of experts from DM have listed a weekly guide to ensuring proper nutrition for students.

For breakfast, it is encouraged to give complex carbohydrates, dairy and a serving of fruit.

The guide advises parents to include vegetables, protein and some fruit for lunch.

For snacks, it is advised to give bite sized vegetables, fruits, nuts, wholegrain products or pulses.

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