Healthy school break ideas: A Ministry of Health guide for students

In a move aimed at promoting the health of future generations, the Saudi Ministry of Health has issued a comprehensive guide for students and parents, featuring a variety of recipes and innovative, healthy alternatives for school breaks. This initiative is part of the Ministry's strategy to improve dietary habits and raise students' academic and physical performance by offering options that combine high nutritional value with tastes children enjoy.

Context of the initiative and its strategic importance

This guide cannot be separated from the broader context of the health transformations taking place in the Kingdom, as it aligns with the objectives of the Quality of Life Program, one of the programs under the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which focuses on promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing chronic diseases. This step is of paramount importance given global and local health reports indicating increasing rates of obesity among children and adolescents due to reliance on fast food and processed foods.

Providing healthy alternatives within the school environment is a proactive step aimed at instilling healthy eating habits from a young age, which reduces the future burden on the health sector and ensures the development of a generation with a sound physical and mental structure.

Smart options for sustainable energy

The guide presented a range of practical recipes to ensure students meet their daily energy needs, suggesting they avoid simple sugars and replace them with more complex and nutritious options. Among the key suggestions were:

• Morning energy sandwiches: The guide suggested using wholemeal bread stuffed with eggs, as the fiber in whole grains provides a feeling of fullness for longer periods, while the protein in eggs contributes to muscle building and rejuvenation.
• Nutritional diversity: The options included a complete meal that included wholemeal bread with peanut butter and natural honey, fortified with oat cookies, cucumber slices and apples, to ensure a balance of flavors and nutrients.
• Boosting brain health: Experts have provided a rich option that includes wholemeal bread with labneh, accompanied by a tangerine and unsalted nuts, which are essential for enhancing cognitive functions and physical growth.

The golden rule and nutritional balance

The guide emphasized what it called the "golden rule" for school meals, which relies on a careful balance between the four food groups: vegetables, fruits, proteins, and grains. The ministry also suggested alternatives to break the monotony of traditional meals, such as tuna sandwiches with vegetables or healthy oatmeal pancakes with fruit, to ensure students don't get bored with them.

The link between nutrition and academic performance

The guide did not overlook the academic aspect, directly linking diet to academic performance. The ministry recommended focusing on consuming fresh fruits and drinking sufficient amounts of water and milk, especially during exam periods, given their role in improving memory and increasing concentration and mental alertness.

The guide concluded by emphasizing the need to consider individual differences and age groups, noting that teenagers require larger amounts of calories and nutrients to support rapid growth spurts compared to younger children, which necessitates family awareness to meet these changing needs.