Dietitian Lyudmila Denisenko has recommended sandwiches, fresh fruit, and nutrient-dense foods as ideal school snacks for children in comments to Russian news outlet KP.RU.
Denisenko explained that an ideal snack for a school student must remain balanced while providing critical vitamins and microelements. She stressed that growing children require food containing Vitamin D, Omega-3 fatty acids, iron, iodine, and magnesium to promote healthy physical growth and cognitive development.
According to the nutritionist, sandwiches serve as the most optimal base for a child's school lunchbox. She advised parents to supplement sandwich lunches with fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, and nuts, as well as seaweed chips, marshmallows, and homemade fruit leather.
Nutritional variety for school lunchboxes
Denisenko added that parents can also pack cottage cheese casseroles or syrniki, traditional fried cottage cheese pancakes, for their children to eat at school. Homemade fritters prepared with fillings offer another suitable option, while sushi rolls and muesli bars can be included as occasional treats.
The foods recommended by the dietitian combine key macronutrients to sustain energy throughout the school day. Carbohydrates from bread and fritters provide immediate energy for classroom tasks, while protein from eggs, nuts, and cottage cheese helps maintain satiety until dinner.
Syrniki and cottage cheese casseroles are classic dairy dishes in Eastern European cooking, serving as rich sources of protein and calcium. Homemade pastila, a traditional fruit leather, and marshmallows known as zefir provide lighter sweet options made from whipped fruit purees.
Role of essential vitamins and minerals
The microelements highlighted by Denisenko support crucial physiological functions in school-aged children. Omega-3 fatty acids and iodine contribute to brain function and attention span, while iron helps transport oxygen through the bloodstream to prevent daytime fatigue. Vitamin D assists in calcium absorption for bone health, and magnesium aids nerve function and muscle relaxation.
Denisenko shared her dietary guidance with KP.RU, the digital platform of the Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda. Medical experts routinely advise that balanced school snacks help prevent energy dips and support overall student health during long academic days.
