Back to School Brain Boosters

Brittany Barnes
Aug 26, 2015
3 min read

Okay y’all, with school starting this week I know it’s hard to get back into the groove of things. You’re trying to make sure that your kiddos have a fabulous first week of school, get plenty of rest and eat well! It’s crazy-hectic for the parents, but don’t forget about the big change on the little ones too. They had 3 months off from school & didn’t exactly spend their time figuring out algebra equations, are ya with me?

Give ‘em a little extra “Brain Power” with some foods that are known to boost the brain and get it working! I’ve put together a list of various snacks that your kids might actually enjoy…and get some extra benefits out of it too.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Don’t worry…I’m not telling you to feed your child McDonald’s! These are the GOOD FATS; The fats that have a ton of benefits! Researchers have found that Omega 3’s help boost your mood, Asthma, lowers the risk of heart disease, aids ADHD, improves thinking skills and much more!

You can find Omega 3 Fatty Acids in things like nuts (trail mix is good for the kids – add in some fruits like blueberries too!), salmon (try salmon salad sandwich instead of tuna!) and many other fish.

Proteins

Protein is always great to have in your diet! I mean, your hair and nails are mostly made up of protein and your body needs protein to grow and build new tissue. Visit your children’s pediatrician to find out how much protein they need in their diet according to their growth patterns.

A great source of protein is Almonds - You can add them in with their trail mix and berries. Turkey sandwiches (on whole grain bread - also a brain booster!), hard boiled (or any style) eggs, beef jerky...I could go on & on. Check out this list of high protein foods for more ideas.

Avocados

Avocados hold high levels of the antioxidant Vitamin E. Studies show that foods with rich sources of Vitamin E lead to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s, aiding in mental skills. Avocados also fall under the “good fats” category since they hold a high ratio of unsaturated vs. saturated fats. Plus, they are super yummy!

Less Sugar, More Fruits

Sugar is known to give people that “2:30 Feeling”. But for kids it’s a whole new ball game. You give a kid a soda, he’s bouncing off the walls (maybe even literally) then there’s a sudden halt. No bouncing. No Talking. No Standing. Little Stevie is comatose in the corner all because of that Grape Soda he just HAD TO HAVE.

Try…just TRY (no one’s a miracle worker) to give your kids fruit instead of sugary treats. Fresh fruit is normally pretty sweet and ends up being a pretty great snack for the kiddos. It’s natural, each has their own health benefits and let’s face it…no PREPPING. One less thing for all you super moms to do out there!

If you wanted to bring it up a notch, you could make smoothies before or after school with various fruits and blend with a no/low sugar OJ. Milk is a good base as well since it's a great source of calcium AND protein!

Peanut Butter

Peanut Butter is FULLLLLLLLLL of protein! Like avocados, they are apart of the good fats family. PB is also known to boost your energy levels due to the nuts, which is awesome for kids. Instead of a traditional PB&J, try swapping the processed-sugar-packed jelly for sliced bananas! It’ll still be sweet, but with a nice new twist.

Feel free to share some of your cool snack ideas for the Kiddos. It's always nice for them to try new things! Thanks for reading! :)