While you’re bustling around finding new school clothes and classroom supplies, add one more thing to your list:Plan ahead for your children’s nutritional needs during the school year to help them reach their full potential. So your kids can power through recess and hours spent learning new material, focus on feeding them a wide variety from different food groups, concentrating on the following:

• Vegetables. Dish up three to five servings of veggies each day to help your child meet his/her needs (only about 3% of children do). One serving equals 1 cup of leafy veggies, three-quarters of a cup veggie juice, half a cup of raw or cooked veggies, or even half cup of Barilla® Marinara Sauce.
• Fruits. Aim for two to four servings of fruit each day. One serving equals one piece of whole fruit, half a cup sliced fruit, 6 ounces fruit juice or one-half cup canned fruit. Canned fruit in 100% juice also travels very well for sack lunches!
• Whole Grains. Children need six to 11 servings per day in order to power through eight hours in the classroom. One serving equals one slice of bread, half a cup rice, 1 ounce cereal, or 1 ounce Barilla® whole grain pasta.
• Protein. Active kids should eat one serving of protein at each meal, which is about 2 to 3 ounces of meat, poultry or fish, or 2 tablespoons of Skippy® Peanut Butter.
• Dairy. Help your kids reach their 3-A-Day™ recommendation with three servings of low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt or cheese. Whip up an after school smoothie to nourish your kids until supper (see r
• ecipe).

Although it may seem overwhelming, your child’s nutritional needs can be met by eating a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods for an overall balanced diet. Make sure to set a positive example in order to teach your children that their health is important—now and in the future.