The ultimate guide to children’s nutrition for the new school year
Daily school life brings a busy schedule for both children and parents, with nutrition being a central concern. Dietitian-nutritionist Eleana Petropoulou has put together for NouPou a detailed nutrition guide for children, explaining how we can offer them balanced meals, healthy snacks, and a positive relationship with food—without stress or unnecessary extremes.
- 14/10/2025, 13:42
School has started again, and with it the new school year brings a daily routine full of obligations, activities, and challenges. One of the most important issues that concerns parents is their children’s nutrition: how they can have energy, good concentration, and healthy growth. We discussed all of this with Ms. Eleana Petropoulou, a dietitian-nutritionist who works exclusively with children’s nutrition.
Children’s nutrition: what it needs to be complete and balanced
For a diet to be complete and balanced, it must provide nutrients from all food groups. Fruits and vegetables should be eaten in season, so they can provide the maximum vitamins and fiber, and they should be varied in color. Variety is not just about taste—it is a fundamental building block of a child’s development. Each food group provides different nutrients that are essential for energy, muscle, bone, and brain growth. The more colorful and varied the plate, the more complete the nutrition.
Seasonality is also important: seasonal fruits and vegetables have greater nutritional value and better taste.
If a child refuses a certain food, that does not mean we should exclude it. We can offer it in another form: for example, if they don’t eat chickpea soup, try chickpea fritters; if they don’t like boiled zucchini, add them into burgers, pasta sauce, or bake them in the oven with a tasty yogurt dip. What matters is listening to the child—what they like, what they don’t like—and creating together meals and snacks that are both tasty and balanced.
This is why it is extremely important to cook together with the child. When they participate in preparation—washing vegetables, mixing ingredients, even setting the table—they show greater curiosity and are much more likely to try the food they helped prepare.
Key nutrients that should be covered during school age
Children need:
- Iron for energy and concentration (meat, legumes, leafy greens).
- Calcium for bones and teeth (dairy or alternative sources).
- Vitamins A, C, D, and the B complex for immunity, growth, and good memory.
- Protein for physical growth.
- Healthy fats for good mental health.
The lunchbox for school
The daily problem for parents: What should I put in my child’s lunchbox that is healthy and complete? And what happens when they bring it back untouched?
The lunchbox is one of parents’ greatest sources of stress. It needs to be nutritious, practical, and safe. Often, social media platforms like Instagram create a “competition” for the most creative or complicated lunchbox. In reality, children need simple, complete meals. Examples:
- Bread with cheese and a few cherry tomatoes cut in half
- Toast with peanut butter and banana, or with cheese and vegetables, or with egg and cheese
- Fruit with nut butter and a breadstick
Hydration is also crucial: encourage your child to drink water throughout the day.
As for fruit, we prefer seasonal fruit rich in fiber and give juices more sparingly. Freshly squeezed juice is not wrong, but it does not replace whole fruit.
What not to put in the lunchbox:
- Foods that spoil easily in heat (e.g., fish, yogurt desserts)
- Chocolate, croissants, cookies
- Soft drinks or sugary juices
- Foods that crumble easily and make a mess
If the child brings back the lunchbox untouched, it doesn’t necessarily mean they didn’t like it. They may have been busy or ran out of time. The solution is to involve them in the choice, giving them two or three simple alternatives. Additionally, the parent, as an observer, can “check” what the child didn’t eat and include that food group in one of the next meals of the day.
Children’s parties: how do we handle the food choices they encounter there?
Parties are an important social moment for children. We don’t deprive them of it, but we can offer healthier options: homemade pizzas with vegetables, baked meatballs, fruit salads, or muffins with a little sugar or honey. The key is moderation, balance, and not restriction.
For your own child’s party, you can create the menu together. For example, as a mother, at my children’s parties I always adjust the menu: instead of packaged juice, I serve fresh juice; instead of cake at the entrance, I make fruit cones; or I may eliminate French fries entirely. Since chicken nuggets are very common at parties, I ask for them baked or prefer vegetable patties.
Even if we think children are not listening, we can talk to them about the value of healthy eating while cooking in the kitchen, and we can lead by example by following the same rules ourselves.
Food should never be used as a reward, nor should certain foods be demonized. All of us, young and old, can have days when we enjoy a friend’s birthday cake—but not every day.
What exactly is nutrition education for children and how important is it for weight management?
Nutrition education means teaching a child what a balanced plate looks like, how to recognize hunger and fullness, and how to make the right choices. If a child learns this from a young age, they will manage their weight better and have a healthy relationship with food throughout their life.
But what happens when children ask for junk food, chips, or cheese puffs? The answer is that we don’t need to demonize them. Absolute prohibition makes them more appealing. We can explain that they are “sometimes” foods and not for every day. At the same time, we can offer healthy alternatives such as homemade oven-baked chips, low-fat popcorn, or carrot sticks with yogurt dip.
Family meals are important not only for family bonding but also for a child’s weight. When we eat together, children tend to eat more balanced meals and in normal portions. If this is not possible every day, we can aim for it a few times during the week.
Nutritional needs by age group: what changes from kindergarten to adolescence
A child’s age determines their needs:
- Preschoolers (4–6 years): small, frequent meals with fruits, vegetables, dairy, whole grains, simple proteins. Priority is getting familiar with new foods.
- Primary school children (7–12 years): more protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables for steady energy and concentration. Breakfast is critical.
- Teenagers (13–18 years): increased needs for protein, calcium, and iron. Special attention is needed for girls regarding iron due to menstruation. Independence in food choices emerges, and nutrition education becomes crucial.
Snacks: what children can have after school or during sports activities
After school, many children go to sports or other activities and need a snack that will give them energy, boost their memory, and keep them full until the next meal.
The ideal snack is complete, with protein and fiber to help them stay full longer. Examples:
- Snack with nuts and fruit
- Homemade cereal or nut bars without added sugar
- Cookies with tahini or peanut butter
- Fruit combined with a bit of protein, e.g., apple with a few almonds, banana with peanut butter
- Whole grain toast with cheese/chicken
- Small vegetable skewers with cheese or ham
- Homemade pies with cheese and vegetables
It is important to avoid snacks high in sugar or soft drinks that provide only short-term energy followed by a drop in concentration. With these kinds of snacks, the child has enough energy for activities, stays focused, and feels full until the next meal.
What parents should keep in mind about their child’s nutrition
The most important thing for parents to remember about their child’s nutrition throughout the school year is that balance and simplicity matter more than perfection. We don’t need to prepare complicated lunchboxes or follow strict “standards” seen on social media. What matters is offering a variety of foods, seasonal fruits and vegetables, adequate protein and healthy fats, encouraging hydration with water, and involving children in meal preparation.
Their participation, creativity, the chance to choose between healthy alternatives, and gradual exposure to new tastes all build a positive relationship with food. In addition, balanced nutrition combined with appropriate snacks for activities, moderation with sweets, and good family communication at the table all contribute to a child’s health, focus, and growth.
Ultimately, the secret is to create a healthy, sustainable, and pleasant food environment where the child learns to eat properly, gains energy, and builds positive habits that will accompany them throughout their life.
Eleana Petropoulou, MSc, RDN
Mobile: +306937306621
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