4 Benefits of a Well-Balanced High School Lunch Box: An Advantage+ Guide

Written by Samantha Coppinger | Accredited Practising Sports Dietitian

9 February 2024

1. Improved Muscle-building and Recovery

Firstly, a well-balanced lunch box is paramount for increasing your child’s muscle production and recovery. Particularly, students who repeatedly engage in physical activities (i.e., PE classes or extra-curricular sports) throughout the school week. 

Proteins, packed with amino acids, are a crucial source for aiding this as they assist in the growth/repair of tissue and enhance energy required for your muscles to contract (Ace Fitness 2023). In addition, proteins provide several other benefits, including: 

• Breaking-down food.
• Supporting the digestive system. 
• Providing energy.
• Forming hormones and brain chemicals (neurotransmitters).
• Boosting your immune system. 

For big training days, we recommend packing your child’s lunchbox with chicken, boiled eggs (x2), cheese, and fava beans – all of which make an excellent salad! By incorporating protein-packed options into your child’s lunchbox, this can help increase their resilience, strength and prevent any injuries! 

2. Increased Energy Production

Fuelling up with the right lunchbox foods can also enhance your child’s energy required to tackle the demanding school day, perform in extracurricular activities, and socialise!

Foods packed with complex-carbohydrates including brown rice, crackers, muesli bars, fruit, and choc oat cookies, are excellent choices to increase your child’s energy-production as the carbohydrates provide a steady release of glucose to power their cells, tissue, and organs! Further, the delicious combination of fresh fruit and cookies also ensures a balanced intake of nutrients – further enhancing your child’s overall wellbeing!

Tip: Avoid simple carbohydrates (commonly found in sugary snacks) to prevent an energy-crash later in the day!

3. Reduced Health Risks

While your child’s lunchbox contents significantly impact their school performance, it also lays the foundation for their long-term health by preventing chronic health issues (i.e., cardiovascular disease and diabetes). A well-balanced lunchbox should incorporate healthy, nutrient-rich foods including:

• Fruits (i.e., grapes, ½ mango, mixed berries, avocado)
• Veggie sticks (carrot and cucumber).

These options are convenient, tasty, and most importantly, provide the essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help keep your children healthy and ward off future issues! 

4. Improved Cognitive Functioning & Learning

Lastly, a well-balanced lunchbox – packed with healthy hydration options, plays a vital role in improving your child’s cognitive functioning and their academic performance! 

Research identifies a significant link between hydration and the brain’s functioning, with dehydrated individuals recording poor-attention spans, lapses in concentration, and short-term memory (Chard et al. 2019). As such, it’s crucial to pack your child’s lunchbox with adequate hydration options, including:

• Water
• Diluted fruit juices.
• Advantage+ by PREPD.

This increased-hydration will help improve cognitive functioning, focus, concentration, and memory retention – allowing your child to absorb their lessons and succeed in the classroom and beyond! 

Advantage+ by PREPD: The Perfect Liquid Snack!

Advantage+ by PREPD is the BEST snack for helping your child perform well! Incorporating educational insights and cutting-edge scientific techniques, our product harnesses the power of sustained fibre, an ingredient innovatively pioneered by PREPD, to:

• Optimise hydration
• Improve mental focus (with B12)
• Optimise gut health! 

Advantage+ is as a ready-to-consume, low sugar liquid breakfast formulated to mesh seamlessly with your child's school routine, so they can learn and excel during their school day!  

Final Thoughts

To conclude, a well-balanced lunchbox is not just a meal; it's a potent tool for enhancing student performance and health. By incorporating proteins, complex carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, and hydration options, parents can provide their children with the nutrients they need to thrive physically, mentally, and academically.

Want to start your child's school day off strong? Try Advantage+ today at: https://advantageplusdrink.com/