Fall Health and Wellness 2022

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We spoke with the Houston County Board of Education’s very own Director of School Nutrition Meredith Potter for the details. Potter is a registered dietician and is entering her 14th year of school nutrition. She said she has found her home in what she does. “A healthy diet for kids of any age just requires balance,” Potter said. “Certainly, that’s difficult sometimes, to get kids to eat different foods. “Introducing food that may not be as common to the kids, along with food they’re comfortable with, can increase the chance they’ll try something new. Also, we’ve found that when other kids choose something in the lunch line, their friends are more likely to try something new, too. Sometimes it’s easier for kids to select new and different foods at school than it may be at home, because they have their friends around them who may be trying it.” Difficulty aside, Potter cites the USDA’s MyPlate, calling it “the model for anyone’s diet.” It includes grains, dairy, proteins, fruits and vegetables. “Lean meats — chicken, ham — along with the fresh green beans we have today, and a side of fruit, paired with milk and a whole grain roll,” Potter said. “That would be an example of something that would be a great option for kids.” Children, and even adults for that matter, aiming for a balance among these food groups will find themselves eating a healthier diet. For many children, two of their three meals during a school year come from the school itself. Potter said they are on the job to serve 30,000 meals a day, and all of them are made to provide health and nutrition to the children in their care, offering hot meals, salads and a variety of fruits and veggies. 28
“Our main job as school nutrition, and as a part of the educational system, is to support students,” Potter said. “Our main job is to make sure breakfast and lunch are an exciting and enjoyable time of the day. We want to make sure when kids report to school in the morning and during the day, they have the nutrition they need to be ready to learn.” Incorporating a healthy balance of these foods is not always easy. Aside from the time and money it takes to prepare some things, there is the added challenge that maybe a child does not want to try a specific food, or maybe they did try it but did not enjoy it. Potter suggests getting creative, finding new recipes via Google or Pinterest and maybe preparing the food differently next time around. “I think that it’s important to know, if [you] try a different fruit or vegetable and the child is not receptive to it the first time, don’t give up, try again,” Potter said. “It’s also a good point to try preparing it in a different way. If you try carrots and the child doesn’t love them, maybe cooked carrots would be a different option. Some kids are more geared to like the fresh vegetables, and others are geared to like the cooked and prepared vegetables.” Maintaining a healthy balance can be difficult — but it’s not impossible. For more information on what foods to look out for, how to set balance, and even next steps, visit www.myplate.gov, or download the MyPlate app via your app store. 29
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Fall Health and Wellness 2022

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