"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art."

That’s exactly what we need to teach children even more strongly after the world has experienced the pandemic times of COVID-19. As the significance of nutrition education is felt even more around the world, the need to stipulate ‘healthy eating for a healthy future’, in children from early childhood has become a pressing priority.

Nutrition is the key element for overall healthy development of children. In today’s crucial times of Covid -19, schools around the world have carved out Nutrition Education programs for children right from elementary level, as awareness of health risks, eating habits and behaviour are formed at a young age.

To incorporate nutrition education as an important part of children’s curriculum, schools around the world are educating children about the whole food system, food chain through models like “farm-to-fork” or “farm-to-table”. These models and concepts help children know more about the whole journey from growing, cooking to eating. As they relate to food, cooking, healthy eating habits, science behind food, hygiene, safety as well as nutrition, their ability to make informed, healthy choice also increases and improves their knowledge of nutrition.

As there is a great correlation between adequate nutrition and improved academic performance, healthy eating habits should be inculcated in students. In this regard, schools around the world are trying to bring significant changes by introducing fruit-break and snack-break as a part of their school curriculum, thereby ensuring that fruits and veggies are an important part of students’ everyday diet. Schools with meal facilities are trying to provide a broad range of healthy eating options to students. In short, children are taught that “every time you eat is an opportunity to nourish your body”.

With more schools embracing the concept of Nutrition Education even more firmly after the pandemic of Covid-19, it is hoped to bring a healthy change in the quality of life of school going children, thereby raising a healthy generation.

A healthy kid is a happy kid and therefore to emphasize on overall mental and physical health of growing school children, educational strategies must include increasing health awareness, fostering healthy eating practices and encouraging regular physical activity as significant aspects of their education program in schools.

Nutrition Education is an education for life, a continuing process throughout life. Establishing healthy nutrition habits during childhood enriches the quality of life, especially after the world has experienced the pandemic of Covid-19, where some serious nutritional changes in our lifestyle have become the need of the hour. As said by Anne M. Mulcahy – “Investing in early childhood nutrition is a surefire strategy. The returns are incredibly high.”