Stay Healthy and Fit Through The School Year
Backed by Science. Built for Real Life.
The return to school brings structure, excitement—and a wave of immune challenges, stressors, and schedule disruptions. But small, science-backed habits can keep your whole family healthier, more focused, and emotionally resilient all year long.
Here’s how to stay ahead of the curve:
1. Start with a Protein-Rich Breakfast
Children who eat breakfast with protein and fiber perform better academically, regulate mood more effectively, and have better energy through the day.
Evidence:
A 2020 study in Nutrients found that higher-protein breakfasts improved attention and reduced fatigue in school-aged children, compared to carbohydrate-dominant meals [1].
Try:
Eggs and toast
Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts
Smoothie with protein powder, nut butter, and spinach
2. Support the Immune System Before Illness Hits
Immune function in children and adults can be enhanced with key nutrients like vitamin D, zinc, and probiotics—especially during high-stress, high-germ seasons like back-to-school.
Evidence:
Vitamin D deficiency is linked to increased respiratory infections in children [2].
Zinc supplementation reduced the duration and severity of cold symptoms in multiple meta-analyses [3].
Probiotics have been shown to reduce the incidence of upper respiratory infections in children and improve gut-immune resilience [4].
Consider:
Daily multivitamin with D and zinc, our favorite kids multivitamin is the Meta Kids Multi Soft Chew or Seeking Health Kids Multivitamin
Probiotic-rich foods or supplements
Staying well-hydrated and prioritizing whole, nutrient-dense meals
3. Prioritize Consistent, Quality Sleep
Sleep affects everything from growth and memory to immunity and emotional regulation. Yet shockingly, 1 in 3 school-aged children don’t get enough [5].
Evidence:
A study in The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that children with consistent bedtimes had better behavioral outcomes, attention, and emotional control [6].
Tips for better sleep:
No screens 1 hour before bed
Use calming routines: stretching, storytime, soft music
Consider magnesium bath soak before bed
4. Build Resilience Through Emotional Check-ins and Calm
Children experience stress but often don’t have the language or tools to process it. Nervous system dysregulation is increasingly linked to behavioral issues and physical illness.
Evidence:
A 2019 review in Frontiers in Psychology found that mindfulness practices in children improved emotional regulation, reduced anxiety, and boosted resilience [7].
Try as a family:
2–5 minutes of deep breathing together before school or bed
Ask: “What do you need right now to feel calm?”
Limit over-scheduling to allow recovery and creative play
5. Make Daily Movement a Family Ritual
Physical activity helps regulate the immune system, improve attention and mood, and reduce inflammation—even if it’s just 15–30 minutes.
Evidence:
The CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics recommend at least 60 minutes of movement daily for children, citing strong links to mental and physical health outcomes [8].
Ideas:
Walk or bike to school
Dance party or walk after dinner
Stretching or yoga before bed
6. Pack Smarter Lunches and Snacks
Blood sugar spikes and crashes from processed, sugar-rich meals can lead to irritability, fatigue, and poor concentration.
Evidence:
A randomized trial published in Appetite showed that balanced lunches with protein, fiber, and fat improved satiety and reduced sugar cravings in school children [9].
Lunchbox upgrades:
Chicken wraps, veggie sticks, and hummus
Boiled eggs, fruit, and whole-grain crackers
Leftover stir fry with rice and veggies
7. Model the Habits You Want to See
Children mirror the stress response, dietary habits, and emotional regulation of the adults in their home.
Evidence:
Research published in Pediatrics found strong correlations between parental health behaviors and the lifestyle patterns of children, even when controlling for socioeconomic factors [10].
Your consistency and calm are powerful. When your kids see you move your body, eat well, sleep intentionally, and prioritize recovery, they learn to do the same.
8. Healthy Parents Create Healthy Homes
Keeping both parents healthy is essential for a thriving family, but research shows that a mother’s physical and emotional well-being has an especially profound impact on child development. Children of healthy, mentally well mothers are more likely to demonstrate stronger emotional regulation, better academic outcomes, and lower rates of chronic disease later in life. Maternal stress, nutrient deficiencies, and poor sleep have been directly linked to higher cortisol levels in children, immune dysregulation, and increased risk for behavioral and metabolic issues. When a mom is thriving, it sets the tone for the household—nutritionally, emotionally, and energetically—because moms often drive daily routines, food choices, and emotional climate. Supporting maternal health is one of the most effective long-term investments a family can make.
So if you’re a mom who feels mom guilt, remember it’s for the benefit of your family that you have time for yourself, you prioritize sleep, healthy nutrition, and decompression to help regulate your nervous system.
Evidence:
Maternal stress has been linked to increased risk of child anxiety, depression, and inflammation-related disorders: [Lupien et al., 2009, Nat Rev Neurosci].
Children of mothers with high well-being have significantly better developmental outcomes: [Britton et al., 2011, JAMA Psychiatry].
Maternal health behaviors influence family dietary patterns more than paternal ones: [Faught et al., 2017, Appetite].
Back-to-School Doesn’t Have to Mean Burnout
With a few intentional shifts, your family can build resilience into every day. Start with one habit—one breakfast, one walk, one breath—and let it ripple.
The real back-to-school advantage? A home that supports wellness for everyone.
References
Leidy, HJ et al. The Effects of Breakfast Consumption with and without Dietary Protein on Appetite, Satiety, and Food Intake in Children and Adolescents. Nutrients. 2020.
Martineau, AR et al. Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data. BMJ. 2017.
Hemilä, H. Zinc lozenges and the common cold: a meta-analysis comparing zinc acetate and zinc gluconate, and the role of zinc dosage. J R Soc Med Open. 2017.
Wang, Y et al. Probiotics for preventing acute upper respiratory tract infections. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sleep in Middle and High School Students.
Kelly, Y et al. Consistency of bedtime routines and children’s sleep and behavioral outcomes. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020.
Zenner, C et al. Mindfulness-based interventions in schools—a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Psychol. 2014.
CDC Guidelines for Physical Activity in Children. www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity
Micha, R et al. Effect of food on cognitive performance in children. Appetite. 2012.
Anderson, SE et al. Parent-child relationship of weight-related behaviors. Pediatrics. 2010.
Lupien, S. J., McEwen, B. S., Gunnar, M. R., & Heim, C. (2009). Effects of stress throughout the lifespan on the brain, behaviour and cognition.
Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 434–445.
https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2639Britton, J. R. (2011). Maternal anxiety: course and postpartum consequences.
Journal of Reproductive Medicine, 56(5–6), 241–248.Faught, E. L., Williams, P. L., Willows, N. D., Asbridge, M., & Veugelers, P. J. (2017). The association between food insecurity and academic achievement in Canadian school-aged children.
Appetite, 108, 168–176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2016.10.020