Apple slices, grapes, dark chocolate, and a hard-boiled egg – these were just a few examples of healthy snacks that ACS elementary and middle school students learned about during a presentation May 4 by a wellness specialist from the AtlantiCare Healthy Children, Healthy Schools program.
Some 80 students in the 2nd, 3rd, and 8th grades and their teachers attended the presentation by AtlantiCare’s Missy Stoeckle to better understand the importance of choosing healthy snacks as part of their daily diet. Stoeckle described the best snacks to eat when students are involved in different activities, such as hiking, relaxing at the beach, going to the movies, or playing a game of soccer. “You need to be sure you have the fuel you need so you don’t crash when you need energy, like when you’re playing a game of soccer,” Stoeckle said. She advised that dark chocolate packed in a backpack on a hike is healthier than milk chocolate and to limit the butter when you snack on popcorn at the movies.
After her 30-minute presentation held in the Multi-Purpose Room, Stoeckle met for an extended Q&A session with the 8th grade students and responded to a variety of health and wellness questions. One student asked – how many meals should you eat in a day? Stoeckle recommended eating 5 times a day — three meals and two snack periods in between.
Another 8th grader asked if there was one brand of water that was better than another. Stoeckle did not recommend one type of water over another, but instead focused on the amount of water a person should drink daily – recommending a gallon a day. The final question another student asked was – Are protein shakes good for you? — and Stoeckle recommended carefully reading the ingredients in a protein shake to make sure that the first ingredient is not sugar or a substance you do not recognize.
Stoeckle concluded her presentation by offering the 8th grade students the opportunity to reach out to her individually by email with any additional health and wellness questions they might have.
