It is important to watch what a child is eating during the summer to ensure their bodies are being fueled correctly. Summer’s warm, sunny weather is a time where kids are out playing in the heat all day, which makes what they are eating and drinking even more important.
Without daily school lunches during the summer, some kids might not be getting the nutrients they need. So, during the summer, the Westerville Area Resource Ministry (WARM) works to fill this need through its Kids Lunch Club (KLC) program which provides daily nutritious lunches to kids across Westerville.
Kids Lunch Club
The Westerville Area Resource Ministry (WARM) recognizes the importance of providing children with nutritious meals. During the summer, WARM offers the Kids Lunch Club (KLC) program which provides daily nutritious lunches to kids across Westerville, working closely with Mid-Ohio Food Collective to help create these nutritious warm meals.
Delaney Stephens, child nutrition coordinator at WARM, collaborates with Sha-Wana Pressley, director of prepared foods at Mid-Ohio Food Collective, to help plan meals for children throughout the summer.
When preparing lunches for the KLC program, Pressley follows USDA’s guidelines for child nutrition. These guidelines state that each meal should contain a fruit, a vegetable, meat or meat alternative, a whole grain item and a milk.
“(We know) just just how important (nutrition) really is, especially for youth. I don’t think we always think about how much emphasis food puts on how well they (children) learn,” says Stephens.
Nutritious meals
Although the main focus of preparing these meals for children is making sure each meal meets the nutritional guidelines, Pressley emphasizes the importance of making meals visually appealing and familiar to children.
“Kids eat with their eyes first,” says Pressley. “How do we make this meal appealing to them?”
By incorporating fan-favorite items, such as chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese, and gradually introducing healthier options like brown rice or green beans, children are more likely to try new things, as well as enjoy their meals.
“For us, it is understanding the nutritional guidelines, but at the same time understanding that if the kids don’t eat it, then they aren’t getting the nutrition,” says Pressley.
Mid-Ohio Food Collective accommodates dietary restrictions to make ensure that children don’t feel left out. For example, vegetarian meatballs are offered along with meat when they serve spaghetti and meatballs, and gluten-free buns are available on burger days.
Although cold meals might seem like a refreshing choice during the summer, Pressley and Mid-Ohio have noticed that children tend to consume more when meals are hot.
Hydration is just as important in the summer months. Researchers recommend children consume roughly four to eight cups of water daily, depending on their age.
Besides the water jugs WARM provides at each KLC site, the group also works to include hydrating water-rich fruits and vegetables in their children’s meals as one way to help children stay hydrated.
Summer slide
Although food fuels the brain, getting up and moving around is just as important. Over the summer, when kids are not in school, they can experience what is known as the summer slide which is the loss of the academia learned in the previous school year. One way to combat this is by keeping kids up and active, which can have a positive impact on a child's ability to perform in the next school year.
“It’s actually proven that when kids engage in some sort of recreational activity, like what we offer at our sites, that they are more likely to retain the information that they had learned in that school year moving into their next school year,” says Stephens.
At the different KLC sites across Westerville, there are always items for children to play with such as soccer balls and basketballs. Stephens also plans crafts and other activities throughout the summer.
WARM also has special guests from local establishments such as the Westerville Public Library, who comes and provides crafts and books.
On Fridays, the KLC sites have weekend goodie bags available, which include two breakfasts, two lunches and a few snacks.
Quick & and Easy Nutritious Snacks:
- Fruit like such as mandarin oranges
- String cheese and crackers
- Homemade frozen yogurt
- Trail mix
- Nut butter and apple or celery
- Frozen grapes
2024 KLC Impact Report
45,081 total meals served
11 sites
301 children served each day on average
14,915 weekend meals distributed
15,656 hot lunches served
5,549 lbs. of produce distributed
Korrigan Craddock is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
