Chocolates, chips, nachos, sodas, and fries were all types of junk food I regularly ate as a kid. My parents always emphasized the need for eating healthy foods, or at least non-junk foods, but I never listened.

Children grow up on junk food and in some ways, eating junk food is an integral component of the childhood experience.

While it may not be hard to believe that malnutrition can negatively affect academic performances of children, poor nutrition can also have the same effect.

According to the CDC, students who participate in the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) School Breakfast Program (SBP), see an increase in academic grades, standardized test scores, school attendance, and cognitive performance. Additionally, inadequate consumption of fruits, vegetables, and dairy products are associated with lower grades among students.

My passion for serving children led me to Just For Kidz and out of the many great programs we have, Stack the Snacks is one of the programs that personally resonates with me. It may be a while until youth food insecurity is completely resolved, but working at Just For Kidz provides me the chance to create an impact on children’s lives immediately and inspires me and kids across the country to create change in our communities.

Read the full article about kids eating healthy and academic performance by Sumair Bhimani at Medium.