Can a smarter diet full of fresh vegetables help get your mind ready for the next class, test, or study session? With kids and young adults going back to school, we’re exploring how being a bit more mindful about our eating habits can help improve focus, memory, creativity and more in the classroom!

With kids going back to school and young adults heading off to college, a lot of people are talking about how your diet can impact focus, creativity and overall mental performance. There are a lot of myths out there about brain boosting foods, but scientists, nutritionists, and dieticians all agree that a diet rich in fresh vegetables is a smart choice if you want to perform well in school or at work.

In 2021, it’s easier than ever to find fresh and delicious veggies to enjoy throughout the school year. There are the dinner table staples like Tomatoes on-the-Vine and Long English Cucumbers, but also a long list of snacking veggies for students of all ages to take to class or keep at their desk while studying at home.

Each fresh vegetable contains its own unique mix of essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. By ensuring your diet has a good balance of these macro and micronutrients, you’ll set yourself up for success!

Of course, what you eat won’t make you Einstein overnight and it won’t make studying fun, but it will give your brain everything it needs to function at peak performance, which can improve focus, memory and even creativity.

One of the best ways to make sure you get a great balance of all those brain boosting nutrients every day is to change your snacking habits. Replace the occasional processed snack with whole foods like Uno Bites™ Nano Cucumbers, a tiny, crunchy cucumber you can eat on-the-go.

Uno Bites™ are over 95% water and offer a boost of hydration. Studies show that proper hydration can help kids with maintaining focus, memory, and multitasking.

Combine that hydrating freshness with the Vitamin C boost of Aurora Bites Mini Sweet Peppers and lycopene in Cloud 9® Bite-Sized Fruity Tomatoes and you have yourself the perfect study snack to share with friends while working on a group project.

Don’t hit the books just yet! When it comes to eating smarter, the “how” is almost as important as the “what.”

Eating more mindfully has been shown to improve overall mental well-being and benefit people in many ways that can help them in school. For example, a study published in the journal Foods in February 2021 suggests that mindful eating could improve creativity by asking you to reflect on the tastes, smells, textures and other sensations experienced while eating.

To get the most benefit from your healthy diet, it’s important to be mindful and take the time to enjoy the eating experience. At dinner time, share with everyone at the table the flavors you notice in each dish. Most importantly, show appreciation to the person who made the meal because gratitude can go a long way in improving your own mental well-being!

Next time you reach for a study snack, think about choosing a smarter food like healthy greenhouse grown vegetables. Your mind will thank you and the results just might show up on your report card!

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