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Experts: Food Is The Secret To Back-To-School Success

September 10, 2018 / 5:58 PM EDT / CBS New York

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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – As kids head back to school, many parents are searching for things to help them have a successful year. Some doctors say the tools that help the most are already in your house.

Backpacks, notebooks, pens, and pencils. Those are the back to school tools most people think of when it comes to getting kids ready for the school year.

When it comes to academic success however, some experts say what children put in their bodies is far more important than what they put in their book bags. Breakfast provides a huge brain boost, as long as it's not loaded with processed sugar.

"There should be a protein and complex carbohydrates are fine. A great breakfast would be eggs, hard cheese with a fruit. Something like oatmeal or other whole grain cereals," Dr. Laura Popper said.

Doctors say it's crucial for kids to get hydrated before they start the school day and stay hydrated throughout.

"One of the really important things about hydrating is that you then produce urine which gets rid of toxins in your body," the associate professor of clinical pediatrics at Mt. Sinai told CBS2's Elise Finch.

It might be a challenge just trying to get your child out of bed each morning, but if you can get them to do some exercise once they finally wake up, research shows it has a huge positive impact.

"Data show that 15 minutes of exercise actually makes a kid retain more knowledge for five to six hours," author and physician Dr. David Agus said.

At the end of each day, make sure your child has some downtime. Homework is important but doctors say getting away from the day's lessons actually helps the information sink in.

Parents are encouraged to have their kids go for a walk, read a book, or even watch a little television. It will help them perform better the next day. Another sweet trick - pack your child a square of chocolate on days they have to take a test. If they eat it right before the exam, the small amount of caffeine will improve their focus and help improve test scores.