Wake-Up Your Children to Breakfast
It’s the beginning of a new school year and, with that in mind,
it is a good time to familiarize children with daily breakfasts,
if they are not already used to eating breakfast. Recent surveys
have found that as many as 30% of 8 to 13 year old children do
not eat breakfast every day.
Why is breakfast so important? Breakfast is important for children because studies show that they perform higher scores on tests and have better concentration and muscle coordination when they have eaten a morning meal. They are also less likely to be late for school or class, miss classes, or report sick.
Children are also less likely to be overweight if they eat in the morning. Breakfast means to break-the-fast of night. It may have been 10 hours or more since your child ate when they get up for school. Breakfast fuels the body with important nutrients and energy to begin the day.
In our fast paced life it is important to be able to meet the demands of the day and eating breakfast is the way we can all help ourselves to perform to our best abilities. As parents, it is of utmost importance that we set an example. Parents can create a positive attitude toward breakfast by eating it daily and showing how much they enjoy the meal. It feeds the brain as well as the body. Do it for your children as well as yourself! If our children see us eat breakfast then they are also more likely to eat breakfast. Breakfast skippers may never be able to make up the 40+ nutrients needed each day.
There is no evidence to support the belief that you will gain weight because you ate breakfast. If you are concerned about this then eat on the lean side. Choose whole grain products, fruits, lean meat, and low fat dairy products. Go easy on higher fat breakfast foods such as bacon, sausage, hash browns, and biscuits with gravy.
Some suggestions for quick breakfasts are: Whole grain toast with a slice of low-fat cheese, tomato, heated; whole grain cereal such as Cheerios or Shredded Wheat, fruit and skim milk; tuna on whole grain toast with tomato; pancakes made ahead and frozen with fruit (this could be done with your child); oatmeal in the microwave, made with skim milk and add fruit; bagel, peanut butter, skim milk and banana; leftovers from last night=s dinner, hot or cold; low fat yogurt sprinkled with a crunchy whole wheat cereal and fruit; peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat toast, skim milk; low-fat cottage cheese mixed with fruit, toast; pita bread with egg salad (low fat mayonnaise), tomato and low fat milk; bran muffin, low fat yogurt topped with fruit; and breakfast shake or fruit smoothie (low fat milk, fresh or frozen fruit and a teaspoon of bran, mixed in the blender). You can elaborate on any of these ideas to suit your family’s tastes.