Remember to Have a Healthy Breakfast

The days are slowly becoming shorter, the temperatures are falling and our children are back at school.

With school underway, parents’ thoughts turn toward bus schedules, homework and report cards. Give your child an extra edge for better grades by helping them start their day with a nutritious breakfast.

There are many benefits to be had by eating breakfast. This very important meal can provide up to 25 percent of the recommended daily allowance for key nutrients, such as calcium, protein, vitamins A and B6, magnesium, iron and zinc.

Eating breakfast helps children perform better in school. This first meal of the day can improve attention, memory and cognitive function. Children who eat breakfast make fewer mistakes and work faster in math and number checking tests. They perform better in vocabulary and handle frustration better. School breakfast programs can lower absence and tardiness rates and improve standardized test scores. Adolescents who eat breakfast tend to have a lower body mass index.
Hectic time of day

The challenge with breakfast is it falls at a very hectic time in the day. Parents are trying to get ready for work while also getting the children up and out the door to catch the bus. This frenzy is coupled with the last-minute drama of “I can’t find my shoes” and “Where’s the library book?”

With this in mind, keep breakfast simple and plan ahead: prepare as much as possible the night before.

Breakfast should include foods from several food groups to provide the most benefit to children, both educationally and physically. You want to balance protein, carbohydrates and fat. This balance will prevent a drop in blood sugar for several hours. A drop in blood sugar can mean a decline in energy and symptoms of hunger that will distract your child from learning.

The following are some fast breakfast ideas that will help you and your child start the day off right.

* Whole grain cereal with 1 percent milk

* 100 percent whole wheat bread or English muffin with peanut butter and a piece of fruit

* Hard-boiled egg with a small bagel

* 6-8 ounces of low-fat yogurt with fresh or frozen blueberries and a 1⁄4 cup of granola

* 1-2 whole grain frozen waffles, toasted with peanut butter and sliced bananas with honey drizzled on top

* Oatmeal (made with milk) with sliced strawberries and a tablespoon of sliced almonds

* Yogurt and fruit smoothie

* On the fly: Carnation Instant Breakfast made with skim or 1 percent milk and a piece of fruit

* String cheese with a piece of fruit

* Toasted whole grain English muffin with sliced tomato and a slice of cheese melted on top