March is National Nutrition Month – Let’s Talk Breakfast!
Why Bother…
Breakfast is a great way to give the body the refueling it needs. Kids who eat breakfast tend to eat healthier overall and are more likely to participate in physical activities — two great ways to help maintain a healthy weight. Skipping breakfast can make kids feel tired, restless, or irritable. In the morning, their bodies need to refuel for the day ahead after going without food for 8 to 12 hours during sleep. Their mood and energy can drop by midmorning if they don't eat at least a small morning meal. Breakfast kick-starts the body's metabolism, the process by which the body converts the fuel in food to energy. And when the metabolism gets moving, the body starts burning calories.
Breakfast Brain Power…
It's important for kids to have breakfast every day, but what they eat in the morning is crucial too. Choosing breakfast foods that are rich in whole grains, fiber, and protein while low in added sugar may boost kids' attention span, concentration, and memory — which they need to learn in school.
Kids who eat breakfast are more likely to get fiber, calcium, and other important nutrients. They also tend to keep their weight under control, have lower blood cholesterol levels and fewer absences from school, and make fewer trips to the school nurse with stomach complaints related to hunger.
Breakfast Ideas to Try…
The morning meal doesn't have to be all about traditional breakfast items. You can mix it up to include different foods, even the leftovers from last night's dinner, and still provide the nutrients and energy kids need for the day.
Try to serve a balanced breakfast that includes some carbohydrates, protein, and fiber. Carbs are a good source of immediate energy for the body. Energy from protein tends to kick in after the carbs are used up. Fiber, when combined with heathy drinks, helps move food through the digestive system, preventing constipation and lowering cholesterol.
Good sources of these nutrients include:
· carbohydrates: whole-grain cereals, brown rice, whole-grain breads and muffins, fruits, vegetables
· protein: low-fat or nonfat dairy products, lean meats, eggs, nuts (including nut butters), seeds, and cooked dried beans
· fiber: whole-grain breads, waffles, and cereals; brown rice, bran, and other grains; fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts
Here are some ideas for healthy breakfasts to try:
· whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk topped with fruit
· whole-grain waffles topped with peanut butter or ricotta cheese and fruit
· whole-wheat pita stuffed with sliced hard-cooked eggs
· hot cereal topped with nuts or fruit sprinkled with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, or cloves
· half a whole-grain bagel topped with peanut butter and fresh fruit (banana or apple wedges) and low-fat milk
· breakfast smoothie (low-fat milk or yogurt, fruit, and teaspoon of bran, whirled in a blender)
· vegetable omelet with whole-wheat toast
· bran muffin and berries
· sliced cucumbers and hummus in a whole-wheat pita
· lean turkey and tomato on a toasted English muffin
· heated leftover rice with chopped apples, nuts, and cinnamon
· low-fat cream cheese and fresh fruit, such as sliced strawberries, on whole-grain bread or half a whole-grain bagel
· shredded cheese on a whole-wheat tortilla, folded in half and microwaved for 20 seconds and topped with salsa
Setting an Example…
And don't forget how important your good example is. Let your kids see you making time to enjoy breakfast every day. Even if you just wash down some whole-wheat toast and a banana with a glass of juice or milk, you're showing how important it is to face the day only after refueling your brain and body with a healthy morning meal.
