Healthy Kids

IMPORTANT BREAKFAST MEAL & KIDS HEALTH

Before the morning school bell rings, and kids race out the door, make sure your youngsters get a healthful breakfast. Breakfast need not be a big production, but it should be tasty and packed with nutrients to fuel those growing minds and bodies. Start the morning off right by giving your kids breakfast.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BREAKFAST

• Research shows kids who eat breakfast perform better on tests, have increased concentration and achieve higher in their academics. • Breakfast provides them with energy to power through their busy morning. • First-in-the-day fuel helps meet growing kids’ overall nutrition needs. • Breakfast can be a great opportunity to talk and communicate as a family. • When you provide breakfast, you model lifelong healthful eating habits.

PROBLEM: No Appetite SOLUTIONS: • Serve a simple glass of milk or 100 percent fruit juice. • Offer a piece of fruit. • Pack a midmorning breakfast snack like oatmeal muffins, trail mix or banana

COMMON BREAKFAST ISSUES

PROBLEM: No Time SOLUTIONS: • Set alarm clock 10 minutes earlier. • The night before, ask what your kids want in the morning. • Do your prep the night before. Lay out bowls, plates and glasses and set out nonperishables. PROBLEM: Budget SOLUTIONS: • Many schools offer the USDA’s School

Breakfast Program, which serves a whole breakfast meal to kids. Check it out by talking to your school’s personnel to see whether your family is eligible. • Buy items in bulk, such as whole grain cereal. • Instead of buying pricey prepackaged items, prepare homemade options and freeze single servings ahead of time.

MAIN COMPONENTS OF A HEALTHFUL BREAKFAST

WHOLE GRAINS: Provide complex carbohydrates that translate to longlasting energy. They also offer fiber, helpful for digestion. Lastly, whole grains are a good source of B vitamins, which help convert food into energy. EXAMPLES: Whole grain cereal, whole grain bread, whole wheat pancakes, whole wheat waffles, oats PROTEIN: This macronutrient is the main source for growth and tissues. Protein is also helpful in satiety. EXAMPLES: Eggs, pork (ham, sausage, etc.), poultry (turkey, chicken), beans, nuts, seeds and nut butter, seafood, tofu, dairy (milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.) FRUIT & VEGETABLES: These nutritious rock stars offer a variety of vitamins and minerals, plus antioxidants. EXAMPLES: Apples, bananas, berries, kiwi, oranges, bell peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, corn

By integrating breakfast into your kids’ daily life, you are giving them their proper fuel and nutrition—and a lifelong healthy habit.

Amy Hundley is a registered dietitian, licensed in both Kansas and Missouri. She is also a published freelance nutrition writer. She is currently practicing as a clinical RD and writer. Amy has been a resident of Olathe since early childhood.