Keeping Your Child Healthy
Smart Breakfast Ideas for Children
Eating a good breakfast can sharpen a child's memory, boost
vocabulary skills, and improve school test scores. Children who
eat breakfast learn better, are more alert in school and
are more likely to participate in activities during the day.
Menu Tips
A healthy breakfast menu can be simple and easy to prepare.
Children who eat just one cup of whole-grain cereal with skim
milk and a glass of fruit juice take in many of the nutrients
they need for the day.
For the most balanced meal, make sure breakfast includes these
groups from the USDA Food Guide Pyramid:
Good food choices include yogurt, English muffins, an omelet with
vegetables, or whole-grain waffles. Some breakfast ideas that are
fun and still pack a hearty nutritious punch are:
- Fruit kabobs to dip in yogurt
- Peanut butter and jelly spread on a tortilla
- Cereal cookies
- Berry or banana milk shake
- Fruit-sweetened muffin
Easy-to-eat choices such as a granola bar of slice of reheated
pizza can still help children avoid skipping breakfast and keep
their energy levels up.
Getting Ready
If it's hard to get your children to eat anything on busy school
mornings, preparation is the answer.
- Get clothes ready and have homework finished the night before.
- Set the table the night before with plates, bowls, silverware
and food items that don't need to be refrigerated. In the
morning, add milk and fruit to cereal, or toast a slice of
wheat bread
for a quick and healthy breakfast.
- Have as many members of the family as possible sit at the
breakfast table together.
- Turn off the television or radio.
- Offer children a variety of healthy foods and let them choose.
- Don't
disucess anything upsetting at the table—keep conversation
positive.
Breakfast is a habit that may need to be learned slowly. The more
parents struggle with their children about a meal, the more determined
the children will be to do their own thing.
