Fit Fare

Serving a healthy breakfast can be a struggle. Nevertheless, the adage remains, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” for you as well as your family. In fact, those who eat their breakfast set the mood for their entire day.

For kids, this means better behavior and school performance. In fact, a 2005 study by the University of Florida showed that children who ate breakfast had better nutritional profiles than their peers who skipped breakfast. And that finding remained constant despite the perceived quality of each breakfast. These children also exhibited better memory, better test scores and better school attendance. Those skip breakfast tend to be more hyperactive and aggressive.

So, what is a complete breakfast? A complete breakfast consist of complex carbohydrates, protein, and little bit of fat. Really, it can be anything from a smoothie to cereal with orange juice. One caveat, avoid a breakfast that consists mainly of simple carbohydrates (i.e. sugar), as they tend to burn out before lunchtime.

Breakfast doesn’t have to be a catered event. Here are some suggestions to get your day started:

Make your oatmeal (or other hot cereals) with milk instead of water, adding raisins or any other dried fruit for an antioxidant and fiber boost.
Add fruit to your cold cereal.
Prepare a bagel with peanut butter and fruit preserves.
Cook your eggs with ham, cheese or leftover vegetables.
Think outside food norms. Serve last night’s leftovers for breakfast. It won’t hurt.

If preparing breakfast is a time issue, don’t ignore on-the-go breakfast foods. You can also prepare breakfast the night before. Or allow your child to eat at school. The government requires school lunches to meet at least 25 percent of your child’s daily dietary requirements.

Make breakfast an enjoyable family event. Draw faces on their toast. Allow your child to prepare their meal. Serve at least one enjoyable item. Invent a game. In other words, use your imagination and have fun.