Count on Breakfast in the Morning

Data from the Centers for Disease Control reveals that one in five American adults skip breakfast, or about 20% of the adult population. Not surprising, the same holds true with children because many will do what their parents do. As children move into their teen years, more become breakfast skippers, with just 73% eating something first thing in the morning. Kids of all ages need to start the day off on the right nutritional foot with a good breakfast. Missing this important meal means they will miss keep growth nutrients such as protein, calcium, vitamin C, as well as fiber.

The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that when children eat breakfast in the morning they experience:

• Better memory retention
• Better test scores
• Healthier body weight
• Improved nutrient intake by day's end

According to the National Health and Examination Survey the most commonly eaten breakfast foods in American are high-sugar cereal with milk. But at ages two to five, only 60% drink milk at breakfast, and that drops to 30% drinking milk between the ages of 12 to 19. That is a fair amount of calcium and protein that will need to be made up later in the day at the other two meals.

Ohio State University researchers note that routine breakfast skippers also disrupt their overall daily nutrient intake. By the end of the day they have an excess intake of carbohydrates, added sugars and saturated fats, and a low intake of fiber.

Unless you have a good fairy around, breakfast will not magically happen. But with a little planning it can be a routine activity in the morning. Set the table the night before. Get up a bit earlier with food offerings in mind. You will want to provide protein, starch, vegetable and/or fruit as well as a beverage such as milk for a nourishing start to the day.

Try different breakfast offerings. Sandwiches, egg and cheese tortillas, leftover pizza and fruit, yogurt, and frozen fruits and vegetables blended into smoothies or cheese and crackers might be more interesting than cereal with milk. On the weekend you might make ahead hearty whole-grain muffins, cook up hard boiled eggs, bake off veggie muffin cups, and pre-make French toast that can be popped into the toaster to ease the morning time-crunch. 

__

About the Author

Rita Smith is a registered dietitian and has been working in the field of nutrition and disease prevention for more than 35 years and where she worked at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville, Va. Each week, Rita provided nutrition counseling to clients who have a variety of disorders or diseases, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, gastroparesis and weight management. For these clients, food choices can help them manage their health problems.