Breakfast for Back to School
With September rolling in, the lazy days of summer are now being replaced with back-to-school routine and perhaps a bit of morning chaos. Mornings can be hectic, but it’s important to fit in breakfast.
The importance of breakfast
Breakfast provides us with nutrients and energy after a night of fasting.
A nourished body is like a well running vehicle that lets us do our daily activities. Eating breakfast refuels the tank at the start of the day so we can get moving. Nourishing our body also helps to prevent breakdowns by protecting us against infections and chronic diseases such as diabetes.
A nourished mind supports our mood, attention, and memory. We tend to get tired and irritable when our fuel is low. Breakfast gives our brain the boost it needs after a night of sleeping.
Students who eat breakfast do better in school.
What a balanced breakfast looks like
A balanced meal such as breakfast includes a whole grain, protein food, and a vegetable or fruit.
Include a vegetable or fruit at each meal and snack instead of juice. Juice, even if it’s 100% juice, is no longer considered a vegetable and fruit serving according to the Canada’s Food Guide because of the high sugar content and lack of nutrients such as fiber.
An example of a balanced breakfast is cottage cheese, homemade carrot muffin, and sliced orange.
Things to consider for ages and stages
Toddlers:
It’s normal for toddlers’ eating to be quirky, erratic, picky, and messy.
Toddlers are learning how to eat and to be independent at the same time, which can be challenging at mealtimes. The key here for parents and caregivers is patience.
Elementary school age:
Children at this age have one foot at home and one foot out the door. They’re connected to home but they are starting to focus more on the outside world and friends.
It’s important to stick to consistent meal and snack times. Children thrive with structure. Avoid offering food and drinks (except water) between meals and snacks.
Middle and high school age:
Changes to sleep patterns are a normal part of adolescence. They naturally turn into night owls and want to sleep later in the morning. So, it’s not surprising that they may rather sleep in instead of waking up earlier to eat breakfast.
Have grab and go breakfast options on hand such as single serving yogurt, cheese strings, and fresh fruit. A peanut butter and banana sandwich with whole grain bread makes a tasty and fast meal on the go.
Breakfast foods to choose when shopping
There are so many choices at the grocery store and it can be confusing what is actually nutritious.
The ingredient list on food and drink packages is listed from most to least by weight. If sugar is listed first, the product will be high in sugar.
Health Canada has put into place a new front of package nutrition symbol that makes it easier for consumers to quickly identify if a product is high in sugar, sodium, and/or saturated fat. The symbol is black and white with a magnifying glass and Health Canada on the bottom.
How parents and caregivers can be sure that children are getting enough for breakfast, especially for “picky” eaters.
The division of responsibility, coined by Ellyn Satter, Registered Dietitian and Family Therapist, states that it’s the parent’s or caregiver’s role to decide what, when, and where to feed children. It’s the child’s role to decide how much and whether to eat the foods offered to them.
A child’s appetite changes from day to day, especially during lulls in growth and growth spurts. This philosophy puts trust in children that they will eat as much or as little as they need.
Create a pleasant eating environment with no pressure to eat such as making children take an extra bite or finish everything on their plate. When eating is forced, that’s when nutrition suffers.
Limit distractions at mealtimes. Put away toys and turn off screens.
Ideas on how to make a balanced breakfast
Try adding nutritious ingredients to your favourite recipes and meals that you are already eating.
Add:
- Apples and cinnamon to oatmeal
- Greek yogurt and berries to pancake mix to covert a regular pancake into a power pancake
- Vegetables such as spinach and carrots or no added salt canned white beans to a morning smoothie
- Chopped vegetables and avocado to scrambled eggs
All nutritious foods can be part of a balanced breakfast, not just traditional breakfast items. Have a piece of fruit with leftovers such as pizza. Create a breakfast bowl with brown rice or quinoa, tofu, and vegetables.
Planning is a main ingredient
A main ingredient to creating an enjoyable, relaxed family mealtime experience is planning.
Boil a batch of eggs to eat for a few days. Yogurt parfaits and overnight oats can be made the night before. Whole grain pancakes, breakfast burritos, egg muffins, and granola bars can be made ahead of time and frozen for a quick breakfast.
Involving children in the planning, preparation, and cooking of family meals gives them the food skills later in life when they’re on their own.
Vaness Hamilton, RD/Healthy Living Facilitator
Health Promotion and Community Development, Prairie Mountain Health