Power Up with Breakfast

Do you want your children to do better in school? Do you want to feel better throughout the day? It may be as simple as eating breakfast in the morning. Studies show that both adults and children perform better after eating breakfast. In addition, children are better nourished overall when they eat breakfast each day.

Eating breakfast reduces the physical symptoms of stomach pain, headache, muscle tension and fatigue, all of which interfere with learning and work performance. Studies show that eating breakfast can help a student:

  • reduce tardiness, absenteeism and hyperactivity
  • improve attention in late-morning task performance
  • retrieve information more quickly and accurately
  • make fewer errors in problem-solving activities
  • earn higher mean math grades
  • improve psychosocial scores
  • improve concentration
  • perform more complex tasks
  • improve overall intake of fiber, vitamins and minerals
The most important nutrients for brain function are protein, fat, B vitamins, iron, choline and antioxidants. The best way to get these nutrients is by eating a variety of healthful foods every day. Getting all of the above nutrients is easy by using the USDA’s MyPyramid to plan meals. Eat whole grains for breakfast to provide energy throughout the morning.

Despite strong evidence showing the benefits of eating healthy, many of us make excuses. Do any of the following excuses sound familiar? Use our tips to overcome these excuses.

“We’re so rushed in the morning!”

Plan ahead and keep it simple to get off to a good start. Cook up a large pot of rolled oats or other hot cereal one morning. Refrigerate the leftovers, spoon into bowls (thin with water if too thick) and microwave the next morning. Hard-boil eggs and store in a bag in the refrigerator. They’re ready for a grab-and-go breakfast. No time to sit and eat? What’s easier than a banana, an apple, string cheese or a piece of toast? They are good to go when you need to fly out the door. Drink a glass of milk while dressing. You don’t have to eat breakfast food for breakfast. Any nutritious food will do. Here are some other ideas:
  • juice and whole-grain cereal (with little added sugar or caloric sweeteners)
  • toast with peanut butter and a piece of fruit
  • yogurt and a piece of fruit
  • a fruit smoothie made with yogurt
  • cooked whole-grain cereal, like oatmeal or cream of wheat

    • “I’m not hungry in the morning!”

    You or your children may not be ready to eat first thing in the morning, but the body needs some nourishment and energy to get through until lunch. A mid-morning snack can be as helpful as breakfast. Carry a snack that can be eaten quickly between classes or meetings such as a piece of fruit or toast, a granola bar (with a lower sugar content), a graham cracker spread with peanut butter, a handful of raisins or a bunch of grapes.

    “I’m saving calories!”

    Research shows that breakfast skippers eat more calories by the end of the day than if they had eaten breakfast. They tend to get so ravenously hungry that they overeat later in the day.

    “I’ll just take a vitamin supplement.”

    A vitamin supplement will not take the place of eating whole foods. To encourage children to eat breakfast, let them help plan their morning fare and set an example by eating with them. Make it a family affair.

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