With testing season upon us, a healthy breakfast is more important than ever. Studies have shown that eating a breakfast with the right amount of protein, carbohydrate and fiber gives you energy, but also improves learning, memory and performance on tests. It also gives you a jump start on getting all the nutrients you need each day.
Keep in mind that all breakfasts are not created equal! WebMD has a list of their 5 golden rules for a healthy breakfast. I shared this in September but to insure all our Brooksiders are off to a good start on testing days, I have shared them again below.
- Include 5 GM of fiber. Fiber helps fill you up longer and it lessens the effects of sugar. Kids should have 10-15 gm fiber in their daily diet so start with the first meal of the day. Read the labels of your child’s favorite cereal and choose the ones with more fiber. Compare bread: 100% whole wheat has 3gm fiber vs white with 1/2 gm.
- Serve Breakfast friendly fruits. They add fiber and lots of vitamins. 1 apple or pear provides 4.2 gm fiber, berries 5gm, a banana or applesauce 3gm.
- Push the protein. Protein helps stabilize the rush of sugar into the bloodstream and hels stave off hunger. Aim for 5gm of protein by adding ½ cup milk to cereal(low fat for children over the age of 2 years). Or scramble an egg. One egg has over 6gm of protein.
- Avoid high sugar, high fat meals. Sugary breakfasts only serve to cause a quick high spike in blood sugar when then drops below normal blood sugar levels in a couple of hours leaving kids tired and less able to focus. While a waffle with peanut butter provides 25gm carbohydrates, 3.5gm sugar and 9gm protein, the same waffle with ¼ cup syrup offers 90gm carbohydrates, 25gm sugar and only 2gm protein.
- Prepare. Making whole wheat pancakes on Sunday? Make extra and freeze. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time for a healthy breakfast on the go. For those days you are running late, keep a stash of healthy breakfast bars, fruit and nuts for kids to grab and eat on the run.
Who knows, maybe healthier breakfast can be part of our mornings even when testing is over.
Paula O’Hara RN, CSN
Brookside Place School
Cranford, NJ
