Breakfast is the most important meal for kids

Staff Reporter

New Delhi,May 22, 2017 : Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Breakfast is a great way to give the body the refueling it needs. Kids who eat breakfast tend to eat healthier overall and are more likely to participate in physical activities — two great ways to help maintain a healthy weight.

Skipping breakfast can make kids feel tired, restless, or irritable. In the morning, their bodies need to refuel for the day ahead after going without food for 8 to 12 hours during sleep. Their mood and energy can drop by mid-morning if they don’t eat at least a small morning meal.

Breakfast also can help keep kids weight in check.Breakfast kick-starts the body’s metabolism, the process by which the body converts the fuel in food to energy. And when the metabolism gets moving, the body starts burning calories.

Also, kids who don’t eat breakfast often consume more calories throughout the day and are more likely to be overweight. That’s because someone who skips breakfast is likely to get famished before lunch time and snack on high-calorie foods or overeat at lunch.

It’s important for kids to have breakfast every day, but what they eat in the morning is crucial too. Choosing breakfast foods that are rich in whole grains, fiber and protein while low in added sugar may boost kids’ attention span, concentration, and memory — which they need to learn in school.

Kids who eat breakfast are more likely to get fiber, calcium, and other important nutrients. They also tend to keep their weight under control, have lower blood cholesterol levels and fewer absences from school.

It would be great to serve whole-grain waffles, fresh fruit, and low-fat milk each morning. If kids aren’t hungry first thing in the morning, be sure to pack a breakfast that they can eat a little later on the bus or between classes. Fresh fruit, cereal, nuts, or half a peanut butter and banana  sandwich are nutritious, easy to make, and easy for kids to take along.

What not to serve for breakfast is important too. Sure, toaster pastries and some breakfast bars are portable, easy, and appealing to kids, but give energy for short periods. So it is important to have a balanced breakfast that provides required amount of protein, fat and carbohydrates to keep blood sugar levels steady for hours.

The morning meal doesn’t have to be all about traditional breakfast items.  You can mix it up to include different foods, even the leftovers from the night’s dinner, and still provide the nutrients and energy kids need for the day.

Try to serve a balanced breakfast that includes some carbohydrates,  protein, and fiber. Carbohydrates are a good source of immediate energy for the body. Energy from protein tends to kick in after the carbohydrates are used up. Fiber helps provide a feeling of fullness and, therefore, discourages overeating. And when combined with healthy drinks fiber helps move food through the digestive system, preventing constipation and lowering cholesterol.