Importance of Breakfast for Kids

It is said that for healthy living, a person should eat at least three meals a day. For any person the first meal of the day is breakfast, this is followed by lunch and dinner. The gap between lunch and dinner is of a few hours, may be six to seven, but generally the difference between dinner and breakfast is about twelve hours.

The body needs energy to conduct its functions in a normal manner. This energy is derived by the body from the food we eat. The requirement of energy during morning time is more in case of children who generally to do a lot of running around when participating in games in school. Energy is consumed during studies also.

In case of the children suffering from obesity there is a general tendency to skip breakfast and eat only lunch and dinner. This is very dangerous for the health of the child. You can just imagine the time gap between dinner and next day lunch and the condition to which the body will be exposed without fresh supply of much needed energy.

Thus one can conclude that eating a healthy breakfast is essential for the child. Eating proper breakfast does have beneficial effect on the performance of the child at school. Children who eat a healthy breakfast have higher energy level and better learning ability as compared to those who skip breakfast or eat improper breakfast. Another study conducted on children reveals that those who have a healthy breakfast are more attentive in the class room. They earn higher grades and suffer less from emotional problems. You can conduct a test on yourself, if you eat proper breakfast you will be more energetic in office or at home.

Breakfast must be Nutritious

Breakfast should be full of nutrition and energy. It is not necessary to make heavy breakfast in the morning but the food should be balanced and have carbohydrates, fiber and protein. All these ingredients are necessary for the child to be active. Fiber provides fullness to the child and he or she does not feel hungry and think about food the whole day long. Fiber is also necessary for the healthy digestive system. Protein helps to convert carbohydrates into energy.

By slight innovation you can convert the leftover of last night into good and tasty breakfast for the child. For carbohydrates you should give your child whole grain cereals and brown bread. The rule should be that wherever possible whatever you eat be eaten without removing the outer crust. Fruits and vegetables are also a good source of carbohydrates and should be part of breakfast. To enable the child to get adequate quantity of protein serve one egg which is a good source of protein. Similarly meat and nuts are rich in proteins. These should form part of breakfast. The third essential ingredient is fiber. It is present in brown rice, whole grain wheat bread and other grains. Vegetables are a rich source of fiber.

You can make a variety of preparations for breakfast which are not time consuming and will not only be liked by the child but the whole family. Custard with fruit and nuts, cooked egg in one form or the other, peanut butter or cheese on bread slices, could be some items of breakfast. These days a vast variety of breakfast cereals are available in the market. You can buy one for the child. These are balanced and provide full inputs. Yogurt is good for the stomach and is rich in protein and the child can eat a cup of yogurt and fruit or vegetables with a slice of whole grain or multigrain bread.

In case of time constraint on some day, you can at least give your child a glass of milk with a banana and some other fruit. Do not make this a habit as it is your duty to bring up your child whom you love so much, well. Refueling the child is essential before sending to school.