Monday Message - Breakfast Before School

Whether kids have breakfast at home or when then arrive at school, this important meal will give them the energy they need to learn, play and grow every day.  A survey among American Households indicated that only 40% of kids have breakfast before they leave the house in the morning.  Although they may get breakfast in school or at a daycare facility, most families are too rushed, have long bus rides or commutes to school or give in to the "I'm not hungry" claim.  Unfortunately, these children are not developing the habit to eat breakfast right when they wake up in the morning.  This may lead to increased fast food breakfast stops later in life - which we know contains increased calories - or it may decrease the importance of starting out each day with a proper breakfast meal for daily fuel.

Breakfast Benefits from Kids Eat Right:

Breakfast eaters are significantly less likely to be overweight

•  Skipping breakfast is associated with a higher risk of being   overweight

Adolescents who eat breakfast tend to have lower BMI’s

•  Girls who eat breakfast are more likely to have a lower BMI than girls who skip a morning meal

•   Many young women skip breakfast in effort to manage weight

Children with access to school breakfast

•  Eat more fruit, drink more milk and eat a wider variety of foods

Better nutrient intakes than skippers

•  More nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, including calcium, fiber, folate, and protein

School breakfast improves performance

•  Improved test results, as well as memory and verbal skills

•  Improved speed and memory on cognitive tests

•  Fewer mistakes and faster work in math and number checking

•  Improvement on concentration for mental tasks and reaction to frustration

School breakfast improves behavior

•  Reduced rates of absence and tardiness

•  Reduced discipline referrals to principal and school nurses’ visits

•  Reduced classroom behavioral problems

A school breakfast can help your kids learn more and improve their behavior!  Click on this link from Kids Eat Right for more information.


Need breakfast ideas?  Liz's Lemon Bowl has several whole-grain breakfast meals that can be made on Sunday and frozen or stored in the refrigerator for the rest of the week!  http://www.lizslemonbowl.blogspot.com/