Smart Food Choices: Breakfast

Breakfast plays an important role in children's health. Children who eat breakfast have a higher intake of vitamins and calcium and therefore are more likely to consume the recommended amounts of nutrients compared to children who skip breakfast. Regardless of income, children who eat breakfast eat a better variety of foods, including more grains, fruits, and milk. They also consume less saturated fat.

Breakfast is an important part of a healthy daily routine, but many people skip it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics found that from 2019–2020, 95.8% of children aged 2–5 years consumed breakfast, while 72.9% of adolescents between the ages of 12–19 ate breakfast regularly. Busy mornings, coupled with limited grab-and-go options, may make it difficult to find time for a nutritious breakfast before starting the day. The importance of eating breakfast has become evident over the last few decades. Schools and communities have recognized the importance of starting the day with a good breakfast for better cognitive skills, healthy growth, and good energy levels. There has been a big increase in breakfast consumption over the last decade which may be largely due to "Breakfast after the Bell" programs in schools that recognize the importance of starting the day with a healthy meal.

Eating Breakfast Helps School Performance

Omitting breakfast may interfere with learning. Breakfast consumption does improve school attendance and has a positive effect on the overall nutritional quality of a child's diet. Students who eat breakfast have higher reading and math scores, and improved memory on cognitive tests.

Skipping Breakfast is Not Proven for Weight Loss

Some children skip breakfast because they think it is a way to stay thin. Research about missing breakfast to maintain a healthy weight needs more in-depth review because studies have not determined if dieting habits, physical activity levels or over all weight history play a role in this theory. It is known that eating a nutrient dense breakfast provides additional fiber for children which is lacking in American diets. Fiber helps the body to have regular bowel movements and to maintain a healthy weight. Additionally eating a variety of breakfast foods that include the five food groups will help to maintain a healthy weight over the lifespan. A nutrient dense diet leaves little room for sugary foods that can contribute to chronic disease and poor weight maintenance.

Breakfast Foods Can Be Quick, Easy, and Healthy

Make healthy selections and eliminate the doughnuts, sugar-sweetened breakfast cereals, or pastries that are high in calories, sugar, and fat and don't contain the nutrients needed for a good start to the day. Just like with other meals, eat a variety of foods, that include grains (breads and cereals – try to choose whole grains), protein (eggs, lean meats, beans, and nuts), fruits and vegetables, milk, cheese, and yogurt. Examples of breakfast foods include eggs, whole grain varieties of French toast, waffles, or pancakes; low-sugar, whole grain cereal and low-fat or fat-free milk; hot whole grain cereal, such as oatmeal or cream of wheat (try some dried fruit or nuts on top); whole-grain toast, bagel, or English muffin with cheese; yogurt with fruit or nuts; fruit smoothie, such as a strawberry smoothie. Be sure to check nutrition facts labels on packaged breakfast items and choose items that are low in added sugar, fat and sodium.

Tips for Starting the Day with Breakfast

• Breakfast after the Bell - Find out if your child's school offers "Breakfast after the Bell" or grab and go options and sign them up. "Breakfast after the Bell" is a school program where students are served breakfast after the start of the school day instead of before, allowing them to eat breakfast while already in class and maximizing access to a nutritious meal during the school day.
• Bedtime Routine - Set a bedtime and wake up time that ensures you and your children will get a good night's sleep and wake up in the morning in time to enjoy breakfast.
• Family Mealtime - With hectic schedules sometimes it's hard to eat dinner together. Breakfast can be a good time to eat together before the busy day starts. Families who eat together have better relationships and stronger emotional connections and enjoy a more nutrient-dense meal.
• 5 Food Groups - Include as many of the five food groups as possible at breakfast. This will help children start the day with a nutrient-dense meal, excel in and out of school, and have energy to carry them through the day. Don't worry if you can't fit all five food groups in for breakfast, snacks are a good time to add food group nutrition to your child's day.
• Make Breakfast the Night Before - Find ways to make breakfast the night before so it's easy and time-efficient to eat the next morning. Ideas for night-before breakfast prep include egg muffins with vegetables that can be reheated the next morning, overnight oats (just add fruit and nuts in the morning), or yogurt and fruit parfaits.
• Prep Grab-and-Go Foods - Hardboiled eggs can be made the day before and stored in the fridge for a protein-packed grab-and-go option at breakfast. Wash fresh fruit so it can be taken along to work or school for a breakfast option, (combine it with a hardboiled egg for a good matchup). Whole grain granola on top of Greek yogurt with fruit will provide three food groups in one healthy breakfast and can be taken along in a transportable container. Or slice celery and fill with nut butter for a protein- and fiber-filled breakfast option that travels well.
• Think out-of-the-box at Breakfast - Fun breakfasts and easy to eat options will encourage children to eat a nutritious breakfast. Find creative ways to make breakfast fun and enticing. Some examples are:
  
  • Banana dog - peanut butter, a banana, and raisins in a long, whole-grain bun.
  • Breakfast taco - shredded cheese on a tortilla, folded in half and microwaved; topped with salsa.
  • Breakfast burrito - mix one egg and 2 tablespoons milk in a microwave-safe cup. Add chopped veggies and some cheese. Microwave on high for two minutes then scoop into a tortilla with spinach or lettuce and top with salsa.
  • Country cottage cheese – mix low-sugar nut butter with cottage cheese.
  • Frozen banana - Dip a banana in yogurt. Roll it in crushed cereal or diced dried nuts and freeze.
  • Fruity milkshake – Combine milk or yogurt, fruit, spinach, and ice in a blender. Add a tablespoon of nut butter for added flavor and protein.
    
  • Sandwiches like grilled cheese, peanut butter, and jelly (substitute jelly with fresh berries or bananas)
  • Leftovers can be a breakfast option too. If you have leftover veggies toss them into an omelet for added flavor. Add leftover brown rice to breakfast tacos for whole grains at the start of the day or use leftover Quinoa in place of oatmeal with almond milk, fruit and cinnamon. Bowls are easy to take along and are popular foods right now. Make a breakfast rice bowl using leftover brown rice, eggs, and veggies like frozen peas and carrots. Leftovers for breakfast and lunch provide a balanced meal and save time and money since food won't go to waste.

Additional Resources: myplate.gov

February 2025