Healthy Breakfasts Give Kids a Good Start to the Day

Philadelphia, PA, February 20, 2004 – Giving the body the fuel it needs to start the day is just one of the benefits of a healthy breakfast, says Flavia Herzog, a registered dietitian at Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, who teaches local families about proper nutrition.

Herzog works with children and their parents in a USDA-funded nutrition education program called Families Understanding Nutrition (FUN) by teaching them about making healthy food choices at home. “If kids -- with their parents’ help -- learn to eat healthy at home, chances are they’ll begin making better choices when they’re on their own, particularly at school and after school when there’s a lot of temptation to eat the wrong things,” says Herzog.

Like many other dietitians, Herzog is a big fan of breakfast. “When you wake up in the morning, remember that your body has been fasting for 10 or more hours,” she says. “You need the energy that a good meal provides.”

The American Dietetic Association agrees. To encourage people, especially children, to eat breakfast, the organization points to research that indicates that kids who regularly eat breakfast tend to perform better in school, often earning higher test grades than those who don’t.

With more schools offering school breakfasts, Herzog is especially interested in giving families the knowledge they need to make the best choices. “Too many children choose sugary foods with no real nutritional value,” she says. “But there are lots of healthy foods they can eat in the morning that taste good, too.”

For children who don’t attend schools with breakfast programs, Herzog recommends a number of quick and easy meals to give them a good start to their day. “Cold cereals such as Total, Raisin Bran, Kix and low-fat granola are good choices,” she says. “Parents should save sugary cereals for an after school snack or as a special treat.”

Other good breakfasts include fruit mixed in yogurt; toast (especially wheat) with jelly or butter; half a bagel with cream cheese or peanut butter; a whole grain toaster waffle with yogurt, fruit or jelly; Nutra-Grain® bar or other types of granola or protein bars; fruit smoothies, blender drinks made with a piece of fruit, half a cup of fruit juice and half a cup of yogurt; and Carnation Instant Breakfast.

Herzog, who also provides private nutrition counseling to parents and children at Einstein Medical Center, is partial to foods that kids can take with them when they leave the house. “This way, parents and kids can’t use the excuse that there isn’t time in the morning,” she says.

As part of National School Breakfast Week (Mar. 8-12), many organizations are offering recipes, tips and ideas for a healthy breakfast. In keeping with its nautical theme, the American School Food Service Association’s web site (www.asfsa.org) lists recipes for Pirate Pancakes, Sea-Legs (scrambled) Eggs and Bon Voyage Blueberry Muffin Squares. It also shows how each food on its menu stacks up on the Food Guide Pyramid. For instance, Pirate Pancakes count as two servings of a grain or bread, while Sea-Legs Eggs count as two ounces of meat or meat alternate. The American Dietetic Association’s web site (www.eatright.org) also offers ideas and even points out that “unbreakfast” foods such as pasta, pizza or rice make good breakfasts.

As for skipping breakfast altogether, Herzog offers a stern warning: Don’t do it. “There are so many benefits to a good breakfast,” she reports. “Breakfast helps keep you alert throughout the morning, controls weight since you’re less likely to overeat later if you have breakfast and is a great source of vitamins, minerals and fiber.”

As Herzog reports, a good breakfast can make a big difference in your children’s health and school performance. Give them the foods they need to start the day off right.

Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, a member of the Jefferson Health System, provides healthcare services through Albert Einstein Medical Center, Germantown Community Health Services, Willow Terrace (a nursing home), MossRehab/Einstein at Elkins Park, MossRehab at Tabor Road, Willowcrest (a center for subacute care), Belmont Behavioral Health and a number of outpatient and satellite locations. Einstein also operates a primary care network, Einstein Neighborhood Healthcare. For more information, visit www.einstein.edu or call 1-800-EINSTEIN.

Publish date: February 20, 2004