Break the fast before using school supplies
- col-bobbie-randall
- August 31, 2023
- 741
While navigating my way through the school supplies aisle at the big box store, I watched a parent juggling the list of must-have items for their students. Her kiddos were choosing the colors and kinds of school supplies to give them the best advantage in school. It looked fun, exhausting and expensive.
August is Kids Eat Right Month. Students need pencils, paper, backpacks and computers; they also need protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals.
The beginning of the school year is a perfect time to emphasize the importance of a healthy breakfast. Providing school supplies is vital, but it’s the nutrients and energy from a healthy meal plan that will spell success in the classroom.
Studies have proven breakfast eaters have higher school attendance, less tardiness and fewer hunger-related belly aches in the morning, thus fewer trips to the school nurse. Overall test scores are higher, kids concentrate better, solve problems quicker, and have better hand-to-eye and muscle coordination.
Time management is the biggest reason for the lack of breakfast. Planning and getting organized the night before can save a lot of time during a busy morning. Keeping the meal simple and taking food to go speeds up the process.
Protein and carbohydrate foods are important for brain function and energy. A glass of milk with peanut butter on toast packs plenty of both. The same is true with cheese and crackers, which can be eaten on the go.
Sugar-laden cereals and packets of sweet instant oatmeal offer a lot of carbohydrates with very little protein. Steer clear of these common breakfast foods. If they must be part of the morning routine, add a hard-boiled egg or an ounce of cheese or an extra glass of milk or a large handful of nuts. Added protein to a sugary meal keeps stomachs full for longer.
People eat breakfast foods for dinner all the time. How about dinner foods for breakfast? My daughter loved frozen peas and cheese nachos before school. My son jumped at the chance to eat leftover meat lovers pizza. The two of them would compete to get dressed for the first choice of leftovers at breakfast time.
Doughnuts, toaster pastries, some cereals and imitation fruit drinks have little nutritional value. Serving them before school is like taking a test with a broken pencil or gym class with shoes tied together. Read nutrition labels to find items that do not list sugar as one of the first ingredients.
Instant breakfast powder mixed with milk is a quick meal replacement. When poured into a container with a lid, a few good shakes can provide nearly 15 grams of protein and enough energy to get a student through until lunch. High-fiber foods at other meals or snacks can round out a day of healthy food.
If kids say they are not hungry in the morning, limit their evening snacking. Parents need to be a positive role model by eating breakfast as well. Break the overnight food fast to give kids the best advantage in school.
Bobbie Randall is a certified diabetes care and education specialist and registered, licensed dietitian. Email her at bobbierandallrd@gmail.com.