Why is Breakfast Important for Your Kids?

You have probably heard that you should start your day with a nutritious breakfast and this certainly applies to growing kids as well. A good first meal is important to help prepare kids for their day because it provides kids with energy their brain can use for the important tasks that go on at school.

Make Breakfast a Habit

Eating breakfast daily may help your kids maintain that habit throughout their lives, providing them with some of the benefits of being a regular breakfast eater:

• Breakfast provides energy to support activities and helps to keep you going in the morning.
• People who start their day with breakfast tend to consume more vitamins and minerals and less fat and cholesterol than those who do not, according to the American Heart Association.
• Also, according to the Mayo Clinic, eating a nutritious and calorically appropriate breakfast is part of a well planned diet consistent with maintaining a healthy weight.

Breakfast foods also provide an excellent opportunity to select foods that meet key recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005:

• Consume approximately 1 to 2 cups of fruit and 1.5 to 3 cups of vegetables per day, chosen from a variety of fruits and vegetables.
• Consume approximately 4 to 6 one ounce equivalent servings of grain products per day. Generally, half or more should be whole grains and the rest should be enriched grain products.

Eating breakfast is a positive and healthful way for your family to start the day with the energy to keep going throughout the morning.