Boost Kids’ Brainpower with a Nutritious Breakfast

On busy weekday mornings, it’s easy for a nutritious breakfast to take the back burner to getting backpacks ready and catching the bus on time. But the morning meal plays a big role in whether a child will have a successful day ahead at school. According to this NPR story, kids who eat breakfast have better verbal fluency and short-term memory in the classroom. Further, eating a nutritious breakfast can boost academic performance. In one study cited in the article, kids who ate protein and fiber-packed oatmeal for breakfast performed 20 percent better in class activities than kids who started their day with sugary cereal.

Now that you understand the link between a nutritious breakfast and academic performance, here are two tips to ensure your kids start their school day on the right foot. 

Tip #1: Consider your school’s breakfast program
Parents who are too pressed for time in the mornings to prepare a nutritious breakfast at home can look into their kid’s school breakfast program. The number of kids eating breakfast at schools is growing, according to a recent USA Today article, because they’re putting a fun and tasty twist to the traditional breakfast menu. Here are a couple of our favorite school examples:

• This fall a Missouri elementary school will park a “Grab-n-Go” breakfast cart just inside the front doors so kids can pick up a free healthy meal on their way to class. The school also offers a standard hot breakfast in the cafeteria. Read more: http://bit.ly/17WbMO2

           (Image credit: Toriano Porter/The Journal)

           

• Schools in Florida brought in a food truck that serves free, nutritious breakfast options like eggs, turkey bacon, whole grain biscuits and fruit to get kids excited about eating healthy. Read more: http://hrld.us/17deoZB

           (Image credit: Miami Herald)

           

Also check out this Breakfast in the Classroom video from the NEA Health Information Network, which shows how educators are making a difference in ending child hunger in Prince George’s County, MD and Guilford County, NC. Feel free to share the video with your friends and colleagues.

Tip #2: Prep your weekday breakfasts during the weekend
With a little preparation, parents can serve quick and healthy breakfasts at home. In a recent Washington Post article called “Taking the stress out of weekday breakfasts with kids,” the key is to plan ahead. The article suggests plotting out and assembling the next week’s morning meals on Saturday or Sunday – like cooking up a carton of hard-boiled eggs and freezing a big batch of whole-wheat pancakes. 

Below are three more healthy breakfast recipes from MyPlate’s Pinterest page that are perfect to whip up over the weekend and then serve in minutes during the busy school week:

1. Baked oatmeal made with oats, raisins, walnuts, fat-free milk and applesauce
2. Breakfast couscous with dried fruits like cherries or blueberries
3. Sunflower granola made with oats, sunflower seeds, coconut and walnuts. Serve it with a couple dollops of fat-free Greek yogurt and a handful of raspberries

What are your favorite quick, easy and healthy school day breakfast recipes? How does your school entice kids to eat nutritious foods in the morning? Tweet us @BagtheJunk or post on our Facebook wall.