Mental & Physical Wellness

Starting Your Day Out Right….Eat Breakfast

Breakfast literally stands for breaking the fast from not eating overnight. There was a time when breakfast was eaten for energy to work and to think. Today eating breakfast often gets put on the back burner compared to other activities.

Parents and kids, did you know that eating a healthy breakfast…?

• Gets your body refueled and off to a great start?
• Gives you energy to think, play and be active?
• Works to help you have better concentration, problem-solving and eye-hand coordination?
• Helps to avoid high calorie snacks during the day?
• Helps your body get more vitamins and minerals and less fat and cholesterol?
• Helps your body weight stay in a healthy range?

The key to eating breakfast is to plan ahead and allow for some time in the morning. Talk about breakfast choices the night before so some of this can be ready in the morning. Kids may need time to wake up before they are ready to eat so allow a few minutes for that. Planning to take food with you or to eat at home will soon become routine and save you time.

There is nothing magical about “normal” breakfast foods. Try eating a variety of foods and food combinations to improve the nutritional content. Avoid fat filled doughnuts, croissants, biscuits and oversized breakfast meals. Instead try:

• Cereal with milk and fruit
• Peanut butter on whole wheat toast.
• Bagel with cheese
• Reheated rice, hard-cooked eggs
• Oatmeal with applesauce
• Pita bread and yogurt
• Toasted waffle topped with sliced fruit
• Chicken noodle soup and fruit
• Leftover pizza
• Vegetables, salsa and low-fat shredded cheeses wrapped in a tortilla
• A smoothie blended with fruit, low fat yogurt and wheat germ or flax seed
• A microwaved potato topped with broccoli and grated parmesan cheese

The sky is the limit, think of all the new breakfast favorites your family will discover! Enjoy!

USDA’s Smart Snacks in school standards are practical, science-based nutrition standards for all foods and beverages sold or served to students during the school day. The following list of foods meet the standards for all grade levels as of June 1 st , 2019. This list is up to date to the best of our knowledge; however, product formulation changes frequently without notice. This list is not all inclusive. If you have additional questions, please contact Kim Franta at (952) 556-6151.