Smart Breakfast Ideas for Kids

Ways breakfast helps kids

• More energy. Research shows that kids who eat breakfast can accomplish more at school and at play. The right breakfast can supply your children with more than one-quarter of their daily energy requirement.
• Greater learning ability. A good breakfast improves concentration, allowing kids to better absorb new information, solve problems and enjoy faster memory recall. Benefits have been specifically found for reading and maths.
• Better behaviour. Breakfast eaters attend school more regularly and have more positive interactions with their fellow students and teachers. Hungry kids are more prone to irritability, nervousness, headaches, colds and ear infections.

What to feed them

• Cereal choice. Select a whole-grain, high-fibre cereal with low-fat milk and fruit, or make cooked cereal using traditional oats, honey and cinnamon. Grating a fresh, green apple into oats that have been soaking overnight in milk is also delicious.
• Bread option. Offer wholegrain toast spread with natural peanut butter and topped with a sliced banana or scrambled egg with baby spinach and mushrooms.
• On the go. A fresh-fruit smoothie made with low-fat milk, a dollop of yoghurt and some wheat germ or bran.
• Special. Try homemade pancakes, crepes or muffins using wholewheat flour, served with a savoury vegetable topping or fresh/canned fruit, honey and/or cashew nut cream.