Breakfast is the “most important meal” of the day but is also the “highly neglected” of all the meals. Statistical studies done in metro cities of India show that 1 in 4 urban Indians skip breakfast among all age groups & about 72% ate inadequate breakfast. Only 3% regarded breakfast as essential meal. Breakfast should provide at least 20-25% of the daily nutrient requirements. Studies have shown that key nutrients (Fibre, Iron, Vitamin B, Calcium, Iron) missed at breakfast are not compensated in the other meals of the day. So, missing a breakfast or having an inadequate breakfast will affect your general health for short & long term.
After 8-9 hours of sleep, the body is low on energy reserves & nutrients as it has worked in the morning. The entire night, our body is busy cleansing our system so it needs fuel to kick start the day. A lot of kids, sleep late, get up late, have no time for breakfast, are cranky and fussy in the morning. Kids are expected to go to school, low on energy, focus at school, memorize the syllabus and reproduce all of it! Our kids do exceptionally well even when they are not at their best; imagine how good will they perform if their body gets the required nutrient in the morning.
Kids who eat breakfast are better on over all energy & nutrient intake. Their performance is better in school, in both logical & creative tasks. It also results in superior problem-solving ability, memory & attention and enhanced cognitive performance. Not just this, but eating breakfast regularly improved verbal fluency & arithmetic. They are more likely to make healthy choices & less likely to snack on high fat & sugary foods throughout the day. Eating breakfast is associated with lower BMI, less likelihood of gaining weight as there is improved satiety & reduced binge eating in the day. Breakfast also helps to improve the metabolic rate, maintain healthy weight, helps support brain function, improve nutrient intake, physical & mental well-being.
Skipping breakfast, wrong choice of breakfast foods or inadequate breakfast can lead to fatigue, tiredness, irritability, mood swings & drop in energy levels. The child may become cranky & picky.
So it is important to eat breakfast which is healthier & balanced. Try these practical suggestions to ensure that your kids get a good breakfast, even when you or they are in a rush.
- Parents need to plan ahead and ideally involve kids in meal planning.
- Stock healthy food options (veggies, fruits, oil seeds, dry fruits, different millet atta, poha, rava, plain oats, legumes cereals, etc.)
- Do pre-preparations in the night so it is easier to make (roasting of rava, batter making for dosa, cheela or idli, dhokla, kneading dough, cleaning & chopping of veggies, etc.).
- Waking up 10 mins early so that you & kid has the time to eat breakfast. This will be worth a lot later on!!
- If the child is not use to eating breakfast start with what they like, even if it means giving them fries, sandwiches, high fibre biscuits INITIALLY. A grab and go alternative (fruit milk smoothies or a fruit yogurt) and then gradually starting with healthy options is also a good idea.
- Parents are a good role model for the kids, so it is important the parents to also eat breakfast along with the kids.
- Fresh fruit, cereal, nuts, or half a peanut butter sandwich are nutritious, easy to make, and easy for kids to take along.
- Balanced Breakfast should consist of foods at least from 3 essential food groups: 1 serve of whole grains cereals provide energy to our body & brain (broken, dalia, semolina, poha, various cereal & millet flours, flakes. Etc.), 1 serve of milk or milk products (milk, curd, paneer, cheese) or pulse, legumes (dal & sprouts) or lean protein group for restoring, repair & slow release of energy (Non-Veg: eggs, chicken) & 1 serve of vegetables or fruit for satiety, source of antioxidants & for clear bowel movements (all colored fruits & veggies).
Some of Examples of Ideal Breakfast Foods:
Thalipit, Idli-Sambar, dosa or cheela-chutney, mix veg paneer paratha with curd, veg cheese sandwich, paneer sandwich, palak corn paneer sandwich, peanut butter sandwich, savoury muffin, veg upma, veg poha, sprout salad, dhokla, veg idli, uttapam, uppam, porridge with a fruit, etc.
Wrong Breakfast Choices:
Packaged Food / Processed food – ready to eat or ready to make items like upma mix, dosa mix, flakes, masala oats, muesli (preservatives), bread, biscuits, toast, khari, Maggi, etc.
High sugar containing snacks – cakes, bread with jam, sheera, halwa, chapatti with sugar or jaggery, chocos, porridge, etc.
High fat containing food – puri, vada, samosa, chips, fries, bread rolls, pakoras, etc.
Beverages – tang, tetra pack juices, milk with bournvita or supplement.
Hence, taking as little as 10 minutes of your morning time for breakfast will go a long way to keep you & your family healthy & wealthy for a longer life.
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