Though we’ve heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day — especially for children—it’s often a casualty of morning mayhem. Start your child’s day off with a nutritious and energy-boosting breakfast. Children (grown-ups too!) who consistently eat balanced breakfasts have more energy, perform better in school and are less likely to be anxious or irritable. Despite hectic mornings, serving up a balanced breakfast is actually easier than it seems!
Try some of these nutritious breakfast tips and easy ideas to help make mornings cheerier, keep tummies fuller and help provide lots of energy.
- Cut foods into fun shapes with seasonal, animal or other cookie cutters to turn a boring breakfast into a tummy pleaser.
- Make an ordinary bowl of cereal with milk more exciting by topping it with sliced star fruit, pomegranate seeds or other unexpected bright fruits.
- Scramble eggs with cheese and veggies. Create a scrambled egg face using tomatoes for eyes, a baby carrot for a nose, a slice of bacon for the mouth — even broccoli for hair!
- Whip up a mixed-fruit smoothie using crushed ice; yogurt; milk or 100% juice; and fresh, frozen, or canned fruit. Garnish with an orange wedge. Make it the night before to save time in the morning.
- Toast a whole grain toaster waffle and top it with berry cream cheese. Create a flower or other fun design on using sliced fruit like strawberries and peaches.
- Spread peanut butter on a whole wheat tortilla. Add raisins and banana slices, roll up tightly and slice to create yummy pinwheels.
- Serve up a breakfast sundae by layering yogurt with fresh fruit and crunchy granola cereal in a see-through container. Top with a cherry or grape and top it off with some sprinkles! (Pro tip: Add sprinkles to just about any food to entice your little ones to try it!)
- Create a breakfast pizza using an English muffin. Spread the English muffin with flavored cream cheese and top with diced fruits or veggies.
