September is National Breakfast Month which makes it a great time to talk about the importance of breakfast for kids. It can’t be argued that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially for kids!

Research shows us that kids who eat breakfast tend to be more alert in school, are able to learn better, and are less likely to be overweight. Additionally, kids who eat breakfast have fewer behavior problems and are less likely to be tardy.

Despite the importance of breakfast, many kids do not eat it.
The reasons for this vary and may include time, financial issues, or lack of appetite.

Easy AND Healthy Breakfast Options

Breakfast doesn’t have to take a lot of time to prepare! There are a number of options that are easy to make that will ensure your child is starting their school day off with a healthy, balanced plate!

A well-balanced nutritious breakfast should include a carbohydrate, protein and healthy fat, as well as foods from the following food groups:

• Dairy/Milk
• Fruit, Vegetable or Both
• Grain, Meat or Meat Alternative

Here are a few examples of some healthy breakfast options that meet the above criteria:

• 8 ounces milk, 1/2 large banana and 1 tablespoon peanut butter spread over 1 slice whole wheat toast
• 1 cup plain or vanilla greek yogurt topped with 1/2 cup fresh blueberries and 1/2 cup whole grain granola
• 1 egg scrambled with 1/2 cup chopped peppers or mushrooms, topped with 1/3 cup shredded cheese
• Fruit smoothie made with 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 cup frozen peach slices and 1/3 cup old fashioned or quick oats

*Portion sizes of the foods listed above may be smaller for children ages 1-5. Always start with age-appropriate portion sizes and offer more based on your child’s hunger cues.

The School Breakfast Program

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) School Breakfast Program (SBP) is a federally funded meal program aimed at providing schools with resources to feed eligible children breakfast.

Breakfast in the Classroom is another program that provides breakfast to children, and this program has no eligibility requirements. Students are served a nutritious breakfast in their classroom so that no learning time is lost. The Breakfast in the Classroom program has helped to dramatically increase participation in the School Breakfast Program.

The following schools from Greeley-Evans Weld County School District 6 participate in Breakfast in the Classroom:

 

 

 

 

 

For more information visit the following links:

• Child and Adult Care Food Program Meal Patterns
• School Breakfast Program
• Breakfast in the Classroom