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Breakfast Nutrition for Kids

We all need a healthy breakfast to provide energy for our day, but kids' breakfasts present a huge challenge because time is limited and kids can be notoriously picky eaters. Following are some quick, healthy breakfast ideas that kids will love.

  1. Ideal Breakfast Foods

    • Including whole grains (oatmeal or whole-grain breads) and high-quality protein (eggs, ricotta or cottage cheese) in your kid's breakfast will keep his energy going all morning. Adding small amounts of fat (butter, nut butters or cream cheese) slows digestion and regulates blood sugar. For sweetness, add fruit or fruit-only jam. Try to avoid high-sugar foods like breakfast cereals with more than 10 grams of sugar per serving or anything containing high-fructose corn syrup. These can cause blood sugar to rise and then dip later, resulting in sleepy or cranky kids.
      Ideal foods for breakfast are eggs, cheese, yogurt, berries, apples or bananas, carrots, peppers or sweet potatoes, nut butters, whole grain breads, muffins or oatmeal.

    Breakfast on the Run

    • If mornings are frenzied, being able to grab breakfast on the run is key. (Note: Any breakfast is better than no breakfast, but fast food should be a last resort.) Trail mix can be bagged and eaten with a milk or soy milk box in the car. Bananas are a great "to-go" food and can be paired with a peanut or almond butter sandwich for complete nutrition. If you plan ahead, fruit and whole-grain muffins (apple and oat bran, cornmeal and berry or oatmeal and blueberry) make a terrific breakfast with milk or 100 percent fruit juice. You can also buy your child a special travel cup and fill it with a smoothie made from yogurt, frozen fruit or fresh vegetables and honey. Adding nuts or wheat germ ups the protein and fiber content, which provides lasting energy.

    It Doesn't Have to Be 'Breakfast Food'

    • This is where you and your kids can have fun with choices. A grilled cheese sandwich is fine: Use whole-grain bread and slip sliced apples or pears inside. Make breakfast burritos or quesadillas by filling tortillas with ham or turkey bacon, eggs and cheese, or last-night's leftovers (think rice, couscous or sweet potatoes, chopped chicken or ham and cheese). Why not a cup of soup for breakfast? Add a whole-grain bagel with cream cheese or peanut butter and you've got an ideal meal.

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