Is It Okay For My Child To Skip Breakfast Before School?
The early morning rush to get kids to school can be a hectic time and a difficult process, especially at the beginning of the school year. It is important to start off the year right by creating a routine to stick to. Many parents may find it tricky to get their children to have breakfast before they get to school. Some children may not feel hungry in the morning or only want a very specific food which is not easy to whip up quickly. Is it really important for children to eat breakfast before they go to school?
Yes! It definitely is. Children who eat breakfast regularly are more likely to get their recommended amount of daily nutrients, which is important for their growth. This includes vitamins and minerals that provide the necessary building blocks for your child to feel and perform their best.
More specifically, the human body needs glucose, or simple sugar which is found in carbohydrates, to fuel the brain. When glucose levels dip, cognitive performance is affected, which includes the ability to stay focused on something and to use working memory. Because we are not eating at night while we sleep, when we wake up we have these lower glucose levels and need to feed ourselves to give them a boost.
A study done at the National Institute of Nutrition in India found that children who consistently ate breakfast scored higher on attention and concentration tasks than their classmates who only occasionally ate or always skipped breakfast. Now you may ask if the nutritional quality of the food items is a major factor, but over half of the children who regularly ate breakfast in the study simply had cereal with milk. This basic and easy option still provides the child with protein, vitamins, and the necessary carbohydrates they need to take on the day, especially because many cereals are fortified with extra nutrients.
So now you know how important breakfast is, how can you make it easier to accomplish every morning? Well here are some tips to make breakfast time easier:
Meal Prep Prefered Breakfasts - When you have some time on the weekend, cook up some of your children's favorite breakfast items and freeze them so you have them on hand to heat up quickly during the week. Some delicious items that work well for this are eggs cups, pancakes, and even breakfast burritos. You can even invite your children to make these items with you as a fun weekend activity!
Make a Menu at the Start of Each Week - Creating a menu that can be placed in the kitchen or in an area your child can view is helpful to both you and them because everyone in the household knows what is for breakfast. The time and stress that can come from decision making is gone. If your child is older, they are then able to help themselves to their breakfast.
Allow Them to Eat in the Car - Although this may not be the most desirable choice of where to eat breakfast, having it in the car is better than skipping it entirely. Especially when there is a bit of a commute to school, the car can be a restaurant on wheels in the morning, where your child can fuel up and chat about their upcoming day.
References:
Gajre, N. S., Fernandez, S., Balakrishna, N., & Vazir, S. (2008). Breakfast eating habit and its
influence on attention-concentration, immediate memory and school achievement.
Indian Pediatrics, 45(10), 824–828.
Hunking, P. (2014). Importance of breakfast for kids. The Journal of Family Health Care,
24(5), 28–28.