Mornings are hectic, especially with children. They are sleepy and don’t want to get out of bed. We are rushing to get ourselves dressed and everyone in the car or to the bus stop in time. This means that very little time is left for breakfast. The result is a rushed, sugar-laden breakfast which is not the right way for anyone to start the day.
Breakfast is not the most important meal of the day.
The good news is that breakfast is not the most important meal of the day. Studies have shown that eating breakfast leads to an increase in our overall daily calorie consumption. Our bodies’ natural rhythm is such that we are typically not as hungry in the morning. We eat because we have heard we are supposed to eat.
Intermittent fasting
There are many benefits of intermittent fasting. If this approach works for you, the evidence is mounting. Drink plenty of water in the morning, have a cup of black coffee and feel good about the fact that you are improving your health. For some, skipping breakfast does not work. This is fine too. The problem with eating breakfast isn’t eating a hardboiled egg or scrambled egg. In fact, as I mentioned here, a meal high in protein actually suppresses our hunger hormone for a longer period of time than a meal high in carbohydrates. Skip the bagel or toast and opt instead for protein. It is worth noting that there are many approaches to intermittent fasting. Eating three meals within an eight hour time window and skipping snacks is a form of intermittent fasting and may lead to greater compliance long term in some people.
Breakfast is a great source of key nutrients for our children
But what about our children? Our children are rapidly growing so breakfast is a great opportunity to get key nutrients in them. The problem is the majority of breakfast food that our children prefer is high in sugar and highly processed. We are up against the impact that media has on our child’s food choices and morning time constraints.
As I mentioned above, adults typically do not have a large appetite in the morning. The study was done on adults aged 20 and older but it makes sense that children probably have the same circadian rhythm. This is important because when our children turn up their nose to protein-rich food, our temptation is to is to give in to their desires for fruit loops and pancakes with maple syrup.
Focus on quality of food, not quantity for your child’s breakfast
I’ve noticed my children do not have a large appetite in the morning so I’ve adjusted my expectations for the amount of food they eat. Protein- rich meals will stick with them longer than processed food and can be highly portable. A stick of cheese with deli meat wrapped around it or sausage, sliced fruit and a piece of whole grain toast is a typical breakfast at our house on busy mornings.
Children perform better at school after a nutrient-dense breakfast
Many studies among school aged children have shown that they perform moderately better in school after eating breakfast in the school breakfast program. Why is this? My guess is that breakfast programs provide the opportunity to get valuable nutrients in our kids. It is well documented that nutrient deficiencies have an impact on academic performance. A recent study goes even further suggesting overall diet quality in the absence of nutrient deficiencies affects academic performance. Does this mean our children should eat breakfast at school? Possibly. If your morning are too rushed to provide a nutrient-dense breakfast, consider the school breakfast program if available.
A recent study confirms more breakfast for our children is not better
Interestingly, some schools have begun offering breakfast to school children in the classroom with the notion that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and participation in the cafeteria school breakfast program is lower than desired. The unexpected finding is that this led to an increase in obesity among children. This further drives home the point that more food is not better for breakfast. Many of these children probably already ate breakfast and eating for a second time increased their calorie intake, leading to obesity.
Take home point for parents: the focus should be on the quality of breakfast, with the goal of providing valuable nutrients, not just empty calories.