‘Rumbling hour‘
Teachers are describing 10.30am as ‘Rumbling Hour’. According to research by Quaker*, teachers said that the hungry kids who skip breakfast:
- Struggle to concentrate (76%)
- Are sleepy and lethargic (54%)
- Disrupt other children in the classroom (44%)
- Demonstrate lower levels of creativity and focus throughout the day (44%)
- Try and find something to eat (10%)
Visit the Magic Breakfast website to learn more*
Fuel before school
We hear it all the time; ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’. But why? Here are the facts:
- Fuelling the body and brain at the start of the day provides the energy and aids concentration.
- Breakfast foods are full of goodness. Typical breakfast foods like cereal, milk, bread, eggs and fruit provide a range of nutrients such as fibre, dairy, protein, vitamins and minerals.
- Eating breakfast is important for maintaining a healthy weight. Skipping breakfast means hunger sets in before lunchtime. We’re likely to opt for more fatty and sugary foods throughout the day and consumer larger portion sizes.
Beat the breakfast battle
Achieving a successful breakfast time can be a struggle. Children might prefer extra sleep time, they might not yet feel hungry or perhaps they’re just not a big fan of breakfast foods. Here are some top tips to help fuel your family off to a great start each morning:
- Who’s the chef?
Make breakfast a fun occasion. Involving children in preparing and cooking food will increase their chances of eating it! If it’s a food they don’t like yet don’t force them to eat it, but still get them to help. They’re more likely to try the food once it has become more familiar to them.
There’s a role for everyone at your homemade restaurant; from waiter and waitress, to menu planner and chef. Offering the children limited choices can help them feel like they’ve had an input and make them more likely to try the food. For example, you could ask them to choose whether they want cereal or toast, or a banana or apple, to go with their breakfast.
- Bond at breakfast
Start the day off positively by making it a family occasion. Get as many family members around the table as possible; children learn by copying and if you’re enjoying breakfast, they’re more likely to enjoy it too.
Try to keep it as stress-free as possible so everyone looks forward to breakfast. Engage the kids by giving them the task of setting the table (do it the night before if time is an issue). They can personalise everyone’s spot at the table by making name places and plate mats.
- The breakfast pact
Organise a family meeting to discuss how you will work towards a successful breakfast time as a family. Agree on a set of rules that everyone should stick to and make a breakfast pact. For example, if a lack of appetite in the morning is a breakfast barrier, agree that everyone must have something for breakfast, however small.
For the best chance of breakfast success, be consistent. Stick to your breakfast pact and agree on a family reward. Creating fun sticker charts and monitoring sheets as a way to keep track of everyone’s progress is a great way to see what helps and what gets in the way.
Recipes
Visit these great websites for family-friendly breakfast recipes:
There are loads of ideas on this site, that suit both a busy school morning and a lazy weekend brunch. You can use the search tab to quickly discover creative breakfasts containing the ingredients you have to hand.
Use the recipe finder on this site to find healthy and tasty breakfast ideas. Involve the kids and get inspired by using the ‘What’s for breakfast’ function. Change4Life also has a handy recipe app, so you can plan your meals on the move and always be prepared.
Read this Buzzfeed article if you have extra time at the weekend and want to get creative with your kids. They’re not all entirely healthy, but there’s lots to choose from. This yoghurt and fruit breakfast popsicle looks great!
Enjoy! Tweet me your breakfast questions and recipes @HelloHealthyYou #hellohealthybreakfast
Hello Healthy You 