[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/08\/quick-breakfast-ideas-for-kids\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/08\/quick-breakfast-ideas-for-kids\/","headline":"Thinking Outside the Cereal Box for Your Kids","name":"Thinking Outside the Cereal Box for Your Kids","description":"Getting into a breakfast routine during the school year can be hard. Many kids are not interested in breakfast, but it is the most important meal of the day! Breakfast helps keep them focused during their school day. Here are some simple, nutritious tips to help your child love breakfast!","datePublished":"2019-08-30","dateModified":"2022-10-27","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/campaigns\/southcentral-pa","name":"UPMC Harrisburg","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/campaigns\/southcentral-pa","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/upmc-harrisburg\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/quick-breakfast-ideas-for-kids.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/quick-breakfast-ideas-for-kids.jpg","height":326,"width":754},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/08\/quick-breakfast-ideas-for-kids\/","about":["Living and Wellness"],"wordCount":683,"keywords":["Pinnacle Health"],"articleBody":"The kids are late for school, the house is in chaos, kids are in a bad mood, but you know you\u2019re forgetting something as you rush everyone out the door. What? Breakfast!Research has found that anyone—kids or adults—who eats breakfast will perform better throughout the day in the classroom, office, board room, and on the playground.\u00a0That\u2019s especially true for kids. In addition to helping provide energy for brain activity and development, a healthy breakfast helps them with:Improved concentrationEnhanced memoryA longer attention spanA heightened moodAdvanced cognitive abilitiesStudies have also found that children who eat breakfast are more focused in school and achieve higher grades and standardized test scores. They also display better problem-solving skills, better hand-eye coordination, stronger memory recall, greater fact comprehension, and more stable energy levels. Children who eat breakfast are also less likely to exhibit behavioral problems or experience peer conflict. They also have fewer school absences, fewer incidents of tardiness, and lower rates of school suspension.That\u2019s pretty convincing.But in the real world, kids are kids. And some kids just don\u2019t want to eat a healthy breakfast or any breakfast at all. They are tired and crabby in the morning, and they would rather eat a candy bar than a whole grain muffin.But don\u2019t give up. Here are some tips to help your picky eaters get into the breakfast routine:Be a good role model. Eat breakfast with your child and set a good example by showing that you value eating breakfast. Have a structured morning meal, or at least sit down and have a bite with them in the morning. This sets a routine and an expectation for children that breakfast is important. If you skip breakfast, they will too.Start small with a piece of fruit, some cheese cubes, or a cup of low-fat yogurt. These are all good, nutrient-rich choices. They don\u2019t need to start with a lot.Make it easy to grab and go. If you find yourself crunched for time in the mornings, it\u2019s ok to prepare breakfast foods at night. These can be easy things such as cut up fruit, cheese, etc., so there\u2019s no rush in the morning. Give them something they can grab and eat on the go.Some kids just aren\u2019t hungry first thing in the morning. For them, be sure to pack a breakfast that they can eat later, either on the bus or between classes. Fresh fruit, cereal, nuts, or half a peanut butter and banana sandwich are nutritious and easy to eat on the go. A granola bar is another healthy breakfast for kids that\u2019s portable.Quick Breakfast IdeasThere is no such thing as the \u201cbest\u201d breakfast meal. Nutrition professionals advocate balance and variety. On average, breakfast should contribute about 25 percent of a person\u2019s daily calorie needs. A combination of high-quality carbohydrates, lean protein and, heart-healthy fats is necessary to ensure optimal functioning of the body and brain.Here are some ideas to get you thinking about all the possibilities for your kids\u2019 breakfasts:Spread peanut butter onto whole-grain toast and top with mixed berries or sliced bananas or apples. For a real treat, pop it in a panini maker!Prepare French toast using whole-grain bread, eggs and nonfat\/low-fat milk, then serve with strawberries instead of syrup.Mix blueberries into whole-grain cold cereal with nonfat\/low-fat milk or soymilk.Top a whole-grain toaster waffle with nonfat\/low-fat vanilla yogurt and sliced peaches.Stir cantaloupe chunks and low-fat granola into nonfat\/low-fat cottage cheese.Layer sliced fruit with nonfat\/low-fat yogurt and whole-grain cold cereal into a breakfast parfait.Stuff a whole-grain pita pocket with scrambled eggs\/egg whites, reduced-fat shredded cheese, spinach, tomatoes, onion, broccoli and\/or peppers.Combine whole-grain cereal, dried fruit and nuts or seeds for a grab-and- trail mix.Create a breakfast pizza with a toasted whole-grain English muffin, tomato sauce and part-skim mozzarella cheese.Dab almond butter onto a whole-grain mini bagel and then sprinkle with raisins."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2019","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"08","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/\/08\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Thinking Outside the Cereal Box for Your Kids","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2019\/08\/quick-breakfast-ideas-for-kids\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]