Guest author Tara Neighbors is a UN-L graduate and Dietetic Intern at Iowa State University. She is currently completing a community nutrition rotation at the Grand Island Hy-Vee.
Back to School!
The time has come and the kids are finishing up summer fun and heading back to the classrooms. You have all the school shopping done, what is next in preparing your kid for this school year? Let’s start with a healthy breakfast.
Not only does breakfast start your metabolism for the day, research has shown that children who eat breakfast concentrate better and are more focused in the classroom. The children who have been studied that ate breakfast performed better in math, reading, and on tests! They also experienced less behavioral problems and less tardiness from these children. What better way to help your child do better in school then starting their day with a good breakfast?
So what can you feed your children for those mornings on the go? Try adding some whole grains, a protein items, a low fat dairy, and maybe some fruits or vegetables. You can try whole wheat toast with peanut butter, scrambled eggs with veggies and cheese, low fat yogurt with granola, or even a bowl of whole grain cereal with low fat milk. The options are limitless.
Here is an example of an easy quick breakfast that is fun to make and eat.
Mini Breakfast pizzas!
All you need is:
2 tbsp marinara sauce
1 whole wheat English muffin
2 Tbsp shredded cheese
2 slices of pepperoni, bacon, ham (meat of choice)
Options: add vegetables, or fruit
All you do is:
Cook the egg in a small pan.
Toast the English muffin
Spread the marinara sauce on the toasted English muffin
Top the English muffin with the cooked egg , meat of choice, and cheese (and maybe veggie or fruit of choice)