Here we all are back at school, backpacks full of new notebooks, shiny books and good resolutions. After weathering the first days of adjustment, new teachers and a new schedule, some kids also return to… bad habits: arriving at school for a good day of work… but with an empty stomach! We all need a good breakfast in the morning: Why? What to have for breakfast? And above all, how to succeed in getting a … recalcitrant adolescent to have breakfast!
Why your child absolutely needs to have breakfast?
To break the fast: On waking, the body has fasted for many hours, often 11 to 12 hours! It is essential to fill up again with energy!
Breakfast alone must cover one quarter of the body’s energy needs for the day… It allows us to power our muscles and brain in order to perform daily tasks whether physical (breathing, walking, running) or mental (reflecting, thinking, learning). Thus, taking an exam can lead us to burn as many calories as a sports session!
To avoid the 11 AM “wave of fatigue”: at the lycée, actually it arrives at about 11:20 when every day, three or four students appear, convinced they are suffering from an illness as unknown as it is terrible, resulting in stomach cramps bad enough to make them double over… yes, it is called hunger! Headaches, intense fatigue and dizziness are also legion. A little sugar water revives them and allows them to avoid missing the math test… however, concentration abilities are already hard hit by this energy deficit and intellectual performance, during a test in this case, is already shakier. Because breakfast is essential to good concentration and therefore contributes fully to academic success.
Children who do not have breakfast are at risk of hypoglycemia when they are in gym class.
To avoid malaise during gym class: pale and out-of-breath students regularly come to the nurse’s office, feeling dizzy and trembling all over; incomprehension over what is happening to them even brings them to the verge of panic. Rest, water, sugar, a snack and a lot of reassurance enables them to go back to their normal state. In most, if not all case, these students have not had breakfast (or have had an inadequate breakfast) which causes a case of hypoglycemia. The consequences? They are despondent over failing their test in gym class, they just missed an hour of class in order to recover and they will remain tired for the rest of the day… A heavy price for missing one of the best meals of the day!
To limit snacking: this has been proven over and over: skipping breakfast leads to snacking in the morning, and eating more at lunch, with a strong attraction to fatty and sugary foods that our brains recognize as being higher in calories. Ultimately, not eating breakfast can also lead to weight gain.
What to have for a balanced breakfast?
“French-style”:
– 1 grain product: Whole wheat bread (ideally), cereal (those that are the least sweetened are preferable), oatmeal
– 1 dairy product: Milk (warm or cold), a yogurt, a serving of fromage blanc or, why not, a piece of cheese
– 1 beverage: Water or hot chocolate or chocolate milk (which counts as both a beverage and as a dairy product) and for those who are older, coffee or tea (caution, avoid having too much caffeine during the day!).
– 1 fruit :
Either whole (kiwi, orange, banana, peach, apple, etc. depending on the season) or in compote or in juice. Caution, choose compotes without added sugar and 100% pure juice…
“American-style”:
– one egg (adding protein provides a longer feeling of fullness)
– yogurt
– cereal
– fruit
How to get my children to eat in the morning?
To convince your children, emphasize the benefits of breakfast:
– better concentration and a stronger presence in class means less work they have to do on their own for better grades…
– more energy for days that are often very busy
– better health and better weight management
In order to help them:
– lay out the breakfast table the night before; if everything is already on the table, it will be more tempting and easier.
– get up 20 minutes earlier to have time to eat calmly.
– in case they are running late, have a balanced snack ready for them, one that is easy to eat on the way to school:
– 1 slice of bread and butter, sandwich-style, 4 dry biscuits or 1 cereal bar,
– 1 single-serve milk carton or 1 drinkable yogurt,
– 1 fruit that is washed and ready to eat (e.g. apple, pear, peach, banana)
– a thermos of hot tea or a small bottle of mineral water
Think of stocking up on very practical ready-to- consume items:
– single-serve milk or 100% pure juice cartons
– yogurt (“Greek” yogurts contain protein that provides a good feeling of fullness for a long time)
– hard cheeses that are easy to carry
– cereal that can be poured into a small box before leaving
–fresh whole fruits that are easy to eat en route: apples, bananas, peaches, oranges
– bagels
– an egg cooked the night before or that morning
– small cheese or ham sandwiches … that can be made the night before if necessary.
Finally, when possible: having breakfast, even a quick one, together as a family can change everything! This way, breakfast, besides being a good family resolution, could allow you to pluck a few very pleasant minutes to start the day all together… even with a bit of dark circles under the eyes and a monosyllabic conversation … yes, ok, it’s still early…
Bon appétit !
Read another article on the importance of eating healthy, especially for Secondary students, written by the LFNY physical trainer.
This post was originally written by Anne-Sophie Deraison during Nutrition Week in October, 2015.
About the Author :
Anne-Sophie Deraison was previously the Secondary nurse at the Lycée Français de New York. Born in Paris, she earned a nursing degree in 2003 and started her career working in hospitals, first in pulmonary medicine at the Hôpital Cochin, then in the nephrology-dialysis unit at the Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou.