Healthy breakfast, healthy brain
Kimberly Young/Panhandle Health District | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 years, 2 months AGO
All meals are important, but breakfast is special, because it can set the stage for the whole day. This week is National School Breakfast Week to raise awareness about the importance of breakfast, and to increase student participation in the School Breakfast Program.
This year the theme for National School Breakfast Week is "Make the Grade with School Breakfast." This theme was chosen for the purpose of communicating to parents, students, and school staff the positive effect breakfast consumption has on academic success and healthy lifestyles. Students who eat a nutritious breakfast tend to have better test scores, more energy throughout the day for learning and extracurricular activities such as sports, and maintain a healthy weight.
What exactly is considered breakfast and what makes it nutritious? The Kellogg's Breakfast Council proposes to define breakfast in the December 2014 issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The proposed definition of breakfast is "...the first meal of the day that breaks the fast after the longest period of sleep and is consumed within 2 to 3 hours of waking..." As a rule of thumb, I recommend consuming at least three of the five food groups (fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy, and protein) to make it well-rounded.
An example of a nutritious breakfast is oatmeal, a banana, and a glass of milk. The possibilities are endless and can be designed to your liking. The great news about the School Breakfast Program is that your child is ensured a nutritious breakfast that is limited in fat, calories, and sodium.
Watch for events happening in your local school district in celebration of National School Breakfast Week. The Coeur d'Alene School District is honoring National School Breakfast Week by giving prizes each day to each student who eats School Breakfast. You may have seen the bookmarks and silly glasses come home. Stay tuned for prizes earned for the rest of the week. Don't commit to breakfast just this one week. Make it a habit as part of a healthy and successful lifestyle. "Make the Grade with School Breakfast," take advantage of the School Breakfast Program, so your child or teen is healthy and ready to learn.
Additionally, March is National Nutrition Month with the theme Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle. National Nutrition Month promotes lifestyles consisting of healthy eating and physical activity. Breakfast is a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle and breakfast isn't just for kids. Be a role model by consuming breakfast. Parents who eat breakfast tend to have children who follow suit. This week and every week, bite into a healthy breakfast
Kimberly Young, MS, RDN, LD, is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at Panhandle Health District and a graduate of the University of Idaho Dietetic program.
ARTICLES BY KIMBERLY YOUNG/PANHANDLE HEALTH DISTRICT
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