On September 8, 2011, moms hungry for breakfast and conversation came to TheMotherhood for the third chat in the Kellogg Virtual Breakfast Series. Led via live video feed by Sarah Woodside, MS, RD and Nutrition Business Partner at Kellogg, the discussion explored back-to-school tips for establishing morning routines in light of Kellogg’s Breakfast in America survey findings.
“Our greatest inspiration behind these breakfast chats is that at Kellogg, we believe that great days start with great breakfasts,” said Sarah Woodside.
“I just feel so much better in the mornings when I make myself eat breakfast. That is why I want the girls to eat every morning so they will have a good day at school,” said Jennifer, One Mom’s World.
Breakfast in a Back-to-School World
We’re all dealing with the challenge of getting our kids to eat a nutritious breakfast as they rush out the door to school. And we all know that breakfast is important, but mornings are so busy with getting everyone ready to go.
A number of bloggers shared the morning routines that work for them.
“Be prepared,” advised Lori at La Vida Lori. “Have foods on hand for breakfast that are quick and easy to prepare, make sure the kitchen is clean the night before so you don’t have to deal with it when you’re trying to get breakfast together, and make lunches the night before.”
And it’s not just the kids who sacrifice breakfast on busy mornings!
“My problem? I always make sure my kids are fed. I am the one left hungry!” said Molly, A Day in Mollywood. For a solution, Sarah at Water, Water Everywhere suggested, “I keep a Special K bar in my purse for just those kind of days.”
Noted Maria, A Savings WOW, “I used to run around so much in the mornings trying to get the kids ready that I didn’t have time to eat breakfast myself, but this school year, I made it a point to get the kids up a half-hour earlier and to make sure that I took my shower and got myself ready before waking them up so that I could actually eat breakfast with them.”
Finding Variety in Breakfast Food
In addition to finding time for breakfast, there’s the ongoing issue of what to prepare – foods that will offer variety, nutrition and convenience on a daily basis.
“Cereal and milk are convenient, ready-to-serve/ready-to-eat breakfast options that people of all ages enjoy,” said Sarah Woodside. “Other breakfast choices might include hard-boiled eggs with whole grain toast and a glass of milk; whole grain crackers with peanut butter and a yogurt; a wedge of cantaloupe with cottage cheese and slice of whole grain cinnamon raisin toast.”
“My 14-month old has his favorites, but he’s pretty open to new things,” said Julie, MamaMash. “We’ve done toast with egg/cottage cheese/hummus. Or a chunk of cheese and some fruit, then some graham crackers. He’s always excited for pancakes!”
In the household of Emily, West of the Loop, cereal is king. “My husband is a total cereal guy. Remember how Jerry Seinfeld always had a huge selection of cereals in his cupboard on the show? That’s my husband. We always have five or six varieties going. Favorites include Special K w/ Red Berries and Rice Krispies,” she said.
“I make mini quiches in a muffin tin – eggs, veggies, sausage, anything,” said Donutsmama. “I then freeze them and pop them in the microwave to thaw out. You can eat them all week.”
“Definitely more protein is important … [which is] why I love eggs,” said Sarah at Water, Water Everywhere.
Julie at A Year with Mom and Dad agreed, “I think it’s important to have protein too – and a balance of healthy fats and some carbs for energy! Eggs are great!”
Leigh at Hines-Sight Blog strikes a balance: “I love cereal because I know my children are getting great vitamins and minerals. I also like to give them cheese or egg with it for protein,” she said.
If you’re really strapped for time and need something to grab and go, “some of our travel friendly options are apples, toast with peanut or almond butter and string cheese,” said Lisa, Mommyality.
Breakfast in America Survey Findings
“Recently, Kellogg sponsored one of the largest surveys ever conducted on breakfast and found surprising statistics about breakfast consumption, especially among kids,” said Sarah Woodside. Among those findings:
– We see that 77 percent of young children eat breakfast every day, but the number falls to 50 percent in the middle-school years and to only 36 percent among high school students
– Results show 54 percent of all adults would like to eat breakfast every day, but in reality only one-third (34 percent) actually do
– Research shows us that although 89 percent of moms want their kids to eat breakfast every day, 40 percent report that their child does not eat breakfast daily
“Both kids and adults need to eat something in the morning to refuel from sleep and refresh their energy levels for a productive day ahead,” Sarah emphasized.
Julie at A Year with Mom and Dad agreed, “As a former middle school teacher, I can’t stress enough how much it affects a child’s behavior and learning when they are not starting the day with breakfast (and a good one!).”
Know Your Family
From morning meltdowns to being too tired to eat, you can navigate any obstacles in your morning routine and breakfast menu by planning ahead.
Kayla S suggested keeping a “menu of choices for breakfast in the morning posted on the fridge” and having the kids pick what they want for breakfast the night before so you can be ready to make it in the morning.
In some cases, an earlier wake-up time might be key.
“I find that my child likes about 15 minutes to 30 minutes of awake time before sitting down to breakfast. I think that is crucial in our schedule, otherwise, my son does not eat as well if he sits down immediately for breakfast,” noted Leigh at Hines-Sight Blog.
Thank you!
“Thanks to Sarah Woodside for these helpful tips on breakfast nutrition! I appreciate that Kellogg is making the effort to help parents get their kids off to a good start every day,” said Emily, West of the Loop. “I am glad to have learned about how older kids don’t always get breakfast so I can be more prepared as my kids get older.”
Thank you to Kellogg for sponsoring the virtual breakfast, and thank you all for participating in the Talk! Our fabulous co-hosts are:
Emily, West of the Loop
Julie, A Year With Mom and Dad
Lori, La Vida Lori
Maria, A Savings Wow
Sarah, Water Water Everywhere
Julie, MamaMash
Molly, A Day in Mollywood
Leigh, Hines-Sight Blog
Jen, One Mom’s World
Lisa, Mommyality
See the original Talk here: http://tmotherhood.wpengine.com/talk/show/id/62256
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