If you have children you might have experienced one or two “table confrontations”. Children do not like healthy meals or perhaps they do not have the hearty appetite parents would like them to have. But if there is a meal parents should be firm about, it is breakfast.

Why breakfast?

Breakfast is a very important meal for everybody, but especially for children. Breakfast is the first meal after a long fast during the long night hours. In the morning the body is in need of nutrients again.

Not to have breakfast has two serious implications. On the one hand you are prolonging the night-time fast, thus creating a greater need for nourishment as the day goes on, and on the other hand the morning is the time of day when kids are more active.

In children, not to have breakfast means to face the school day without nourishment. That has a direct effect on school performance and on their attention span. Studies have been made that link the lack of breakfast with poor school performance.

On the other hand, when children finally have breakfast, they might overeat due to the amount of fasting time since their last meal the evening before.

Breakfast: A pleasant moment.

Due to the hectic lives many Latino families lead, it is difficult to get together during the day to share lunch or even dinner. That’s why breakfast is the perfect time to make it a pleasant family gathering to start the day.

Prepare a hearty breakfast for your family which will help them start the day with the energy they need. If you add to this a midmorning snack, you can be assured that they will be well nourished and will perform better in school. Much better than on an empty stomach.

A healthy breakfast for a child (and also for a grown-up) should include:

• A dairy product: Not milk necessarily and for a change you may offer yogurt, liquid yogurt, or cottage cheese.
• A serving of fruit: Natural citruses such as orange juice or melon, cantaloupe, guava or any fruit your child likes.
• Cereal: Here you can include breakfast cereals or any whole-grain cereal such as toasted bread. Make sure that the chosen cereal does not have high sugar content or coloring, but rather high fiber content.
• A small serving of protein: It can be scrambled eggs, some cheese, a low-fat sausage, a slice of ham, or even a tuna sandwich.

Help for your child’s breakfast.

The U.S. Government recognizes the importance of a good breakfast, and that’s why it has a national program which includes school lunches and breakfast. These programs are aimed at low-income families, and breakfast, along with lunch, are provided to public and non-profit schools which comply with Nutrition Assistance Programs. Even if you have an average income you can take advantage of this program, although you must pay for breakfast and lunch.

You will find the necessary information on the USDA web page on nutrition assistance programs.