A good breakfast is great for growing up

Breakfast eaters perform better!

Children’s brains need nourishment in the morning – especially if they have maths as their first lesson! And work this one out: two groups of children were given memory tests and problems to solve. Which ones do you think got the best results? The ones who had breakfast, or the ones who went without? You guessed it. The breakfast boys and girls.^[2]

Early learning

Because breakfast is often easy to prepare, even the youngest children can learn to make their own breakfast (okay, things might get a little bit messy now and again, but, hey, that’s the joy of parenting. Isn’t it…?). From pouring milk to spreading jam (as long as it’s not on your nicely ironed work shirt) there’s a lot of fun to be had. And choosing what they eat can also help them learn to make healthy choices and develop good habits that can last a lifetime.^[3]

Did you know?

•  Children who eat breakfast first thing are more likely to have better diets.^[4]
•  Teenagers tend to exercise more when they have a regular breakfast^[5] (Who would imagine that something as simple as breakfast could get a teenager out of bed to do a workout?!).
• Breakfast is good for them, it’s not rocket science – but there’s a lot of scientific research to prove it!

Take a look at our top three tips to make breakfast a meal you won't miss!

1. Get arty!

Now and then (we know you have busy mornings), why not try turning your child’s breakfast into something a little more exciting. They’ll wake up wanting to see what’s waiting for them on the breakfast table! You could use cut-up fruit to turn their plate into a masterpiece, turn their eggs on toast into a happy face or use cookie cutters to turn pancakes into fancy shapes.

2. All together now…

Children love to copy. And if you sit down and eat breakfast with them, they’re more likely to learn to do what you do – and enjoy it!

3. The power of choice

Try spreading the table with different foods and leave it to your children to decide what they want to eat. You could set out two or three varieties of breakfast cereal, offer different fruits for their cereal, or ask if they want their eggs scrambled or boiled.

More ideas for fun breakfasts

1. Cho S, Dietrich M, Brown CJ et al (2003) The effect of breakfast type on total daily energy intake and body mass index: results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). J Am Coll Nutr. Aug;22(4):296-302.Serra Majem L et al (2004) Nutricion infanil y juvenile. Estudio enKid. Elsevier Espana: Volume 5.Rampersaud GC, Pereira MA, Girard BL et al (2005) Breakfast habits, nutritional status, body weight, and academic performance in children and adolescents. J Am Diet Assoc. May;105(5):743-60.
2. Kennedy E & Davis C (1998) US Department of Agriculture School Breakfast Program. Am J Clin Nutr. Apr;67(4):798S-803S.
3. Kennedy E & Davis C (1998) US Department of Agriculture School Breakfast Program. Am J Clin Nutr. Apr;67(4):798S-803S.
4. Matthys C, De Henauw S, Bellemans M et al (2007) Breakfast habits affect overall nutrient profiles in adolescents. Public Health Nutr. Apr;10(4):413-21.Raaijmakers LG, Bessems KM, Kremers SP et al (2010) Breakfast consumption among children and adolescents in the Netherlands. Eur J Public Health. Jun;20(3):318-24.
5. Keski-Rahkonen A, Kaprio J, Rissanen A et al (2003) Breakfast skipping and health-compromising behaviors in adolescents and adults. Eur J Clin Nutr. Jul;57(7):842-53.