Brighter, Brainier Breakfasts

Breakfast feeds the brain and has been proven to enhance school performance. While 99 percent of 3rd graders say they eat breakfast, the number drops to 85% when these students reach the 8th grade.

Did you know?

• Children who skip breakfast exhibit poorer attention and concentration and perform lower on tests than those who ate breakfast.
• Children who skip breakfast are often more deficient in their total nutrient intake of essential vitamins and minerals.

Following are some quick and easy breakfast ideas:

• Layer fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt, and cereal for a breakfast parfait.
• Stuff a whole-wheat pita with cottage cheese and fresh fruit.
• Put yogurt and berries in the middle of two whole-grain toaster waffles.
• Spread peanut butter on whole-wheat bread and top it with slices of banana.
• Top a bagel with low-fat cream cheese and thinly sliced apples or hummus.
• Melt a slice of low-fat cheese over a scrambled egg on top of an English muffin.
• Top a whole-wheat tortilla with scrambled eggs and salsa and roll it up for a breakfast burrito.
• Make a batch of low-fat, whole-grain muffins and freeze them for breakfast on the go.
• Offer a serving of 100% fruit juice as a tasty morning beverage and a great way to provide a serving of fruit according to the new USDA My Pyramid.

Talk to your kids about nutritious foods and help them understand that eating good food helps them develop healthy minds and bodies!