Your children’s schedule is busy now than ever. Therefore, it is important to provide them with the right nutrition. What you feed your children on a day-to-day basis goes a long way in helping them to concentrate at school and perform their best. In this article, learn how to feed your children well to help them learn better.
Breakfast is Essential for Children
Starting the day with a balanced meal can impact your body and mind a great deal. Are your children getting the right share of nutrients in their breakfast? In the frenzied rush to make it on time to school, children often skip breakfast or tend to rush it by quickly indulging in processed quick-fixes such as sweetened box juices, biscuits, and cereals.
All this type of breakfast provide children the calories but don’t have essential nutrients that power their mind. Studies show that when kids have a consistent and nutritious breakfast, their chances of performing well in studies and overall behavior was better than children who did not have a wholesome breakfast.
In this study, it was shown that children who were part of the school breakfast program enhanced their daily nutrient intake. This improvement in nutrient intake co-related with significant improvements in student academic performance and psychosocial functioning and decreases in hunger.
Moreover, kids who have a healthy start in their day, have lesser chances of falling sick and lower their risk of obesity. They tend to be more energetic, have a better concentration and focus. Their developing bodies and minds need extra care and nourishment, and so the right food serves as the prime medium to support their endeavors.
What Constitutes a Healthy Breakfast for Children?
Kids can be fussy eaters. Nevertheless, you can try serving the right dishes for their breakfast and make it delicious. There is no need to spend hours to prepare them.
Essential Nutrients:
- Protein – A generous serving of protein is essential for growing children to help them sustain more energy and feel fuller to get them through the morning. A hungry kid gets cranky easily and will not be able to focus on learning.
- Healthy Fats – Avoid trans fat and include right doses of healthy fats include omega-3 which is essential for brain function along with saturated fat like coconut and unsaturated fat.
- Micro-Nutrients – These essential powerhouses are your vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients mostly available in fresh fruits and vegetables. Concentrate more on these micro-nutrients as these are the essential nutrients that are required for body and brain functions.
- Carbohydrates – Last, but not the least, children need energy through complex carbohydrates and fiber. Skip the refined carbohydrates, refined sugar and include whole grains.
Planning Past Breakfast
While it is important for children not to skip breakfast, it’s also important for them to keep the momentum going for the rest of the day. Planning a school lunch box for children can be tedious, but if you have the right nutritious ingredients and a little time to spare, you can ensure that they eat healthy through the day.
Here are some helpful pointers to plan healthy meals for your children:
Eating the Rainbow of Healthy Foods
“Eat the rainbow” is a common phrase that emphasizes the need to incorporate more fruits and veggies in the diet. For example, colorful food like blueberries, tomatoes, red peppers contain antioxidants, yellow and orange food are abundant in Vitamin C and A and greens are loaded with several minerals.
Plan Ahead
A little bit of planning and preparing your meals will ensure that you provide your children with proper nourishment. Children love snacks, so also help them with healthy snacks that can beat the hunger pangs between the meals. For this purpose, stock your food stash with healthy snacks like nuts, seeds, trail mix, dry fruits, cut fresh veggies or fruits.
Giving your kids the right nourishment will help them thrive. With the simple goal of nourishing your children, you can transform their wellbeing and create a far-reaching impact on their lives. Food is that place where your efforts have the most dramatic impact. Boost your child’s energy levels and brainpower with the right food.