Jumpstart your child's school day with a nutritious breakfast

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Gabriel Carbajal Jr.
  • NCOIC Health and Wellness Center
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  With a new school year already in motion, parents have to deal with unexpected events, sick children, missing shoes, and the teenagers who don't like their wardrobes because they're "So 2010." The most important choice parents can control is their child's nutrition.
In a recent survey from Food Insight, 93 percent of Americans believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Yet only 54 percent of children in the U.S. eat breakfast. Harvard University has shown that children who eat breakfast are more attentive in class, achieve higher grades and are much better behaved than those who skip it.

With demanding schedules, making breakfast seems like an impossible task. It only appears this way because we do not take time to plan accordingly. Reading labels for nutritional content can serve you well.

Here are some approved favorites:
· oatmeal made with milk and topped with fresh fruit
· blueberry or banana pancakes
· ½ a whole wheat pita pocket filled with scrambled eggs, tomato and topped with low fat shredded cheese.

If budget is an issue, then packing a nutritious brown-bag lunch can be more economical. Helpful tips include picking fruit they like, trying dried fruit instead of sugary snacks and using whole wheat bread. Pack peanut butter, boiled eggs, tuna or hummus for protein. Try vegetables like zucchini or carrot sticks with low-fat cream cheese for dipping.

Dinner is also an opportunity to introduce some delicious fruits and vegetables. Here are some great cooking suggestions:
· Cut a sweet potato into slices and season with olive oil, cayenne pepper and salt and then bake.
· Slice peaches in half and drizzle with honey, sprinkle with ginger and pecans and then bake.
· Core and cut an apple in half and fill with dried fruit and nuts and then bake.
· Boil apples with lemon juice and cinnamon. Then mash and serve.
· Steam artichokes for an hour. Then use the leaves to dip in your favorite sauce.
· Stir-fry frozen veggies in sesame oil, add low-sodium soy sauce and serve over rice.
· Slice red potatoes; drizzle in olive oil, garlic and rosemary; then roast in the oven for 30-45 minutes.
· Roast thin slices of sweet potato and make chips.
· Grill corn on cob in its own husk to preserve moisture and sweetness.
· Grill pineapple, peaches and mango. Then top with low fat ice cream or yogurt.
· Grill eggplant, zucchini and portabella mushrooms and use in a whole-wheat wrap.
· Grill asparagus. Then add it to a salad with mixed greens, red peppers and toasted nuts.
· Lightly boil or steam carrots, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus and broccoli. Marinate in low fat vinaigrette and serve cold.
· Microwave a potato for lunch and top with low fat cottage cheese and chives.

The encouraging message you will send to your children is that you absolutely care about the importance of what they eat. Your actions as a positive role model will be mirrored in your children's habits, behavior and health. So jumpstart your child's day, and yours, with these easy tips.