The importance of breakfast
Breakfasts can be a fraught time for families - it's hard to know what's best to eat in the morning and just as challenging to get your kids to actually eat it!
That's why we've teamed up with independent expert nutritionist Amanda Ursell and clinical psychologist, Professor Tanya Byron to look into how we can all start our days with a fuss-free, nutritious breakfast.
Download the Breakfast Report (pdf)Top Tips For A Balanced Family Breakfast
- Make breakfast an established part of your morning routine, enabling you all to start the day in a nutritious way
- Include wholegrain in your breakfast every morning by eating toast containing wholegrain such as Kingsmill 50/50 and Kingsmill Tasty Wholemeal - they're both a source of fibre which may help to keep you fuller for longer
- Be a role model to your kids - after all our children learn from us. Encourage your children to eat a healthy breakfast via your behaviour
- For picky eaters, toast is a good delivery vehicle and with the right toppings (for example peanut butter, reduced fat spreadable cream cheese, lean bacon or poached eggs) Mum can give children a nutritious start to their day
- Provide bespoke incentives awarded for good behaviour at breakfast to change behaviour - this could be anything from sticker charts, family breakfast games, to an extra 10 minutes 'golden time' before bed
- Be positive and optimistic - focus on the long term gains e.g. improved energy, better concentration etc
Why is breakfast important?
A healthy breakfast really is the best start to the day - young children in particular may struggle to eat enough to satisfy their nutrition needs if they skip breakfast. Eating breakfast may even improve concentration levels and it helps to stave off those mid-morning hunger pangs.
So what should we eat?
A healthy breakfast should be high in carbohydrates, low in fat and ideally include a portion of fruit or vegetables to help towards your 5-a-day. Bread is a great source of carbohydrates, low in fat as well as contributing towards our intake of fibre, calcium, iron and B vitamins.