Lack of appetite in the morning or too little time are common reasons why children do not eat breakfast . However, this has a major impact on the performance of the little ones during their exciting everyday life at school or in kindergarten .
It is not for nothing that breakfast is also referred to as the most important meal of the day. A healthy breakfast for children is particularly important .
You can find out why it is so important for children to have breakfast here.
Why children need breakfast
While we sleep at night, our energy stores are depleted. In the morning, they must be replenished so that we can start the day full of energy. Breakfast therefore serves as an important basis for an energetic day.
If you do not eat breakfast in the morning , you will quickly notice how the energy level drops over the course of the morning . In children, this is noticeable at school when their attention is no longer as good as it used to be.
As the performance curve shows, the energy level rises a little in the morning even without breakfast , but remains relatively low throughout the day .
Children who eat a meal in the morning can perform better on one hand and show a high level of performance in the afternoon on the other. This energy boost in the second half of the day is absent when children do not eat breakfast.
Breakfast provides better concentration
For schoolchildren, breakfast is considered particularly important, because if you do not supply your body with energy in the morning, you have to expect performance losses. This is reflected, for example, in attention and concentration at school .
Students who do not eat breakfast often experience problems concentrating in the morning. They find it difficult to follow school lessons attentively and become quickly distracted.
Children who eat breakfast are fitter
In children, breakfast affects not only mental performance but also physical performance. According to a study by ETH-Zurich, children who regularly eat breakfast have better motor skills . This was determined based on their sporting motor skills.
In addition, the researchers in the study found that the morning meal is associated with a healthy BMI . For students who eat in the morning, the BMI calculator for children shows significantly lower values.
In the long run, an increased BMI is bad for the health of our little ones because overweight children tend to have too high BMI values even as adults. This, in turn, increases the risk of various cardiovascular diseases or type 2 diabetes.
My child, the breakfast muffle
Wake up early, get ready and get the children to school on time before they go to work themselves. The daily morning routine with children can be quite stressful and needs to be well coordinated.
If the children also refuse breakfast, the nerves of many parents are put to the test. That's why we've collected tips on how to motivate your little ones to eat breakfast :
Child-friendly breakfast
In principle, the same applies to children at breakfast as to adults. It should contain whole grains , fresh and seasonal fruits and vegetables , dairy or vegetable protein , and plenty of liquid . In addition, it should contain as little sugar as possible because it spikes blood sugar levels and energy levels.
However, in order to motivate children to eat breakfast, the food must first and foremost taste good. That's why we at VERIVAL have come up with something very special: together with nutrition experts, we have developed a delicious breakfast range especially for our little ones .
As the main ingredient, we use the best whole grain cereals in organic quality to satisfy both large and small appetites. In addition, our VERIVAL children's breakfast products contain up to 50% less sugar than conventional breakfast cereals.
Find a common breakfast routine
Children are more willing to have breakfast if they have a say in what is on their plate . This is not to say that your little ones should design their breakfast completely independently from now on. But to still include them in the breakfast routine, you should offer them alternatives to choose from. Prefer muesli, granola (crispy muesli ) or porridge ? Apple slices or banana as a topping? A glass of fruit juice or tea?
It is also important that you eat breakfast yourself, because children learn from their role models and adopt the habits of their caregivers.
Do not force children to have breakfast
If your child absolutely does not want to have breakfast in the morning and even the best tips are ineffective, then only one thing helps: acceptance. Forcing children to eat is often even counterproductive.
For many children, hunger comes by itself at school or in kindergarten at the latest and then it is important to be prepared. So pack your little one a delicious and healthy breakfast .
One of the most popular breakfast dishes on the go is Overnight Oats . This is oatmeal prepared the night before that unfolds its delicious taste overnight. The next morning it only needs to be refined with your children's favorite toppings. Prepared in a practical take-away container, it turns into a healthy and delicious breakfast to-go in no time, which also tastes good to the little mouths.
Overnight Oats Basic Recipe – No Added Sugar
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp oatmeal (approx. 45 g oatmeal) or Verival Overnight Oats
- 80 ml milk, water or a plant-based alternative (e.g. milk from soy)
- Toppings of your choice: berries (blueberries, raspberries,...), nuts, nutmeg, dried or fresh fruits, bananas, apples, grated coconut,...
Preparation
-
Water, milk or a plant-based alternative comes together with the oatmeal in a glass and is stirred well.
-
The mixture is put in the fridge overnight or for at least 2 hours until the next morning.
-
Then stir well again and enjoy.
-
If necessary, you can refine your overnight oats with toppings of your choice.
