The importance of breakfast for children and healthy recipes

Although most cancers occur in adults, the foundations of lifestyle habits that predispose people to cancer are laid in childhood and adolescence. Therefore, we take a close interest in every factor affecting children's health (such as nutrition, obesity, vaccinations, e-cigarettes and exercise)... Breakfast is an important meal for growing children. Encouraging children to start the day with breakfast can contribute to their physical and mental health. Children should develop a breakfast habit through healthy foods. Breakfasts with low nutritional value and high levels of fat and refined carbohydrates/sugar can do more harm than good.

A healthy breakfast:

• Provides the energy the body needs after fasting during sleep,
• Improves school performance by increasing attention, focus and concentration,
• Gets the metabolism working,
• Prevents the consumption of fast food or packaged foods later in the day.

Does skipping breakfast lead to obesity in children?

Poor nutrition and excess weight in childhood can pave the way for many diseases. These include diabetes, fatty liver, endocrine (hormonal system) disorders, cardiovascular disease, digestive system disorders, cancer, lung, nervous system, skin and psychological disorders.

Nutirents published a systematic analysis that examined breakfast consumption in 286,804 children aged 6-18. The study concluded that skipping breakfast:

• Increased the risk of obesity,
• Abnormal lipid (fat) profiles, insulin resistance, high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome were more likely,
• Led to the choice of a diet with lower nutritional value.

Another study conducted with 1,733 primary-school children between 2010-2011 observed that children who skipped breakfast and spent long hours in front of digital screens:

• Had increases in waist-to-height ratio, weight and body mass index (BMI).

Parents' breakfast habits affect their children!

Children are the age group most open to learning and applying observed behaviors. Many habits, including eating habits, are acquired at these ages. Therefore, it is important for families to start changing their own habits in order to set an example.

In 2018, International Journal of Obesity published a study investigating the relationship between parents' and children's breakfast habits. It also assessed the effect of breakfast on weight gain. There were 46,663 participants aged 1.5 years who were followed through questionnaires over 12 years.

This study revealed a clear relationship between parents' and children's breakfast consumption. In particular:

• In families where neither parent ate breakfast, children were observed to skip breakfast more frequently.
• Children who did not eat breakfast were found to have a higher BMI.

So what should breakfast be like in childhood?

Children's breakfasts should include each food group in a balanced and healthy way. Examples of these foods are:

• Protein (eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, kefir)
• Carbohydrates (bread, oats, fruit, vegetables, molasses, honey)
• Fat (olives, olive oil, raw nuts, tahini, avocado)

If children cannot eat breakfast at home for various reasons, it can be useful to prepare healthy, practical recipes they can snack on along the way. Let us look at recipes that are practical, tasty and appealing to children and can be eaten both at home and on the way to school:

Healthy breakfast recipes for children

Egg Recipes

Eggs are a high-quality source of protein and contribute to children's muscle and tissue development. They are also powerful antioxidants thanks to their lutein and zeaxanthin content.

A study of children aged 8 and 9 argues that children whose diets are rich in lutein perform better academically.

Egg and vegetable muffins

A wonderful recipe, especially for children who do not like eating vegetables!

Finely chop vegetables of your choice and mix them with eggs, cheese and spices. Then divide the mixture between small greased muffin molds. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for about 12-15 minutes. Your mini muffins packed with protein and vegetables are ready!

Egg in a hole

Remove the center of a slice of bread using a round cookie cutter or the back of a large glass. First place the bread in a nonstick pan. Then crack the egg into the empty center and wait for it to cook. You can serve this breakfast with a chopped raw vegetable salad with cheese and olive oil. Your practical breakfast, appealing to both your child's eyes and taste buds, is ready!

Whole-grain recipes

Whole grains consist of 3 parts: bran, endosperm and germ. Products such as whole-wheat flour, quinoa and oats contain many vitamins, fiber and antioxidants. Processing grains turns them from brown to white but also reduces their nutritional value. Grain processing leads to losses of vitamins, minerals, fiber and health-promoting phytochemicals.

A study of children aged 9-11 with weight problems observed that children who consumed 3 servings of whole-grain products a day: Had reductions in BMI, waist circumference and fat mass.

Overnight oat cups

If you will not have time to prepare breakfast in the morning, you can prepare your healthy breakfast the night before.

Mix 3 tablespoons of oats, 1 glass of milk and your child's favorite fruit and nuts in a large glass and cover it. Left in the refrigerator overnight, this recipe is ready in 8-10 hours. You can add cocoa or cinnamon powder if desired, or sweeten it with about 1 dessertspoon of honey or molasses.

Avocado toast

A healthy alternative that can be eaten either at home or on the way to school!

Spread avocado between slices of whole-wheat bread and add your child's favorite cheese and vegetables. With a glass of milk on the side, it is an ideal breakfast to start the day!

Smoothie recipes

Your child may find it difficult to eat breakfast in the mornings. You can start building a breakfast habit by first encouraging healthy drinks in liquid form.

Strawberry probiotic smoothie

You can blend 1-1.5 glasses of kefir, 8-10 strawberries, 1 tablespoon of oats, 1 dessertspoon of honey and 7-8 raw almonds and offer it instead of breakfast. It will be a practical, gut-friendly treat.

Banana smoothie with chocolate and peanut butter

You can blend 1 small frozen banana, 1-1.5 glasses of milk, about 1 dessertspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder and peanut butter and give it to your child to drink. This way, your child will get the energy they need and take a step toward developing a breakfast habit.

Comment and Summary

Helping children develop a breakfast habit is important for their physical and mental health. However, breakfasts with low nutritional value and high fat and sugar content can do more harm than good. Therefore, establishing a breakfast habit should not be the only goal. It is beneficial to prepare breakfasts with high nutritional value, like the sample menus shared above.

Remember that children mainly take their parents as role models, and recognize that you should also develop a breakfast habit to encourage them. This way, as a family, you can manage your weight and help protect against the risks of obesity and other chronic (long-term) diseases.