September is National Breakfast Month. Celebrate by making breakfast a priority.
Start your day off right with a healthy breakfast to fuel your body and brain with the energy you need to face the day. Studies have shown that kids who regularly eat breakfast tend to have better school attendance, less tardiness and fewer hunger-induced stomach aches in the morning. Their overall test scores are higher; they concentrate better, solve problems more easily, and are less likely to have behavioral problems than their counterparts. Eating breakfast daily may also be an important part of maintaining a healthy weight. Skipping breakfast causes your metabolic rate to slow down and your blood sugar to drop, leaving you feeling sluggish and starved. When you skip breakfast, you’re more likely to overeat later in the day.
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend increasing intake of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products. Breakfast is the perfect time to add more whole grains, fruits, and low-fat dairy into your diet. Try these quick ideas to help you get breakfast on the table even when time is short:
- Whole grain cereal with fresh fruit and low-fat or fat-free milk
- Whole grain English muffin or bagel with nut butter and a yogurt cup
- Smoothie made with low-fat Greek yogurt and frozen fruit
For more breakfast ideas, check out the eMeals Healthy Breakfast Plan. You’ll receive five breakfast recipes each week, plus a coordinating shopping list to help simplify your breakfast meal planning.
What’s your go-to weekday breakfast? Share with us in the comments or via Twitter.