Saimi Rote Bergmann, Contributor
IF YOU'RE old enough to remember the early '70s, you might remember B.J. Thomas warbling, "A little bit of love is better than no love, even a bad love is better than no love, any kind of love is better than no love at all." Catchy tune, depressing lyrics.
However, substitute "breakfast" for "love" and now you've got something: Great advice for kids.
BIGGEST PROBLEM
"Skipping breakfast is the biggest problem - bigger than not eating the right stuff," said Lynne Kotte, dietician and clinical manager of nutrition service at Massillon Hospital in Ohio. So if your son wants a ham sandwich for breakfast, break out the mustard. If your daughter wants leftover pizza, ask, "One slice or two?"
"An ideal (breakfast) is something fast and nutritious," Kotte said. "I don't believe it should be one nutrient over another. It's a balanced meal. But research says, as long as you eat breakfast, you'll come out with benefits, even if it's unbalanced. It leads to better performance and concentration for schoolchildren."
Studies show that up to 40 per cent of children skip breakfast. Easton Saltsman of Jackson Township, Ohio, is one of them.
"I'm not hungry," said Easton, 13. "I just don't feel like making anything." Easton said he normally gets hungry around 11:00 a.m. and is starving by the time he gets lunch.
Lori Warburton of North Canton, Ohio, said her oldest son, a high school freshman, grabs a pop-tart or something equally portable as he dashes off in the morning.
"I'm just happy when he eats. Last year we couldn't' get him to eat breakfast," Warburton said. "But now that he's playing football, he's better about eating."
At Hoover High School in North Canton, Ohio, officials recognised that many students arrive at school without stopping for breakfast, so they launched a pilot programme to tackle the problem.
MOST IMPORTANT MEAL
"It's the most important meal of the day, and I know there are some that don't eat breakfast, so we're going to try and help them out," said Carol Dannemiller, food service supervisor. High school students can buy one of three "breakfast snacks" between 6:50 and 7:20 a.m.
The $1 breakfasts are yoghurt with granola bar and milk or juice; cereal with banana and milk or juice; and bagel, banana and milk or juice.
"We'll see if it will fly, see if the kids want it," Dannemiller said. "After about a month, we'll ask the students for feedback, see if they like the choices or would like something else."
Based on calls to area families, the breakfast of choice for schoolchildren seems to be cold cereal.
"One son has cereal and milk, the other son has Eggo waffles," said Theanna Orr of North Canton. "The cereal of course is sugar-coated - Cocoa Krispies, Apple Jacks, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cinnamon Life."
Which foods have the staying power to get your children through reading, writing and arithmetic? Sharron Coplin, a nutritionist at the Ohio State University Home Extension, recommends looking for protein and fibre
"Granolas, even a granola bar. The crunchy types usually are higher fibre and lower fat than the soft ones," Coplin said.
Whole grain cereals or breads are ideal because you get protein and fibre.
BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS
"Protein is absorbed slower than a refined carbohydrate," Coplin said. "It doesn't spike the blood sugar levels, like a doughnut or cookies spike the blood sugar a half hour later. That forces the body to produce insulin to take care of the blood sugar, then you get shaky and hungry."
Breakfast does more than get your children through the morning without their stomachs growling. According to the State of Minnesota Breakfast Study, students who ate breakfast had "a general increase in math grades and reading scores, increased attention, reduced nurse visits and improved behaviours."
To streamline mornings at your house, do some prep work the night before. Hard boil some eggs. Cut the English muffins. Clean and chop fresh veggies or fruits for a mini breakfast buffet. Layer yoghurt in glasses with fresh fruits and granola.
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