Sacha Walters, Staff Reporter

Miniature boxes and bowls of cereal are tried and true breakfast favourites.

It's the most important meal of the day, but breakfast is often sacrificed for getting out the dooron time.

However, there are some good old convenient options to keep children fed, especially when school reopens.

Health Alternative

Porridge is a warm health for children and when it can be ready in five minutes as Grace Instant Porridge, it's more than convenient. They come in flavours such as cornmeal, green banana and oats.

Cold cereals should not be forgotten, especially the small boxes, which can be converted into a cardboard container; just add milk. It's convenient for children to have their cereal on the ride to school.

Canned sausages can be paired with beans, while luncheon meats, bologna and ham can be used to make sandwiches which can be stashed in a lunch bag until it's convenient to eat.

Fish sticks and chicken nuggets may be fried with onions and tomatoes to give an interesting twist to the regular breakfast food.

Frozen vegetables have the same nutritional value as fresh products since these foods are frozen immediately after harvesting. Nutrients, vitamins, and the food's sensory - stimulating properties (taste, smell, mouth, feel, etc.) are in most cases preserved.

Prepared foods are already divided into portions.

With suitable supplements, these pre-cooked products are very useful, especially for the elderly, sick or disabled persons, or for persons who can devote little time to cooking.

Disadvantages

Convenient foods often contain a lot of fat so that energy content is also very high.

The fat quality may not be good (animal fats). Products with vegetable fats are best.

The salt content is also high. Imported products are usually not prepared with iodised, fluoridated salt. It is therefore important to use correspondingly treated salt for self-prepared foods. Most prepared dishes do not provide a full meal. The small amount of vegetables (or their complete absence) contradicts nutritional guidelines. In addition, their content of minerals, vitamins, secondary vegetable materials, and bulk fibres may be inadequate. People who are allergic or sensitive to certain substances or additives (artificial preservatives, colour additives, taste enhancers) must study the labels very carefully.

Source: www.healthandage.com

Grace range of instant porridge mixes, a quick breakfast in five minutes. -photo by Nashauna Drummond

These refrigerated miniature croissants, available at John R. Wong Super-market, are easy to warm and make are a quick breakfast with jam or butter. - photo by Sacha Walters

No more removing the ackee from the pods yourself. Why should you? Marcia's Own has frozen ackee ready for you. - photo by Yahneake Sterling - photo by Sacha Walters