Wellness Wisdom: Activities for Building Happy, Healthy Families
March 6-10th is National School Breakfast Week
Breakfast is a very important meal for growing children. Studies show that children who eat breakfast tend to have higher school attendance, less tardiness and fewer hunger-induced stomach aches in the morning. Unfortunately, studies show many children don’t eat breakfast every day.
Breakfast as part of a healthy lifestyle can positively impact children’s health and well-being. Parents should be encouraged to provide breakfast for their children or explore the availability of a school breakfast program. Whether your children eat at home or at school, be sure they eat a nutritious breakfast every day!
A nutrient dense breakfast doesn’t need to take extra time to prepare. If you find yourself struggling to make time to prepare breakfast in the morning read the following tips:
- Get organized the night before. Get out a pan for pancakes or a blender for smoothies. Prepare muffin or waffle mix so it’s ready to cook in the morning. Set out a few boxes of whole-grain cereal for kids to choose — all they’ll have to do in the morning is add milk.
- Set the alarm 10 minutes earlier. Hectic mornings can make it difficult for kids (and parents) to find time for breakfast. Waking up just a few minutes earlier provides time to squeeze in a quick morning meal.
- Pack your breakfast to go. If there’s no time to eat at home, plan a nutritious option to eat on the bus or when you arrive at work. Busy teens can grab a banana, a bag of trail mix and a carton of milk. Don’t forget to see if your school offers a breakfast program.
- Try having your children dress first and eat second. Kids are more likely to feel hungry once they have a chance to wake up.
- Be a positive role model. Children will mimic their parents’ behavior, so make it a habit to sit down and eat a nutritious breakfast with your kids every morning.
- Whatever your morning routine, remember that breakfast is an important meal for the family, and doesn’t have to be very time-consuming. When you eat well in the morning, you and your family will be on the nutrition fast track for a high-energy day.
Sources:
Breastfed From the Start: Helpful Tips for Mastering Breastfeeding
Weaning from the Breast
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding up to 2 years of life due to its benefits for the child and mother. Although the mother is encouraged to breastfeed up to 2 years, she maintains the freedom to decide which feeding option is the best fit and most desirable to her and the child’s lifestyle. While the decision for weaning an infant from the breast is between each mother and infant, the weaning process usually begins as complementary foods are introduced and the infant is breastfeeding less frequently.
Mothers who wish to wean their breastfed infants tend to experience less discomfort if the weaning process is gradual (i.e. over several weeks or longer). Gradual weaning also allows infants time to adjust to drinking from a cup.
The bedtime breastfeeding is often the last to be eliminated. Gradually, over several days or even weeks, additional breastfeeding sessions can be eliminated. When down to one feeding per day, the infant can be breastfed every other day. Some mothers and infants may still want to breastfeed once in a while just for comfort or to relax.
Sources:
Delicious & Nutritious Recipes: Simple, Kid Approved Dishes to Try at Home
Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients:
-
1 onion pepper to taste 1 bell pepper 4 slices whole wheat bread 1 tablespoon oil cooking spray 8 eggs 1/4 cup low fat shredded cheese 1/2 cup low-fat milk 1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cloves minced garlic
Directions
- Wash and prep hands, surfaces, and vegetables.
- Place oven rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
- Slice onion and peppers vertically. Reserve 1/4 of the onion.
- Heat oil in pan, sauté peppers and onions for 5-8 minutes until tender and starting to brown. Remove from heat.
- Take 4 of the eggs, crack and separate their yolks and whites into 2 small bowls. In a large bowl, crack and add the remaining 4 whole eggs, the egg whites, milk, salt, and pepper. Beat well. Set aside.
- Cut bread into cubes. Spray 8-inch pan with cooking spray and arrange bread cubes in bottom of pan.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese over bread, then add sautéed vegetables and pour egg mixture over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, until set.
- While casserole is baking, dice tomatoes, mince garlic, and dice the remaining onion.
- Combine tomatoes, garlic, and the remaining onion to make the salsa.
- Serve casserole topped with fresh salsa.
Tip: Substitute any vegetables of your choosing.
Source: https://www.wichealth.org/Member/HealthEKitchen/Recipe?resourceId=4046
This post was last updated on March 6th, 2023 at 12:40 PM
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.