Importance of having breakfast

It’s proven, people who take a good breakfast have better physical and intellectual performance throughout the day.

A few more minutes in the morning routine would be enough for you and your family to eat properly. With a little planning and a revised schedule, you can eat something else than a snack on the go. 

The evening

You can save some time in the morning by getting ready the evening before. You could either prepare your breakfast in advance or set some items of the morning routine. 

• If you prepare lunches, prepare everything you can the day before. Snacks, heatable main courses, sandwiches, fruits and vegetable portions, drinks, etc. Everything you want to eat during the day is easier to prepare during the evening than in the morning rush. When everything is ready, you only have to fill the lunch boxes in the morning.  
• Because the whole family doesn’t eat the same thing for breakfast, you could save some time by setting everything up the day before. For example, you could set the table and prepare some ingredients after dinner. Everyone can give a hand by putting the tablemats, utensils, glasses and plates on the table. Place the non-refrigerated ingredients on the table or on the counter. In the morning everyone will be able to see a few options at a glance and it will help them make their choice quickly and eat better. 

• Also prepare the mixes. For example, for an omelette, cut vegetables and break the eggs in a bowl. In the morning, you will only have to cook it. For French toasts, you prepare the egg and milk mixture the evening before and in the morning, you will only have to dip your bread and cook it. 
• To save even more time in the morning, you could prepare the clothes for the next day, make sure that the school or daycare bags are ready and shower or take a bath in the evening instead of in the morning. 

In the morning

If all your ingredients are ready because you prepared it the evening before, it is easy to make a healthy and complete breakfast that will combine at least three of the four food groups. It could be a fruit or a vegetable (or pure juice), cereals, milk, cheese or yogurt and a portion of meat or an alternative like eggs, peanut butter or nuts. the Egg Farmers of Canada suggest a few quick breakfast recipes. Take a crack at it to vary your menu.

Not hungry in the morning?

If, like many people, you are not hungry when you wake up in the morning or if, even if you try, you never have enough time for breakfast, remember to bring nutritious foods and eat on the bus, in the car or at work. 

Grain products: a bagel (with cream cheese or peanut butter), a toast with cheese or peanut butter, a homemade muffin, nutritious and easy to eat cereals; 

Fruits: pure fruit juice, fresh or dried fruits, applesauce, fruit salad; 

Milk and alternatives: yogurt, cheese, milk or drinkable yogurt;

Meat and alternatives: nuts, alone or in yogurt, boiled eggs, a tortilla filled with eggs and cheese, mixed nuts. 

Breakfast and weight

If you think skipping breakfast can help you loose weight, think again! Taking a complete breakfast quiets hunger, helps you avoid snacking and helps you wait until dinnertime. Furthermore, if you are not as hungry for dinner, you will need a lighter meal⁴.

References

1. Breakfast for learning
2. Breakfast for learning
3. Extenso (French)
4. Extenso (French)