Breakfast is free in Pasco County schools this school year.  It’s important to encourage your child to have breakfast, whether it’s at home or at school.  Here are a few things to know about this important meal:

You don’t have to eat breakfast first thing.  But aim to eat within two hours of waking up because the body is in a fasted and dehydrated condition.

Fiber and protein will keep us fuller for longer, so a breakfast high in these will do a better job of keeping us satisfied until lunch time.  An easy way to get more fiber is to switch any refined grain product to whole grain, such as whole grain bread for toast, whole grain bagel, cereal, and so on.

Breakfast is your chance to start the day off right nutritionally speaking.  Skipping it means you are likely to fall short on the nutrients the body needs daily, which can affect overall health if skipping breakfast becomes a daily routine.

With that being said, avoid high-sugar breakfast items like doughnuts and pop tarts.  They provide many calories and unhealthy fats and very little nutrition.

You can view the school menu for both breakfast and lunch on the website: https://connectplus.pasco.k12.fl.us/do/fns/  There are 4 parts to a breakfast, and students need to choose at least 3: fruit, grains, protein, and milk.  Keep this in mind when making breakfast at home, too.

Don’t like what’s on the menu?  Here are some easy back-to-school breakfast ideas:

• Make hard boiled eggs in advance and slice them with mashed avocado and various vegetables such as tomatoes, diced bell peppers, and chopped onions to make a hard boiled egg bowl.
• Spread peanut butter or hummus on whole wheat toast or a bagel with a side of fruit
• Layer a parfait with plain yogurt, fruit, and granola or whole grain cereal
• Have plain oatmeal with milk or water, topped with fresh or dried fruit, raisins, nuts, peanut butter, and/or other toppings. Flavored packets of oatmeal can have 8 grams of added sugar or more, depending on the flavor.

Studies have shown that a nutritious breakfast plays a role in school success.  And breakfast can support a healthy immune system, leading to less sick day absences (Mount Sinai, 2023).

References:

Mount Sinai.  (2023).  Skipping Breakfast May Compromise the Immune System.  Retrieved from: https://www.mountsinai.org/about/newsroom/2023/skipping-breakfast-may-compromise-the-immune-system

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