Can Kids Skip Breakfast?

Trying to get your kids out the door for school in the morning with a full belly is a real chore. Sure, you may be able to get them to eat a poptart or something, but you risk them missing the bus or being late for school. With all the talk out there of kids needing a healthy breakfast to stay 'full and focused' like the Frosted Shredded Wheat commercials say, you can feel super pressured and guilty to keep them stuffed with a breakfast every single morning. However, is breakfast really the most important meal of the day? Can kids skip breakfast, or is skipping breakfast for kids entirely a no-no? Hmm...

Well, skipping breakfast not only isn't suggested by pediatricians, it's actually super unhealthy for kids. Not only will your kids be grumpy and tired because they've missed a meal, but they will actually have less ability to focus in class, and their grades can suffer from lack of function. Even worse, kids who skip breakfast are usually missing out on their nutritional needs for their daily growth, and get this- kids who skip breakfast are more likely to have weight issues later in life (and even currently) because their body's metabolism is compromised from lack of food when they need it.

So, don't let your kids skip breakfast. But that doesn't mean you have to give them a 3-course breakfast every morning. Stick to foods that will give your kids energy all day long (at least until lunch) which means stock them up on protein. Scrambled eggs for breakfast, a simple tried-and-true favorite. Or peanut butter on whole wheat toast, as a combination of fiber and protein will indeed keep your kids focused during their day. If nothing else, a glass of orange juice or a bowl of oatmeal (old fashioned kind is best but instant will do) will keep your kids satiated and focused until lunch.

A tip: prepare breakfast snacks the night before by making a few hard-boiled eggs (those Omega-3s help out in short-term memory) or a baggie of ceral with walnuts in it (or slivered almonds) that your kids can munch on the bus or in the car, or while walking to school helps, to give your kids something great to eat without making them drowsy and unfocused during class. Even a banana is something, but try to avoid the sugary breakfast go-tos like poptarts. Sugar will give your kids a quick boost, then a drastic crash in energy that is actually worse than letting them skip breakfast in the first place.

Sources:

Pamphlet in the Family Health Services waiting room

Frosted Shredded Wheat commercial reference