16

16 September 2012

Blissful breakfast time? Yes, it’s possible!

wo years ago, Mya Bitney’s three children (ages 10, 7 and 5) collected 17 tardies at school, all a result of last-minute morning madness. Last year, she decided that something had to change. She told her kids that the goal for the upcoming school year was “zero tardies,” and she asked for everyone’s

help in meeting it. Results so far? “On time, every morning!” she reports, as she quickly searches for some wood to knock on.

TBy Julie Kendrick

MNP 0912.indd 16 8/16/12 3:05 PM

17

September 2012 17

What has been the secret of her

success? Bitney, who works full time as a

marketing manager at Medtronic, says

that one secret was creating a “morning

song,” a ditty she sang every morning at

6:30 a.m. Sung to the tune of Hot Time in

the Old Town Tonight, its lyrics urged the

kids to “Wake up now, and then get out of

bed…” listing each task to complete

before breakfast (including a line for “take

a pee,” since one of the kids had been

chronically forgetting to use the toilet

until the moment they were ready to walk

out the door).

The other reason that mornings are so

much smoother, she says, has to do with

breakfast. “I acquiesced on allowing some

packaged foods,” she reports, “and things

have been a lot easier.” With three bodies

to hustle out the door by 7:15 a.m. (their

school, Armatage Montessori in Minneap-

olis, starts the school day at 7:30 a.m.),

she arrived at a system that allowed each

child to choose one or two packaged foods

they’d be willing be eat. She drew the line

at super-sugary cereal, and her kids have

now settled on staples like instant

oatmeal, Raisin Bran, Cheerios and Greek

yogurt. She insists that they include milk

and fresh fruit, and has found that

breakfast time has settled down consider-

ably since those frequently tardy days of

the previous year.

The battle of breakfast While there has been considerable

attention recently directed toward school

lunches, many parents find that their

most stressful meal of the day is break-

fast. It poses a double problem for those

struggling to get kids fed and out the door.

First, time is of the essence—the school

bus driver won’t wait while your darling

finishes that last mouthful of toast. And

secondly, a nutritious meal can make a

huge difference in a child’s school

performance. Numerous studies have

shown that children who eat healthful

breakfasts have higher energy levels and

better learning ability than students who

don’t eat breakfast.

So what’s a struggling parent to do? It

might help to take at look at how Bitney

helped her family improve their on-time

performance. She addressed the issue

with the family members and stated her

goal for the school year ahead. She

created a fun way, a song, for everyone to

remember what needed to happen next.

And she let her kids have a say in what

they chose to eat.

Ingredients for successAllowing kids a choice is important, says

Susan Moores, R.D., a registered dietician

and Twin Cities-based nutrition consul-

tant. She says that there are a few key

elements in a good breakfast:

Good-quality carbohydrates, a preferred

source of energy for the brain. “The first

ingredient on the package needs to be

whole wheat, rolled oats, or whole grain,”

she says, adding, “Don’t be fooled by fiber

claims, because that’s not an indicator of

a whole grain. The more claims they make

on the front of the box, the more you

should turn it over and read the ingre-

dient list for the full story.”

Protein, which Moores says, “helps make

the energy you’re getting from your food

last a little bit longer, because it’s the

slowest to leave the stomach.” Yogurt is a

good source, but she cautions to be aware

of sugar (aim for 30 grams or less) and

artificial colors, which some studies have

linked to behavior issues in some chil-

dren. Other good protein sources include

milk, peanut or almond butter, and string

cheese.

Liquids, but limit fruit juice to six ounces

(2/3 cup) a day. “If you drink your

breakfast, you’ll be hungry in an hour or

two,” says Moores.

Fruit or vegetable. “They have fiber,

which helps kids feel full longer,” Moores

says. “Plus, missing them at breakfast

causes a need to ‘make up’ servings later

in the day.”

Skip the table, not breakfastWhile some families do sit down to

breakfast together every morning, that’s

not always a reality for many

Quick snacks for on the goOversleep? Dawdling? Sometimes there’s no getting around the fact that kids will not always have time for the most important meal of the day. That’s when take-along foods for on the bus or the walk to school are the only way to get a bit of nutrition in. When there isn’t opportunity to slap bread with peanut butter, these snacks will help fill that gnawing, empty feeling.

It’s not just for babiesKids of every age love squeeze pouch convenience, so throw out the notion that only babies and toddlers want to eat “purple roots and fruit” and “berry banana beet.” With BPA-free pouches, no artificial ingredients, and certified organic products, your child will suck up Plum Organic goodness quickly and with no mess. Other pouch-style foods include HappyBaby, a Dr. Sears- recommended product with the same BPA-free and 100% natural guarantee; and the organic super smoothie, HappySqueeze, a larger portioned size for bigger kids. Pouches usually cost under $2 each, some can be found for closer to a dollar. There’s also Earth’s Best Organic (Lund’s/Byerly’s, $1.69), Sprout Organic Baby Food (Lund’s, Target, about $1.60), and now even Gerber is getting into the act.

Beyond baby foodConsider the mainstay of granola bars, now in all kinds of flavors and nutrition values; the venerable Naked juices with tags like “protein zone” and “berry veggie” (between $3 and $4 depending upon where you acquire them); Cuties, an all natural fruit smoothie (about $2) with no added sugar; and a personal favorite, Greek yogurt, which usually has about 12 grams of protein — not bad at all, and again, under $2. Finally, consider the nutritional value of nuts such as almonds. One ounce of almonds has 12 percent of the daily allowance of protein and as much calcium as a quarter cup of milk. They are also loaded with Vitamin E.

— Kathleen Stoehr

MNP 0912.indd 17 8/16/12 3:04 PM

18

18 September 2012

homes, but Moores has some on-the-go

suggestions. “A lot of kids aren’t hungry

an hour into their day, but you can offer

take-along foods like trail mix, string

cheese, or individual packages of cottage

cheese or yogurt. Apple wedges can be

dipped in vanilla yogurt that’s sprinkled

with cinnamon. And there’s no reason a

child can’t have a peanut butter and jelly

sandwich or cheese and turkey sandwich

for breakfast,” she says.

School steps inIf breakfast at home or on the go just isn’t

feasible, your child’s school may be

stepping in to fi ll that gap. Janeen

Peterson, president of the Minnesota

School Nutrition Association, says that

school breakfast programs have been

around since 1975. “We’ve tried to make

breakfast more convenient for students,

and the number of breakfasts eaten at

school is on the rise,” she says. Many

schools have added concepts such as a

grab-and-go breakfasts that can be eaten

in classrooms, along with mobile break-

fast carts located in different areas of the

school building. Peterson encourages

parents to check out their children’s

school breakfast options, saying, “Like

school lunch, it’s one of the best deals

around, and provides nutrients that help

children learn better than they would

without having breakfast.” And, Peterson

says, “We hear from many parents that

they appreciate having one less thing to

do before getting kids off to school.”

Teen troubleIf cheery grade-school breakfasts are the

subject of nostalgia at your house, then

“There’s no reason a child can’t have a

peanut butter and jelly sandwich or cheese

and turkey sandwich for breakfast.”

—Susan Moores, R.D.

como park zoo & conservatoryvisitor center

free admission • door prizes • goodie bagsFace Painting provided by: Simply Jane

saturday, october 6, 2012 10am-2pm

SPONSORED BY:

612.825.9205 mnparent.com/edfair

Ed Fair MNP 0912 2-3page L.indd 1 8/14/12 4:33 PM

MNP 0912.indd 18 8/16/12 3:05 PM

19

September 2012 19

you must be the parent of a teen. Since

they often want to sleep until the last

possible moment in the morning, most

teens don’t leave time for a nutritious

breakfast. Moores suggests fast options

such as beef sticks (“Read the labels and

make sure you can pronounce the

ingredients,” she cautions) or pita

pockets stuffed with nut butter and

bananas, or with cottage cheese,

broccoli slaw, and dressing.

One big no-no for teen breakfasts is

energy drinks. “They have a signifi cant

amount of sugar, and destructive

substances for teeth, which is a worry

since the teens will be away from a

toothbrush until afternoon. The big rush of

caffeine and sugar wears off in a couple

hours, and then they feel so bad they often

reach for another drink,” she says, adding,

“It’s hard to learn when you feel so cruddy

because of those ups and downs.”

She tells parents that nagging about

long-term health consequences like tooth

decay, heart disease, or osteoporosis will

be ignored by most teens. “Instead, say

that you need to choose the best foods to

charge up your brain so you can do better

on that test today, or to help you run

during the game.”

Even with a system in place to make

breakfast run more smoothly, Mya Bitney

has found there is always room for

improvement. “My husband was letting

the little ones pour their own hot water

for instant oatmeal,” she said. “It was

taking forever and causing spills. Now we

have a ‘parents pour’ policy,” she says, and

notes that it’s saved some time and kept

their on-time record intact.

And what’s her goal for the coming school

year? “Everyone will brush their teeth

before we leave the house,” she vows. •

Style, function and value...

for years to come!

494 & Lyndale Ave (next to hotel) in Richfield(612) 798-0055 www.usababymn.com

Furniture, Gliders, Car Seats, Strollers, Bedding & More. Over 60 cribs on display!

the place for extraordinary baby furniture & more at ordinary prices

USA Baby MNP 0912 V6.indd 1 8/15/12 11:56 AM

MNP 0912.indd 19 8/16/12 3:05 PM