Breakfast matters
Beat the morning rush
When you’re rushing to wake up the kids and get them ready for school on time, it could be challenging to sit down and enjoy a good breakfast together.
The answer? Try preparing as much of the breakfast as possible the night before. Get bowls and spoons ready for cereal. Spread the margarine on bread for tomorrow’s grilled cheese sandwiches. Wash, slice and portion out fruit.
For older kids and teens, have a selection of "do-it-yourself" breakfast foods around, such as granola bars, hot and cold cereal, whole grain muffins and bagels, trail mix, cheese, peanut butter, milk and juice.
You’ve probably heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but eating breakfast matters more than you might think!
For starters, breakfast literally breaks the fast from the time you go to sleep to the time you wake up. A healthy breakfast boosts your blood sugar and re-energizes your body and mind with the fuel you need to think, work and play.
You could, in fact, say that breakfast is brain food. Adults who eat breakfast find that they are more alert and have better concentration at work. And breakfast is an absolute must for kids! Research shows that children who eat breakfast score better on math, reading and memory tests.
A heart healthy breakfast, such as a bowl of whole grain cereal with milk and fruit, provides energy and essential nutrients like calcium, iron, fibre, vitamin D, B-vitamins, folate, magnesium and zinc. Those who skip breakfast miss out on these important nutrients, and often find it difficult to get enough of these nutrients during the rest of the day.
Eating a lower-fat, higher-fibre breakfast can help to regulate your appetite and minimize over-eating later in the day. Both adults and children who eat breakfast regularly tend to have healthier body weights than breakfast skippers. And being at a healthy weight is just one way to lower your risk for heart disease.
Finally, eating breakfast might just put you in the right mindset to pick up a few other known heart healthy lifestyle behaviours. Breakfast eaters of all ages tend to engage in regular physical activity, choose healthier foods and don’t smoke.
Give your heart the right start
About one-third of Canadian adults don’t eat breakfast every day. But a balanced breakfast doesn’t have to be fancy.
Aim for a breakfast that includes foods from at least three of the four groups. Go easy on the fat and calories, and look for ways to boost the fibre. Try some of these heart healthy breakfast ideas that take only a few minutes to make.
- Whole grain cereal topped with low-fat milk and fresh fruit.
- Last night’s chicken and veggie stir fry on rice.
- Whole wheat toast with margarine, melon slices and a glass of skim milk.
- Low-fat bran muffin with peanut butter and a glass of soy milk.
- Low-fat cheese, rye crackers and grapes.
- Cold slice of pizza and orange juice.
- Low-fat yogurt topped with granola and diced fruit
- ½ flaxseed bagel with melted low-fat cheese and an apple.
- Low-fat granola bar, banana and a glass of low-fat milk.
- Low-fat fruit yogurt smoothie (make it the night before) and a handful of trail mix.