Breakfast on the Run
From News for Swim Parents
Published by The American Swimming Coaches Association
5101 NW 21 Ave., Suite 200
Fort Lauderdale FL 33309
By Carol Bozarth, R.D., L.D., Nutritionist
"I don't have time to eat before I leave for school."
"I'm not hungry in the morning."
"I'm dieting, I'll skip a meal and save those calories."
Do your children (or you) use these excuses to avoid
eating breakfast? Do they routinely "grab" a doughnut, danish, or candy
bar to carry them through till lunch? Change this behavior NOW!
Breakfast is an important meal! The human body needs fuel
to run on. That's what food provides. Studies continue to
support the fact that individuals learn, think and perform better when
their body has been nourished in the morning. A morning meal doesn't
mean you need to eat as soon as you awake. For parents, it may be more
convenient for you to eat once you are at your day's destination,
provided you make time for it.
What would a morning meal contain?
Protein: low fat milk, cheese or yogurt, lean ham, turkey, peanut
butter (use natural), egg white, (the cholesterol and fat is in the yolk
- the white is pure protein).
Grains: breakfast cereals (hot or cold - provided it is not sugar
coated), bread, rolls, crackers, bagel, english muffins, rice, pasta.
Fruit/Vegetable: fruit or vegetable juice, fresh frozen or dried fruit.
The following are examples of quick-to-prepare, easy-to-eat morning
meals:
- low fat cheese and tomato sandwich (can be stuffed into a pocket pita)
- peanut butter and sliced apple or banana sandwich
- sliced egg (or egg white sandwich)
- lean ham or turkey sandwich with sliced tomatoes
- yogurt with fruit and dry cereal as a topping
- reheated pizza
Additional tips: Use disposable plates, cups, flatware. Plan
for breakfast before going to bed.
Wake up 10 minutes earlier...it may create less stress and
make the morning meal so much easier to swallow.
The key to eating breakfast is convenience. It must be easy to prepare,
you must have the ingredients in stock, and the clean up must be
minimal. Most important, everyone must like what they are going to eat.
