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- Breakfast is the Most Important Meal of the Day
School is back in full swing! Are there days when you and your children are running late, so you’re out the door without breakfast? Breakfast is an important meal; it jump starts your day. Breakfast means, break the fast. Think about it, your body has been without food for 10 to 12 hours. If you skip breakfast it could be 16 hours or longer you are without breakfast. Did you know children who eat breakfast do better in school? A healthy breakfast feeds both your body and your mind. The brain needs energy from food so it can function at its best. Breakfast provides the energy your children need to play at recess, boost their brain power at math time and keep them going until lunchtime. Skipping breakfast interferes with attention span and the ability to concentrate. When your child’s or your stomach is growling, it is hard to concentrate and may be hard for the person sitting next to you or your child to concentrate.
For a healthy breakfast include foods recommended from MyPlate. MyPlate is an easy guide developed to help you make healthier food choices. It recommends you to make half your plate fruits and vegetables. Fruit for most of us is a tasty breakfast food. You may want to select these fruits for a healthy breakfast - strawberries, bananas, grapes, kiwi, mango or peaches. Eat red, orange, and dark green vegetables, such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and broccoli.
The other half is grains and protein. Make half of these whole grains such as oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat bread, whole wheat tortillas, whole wheat buns, and whole wheat pasta. When choosing protein choose a variety of protein for a full day’s eating plan, including seafood, beans and peas, nuts, lean meats, poultry, and eggs. Keep your meat and poultry portions small and lean. The serving size of meat is the size of a deck of cards.
Drink water instead high sugary drinks. When drinking milk, cut calories by drinking 1% or skim milk it has the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk but fewer calories and less saturated fat. Try using lean turkey or bacon for a breakfast treat. To learn more about eating healthier go to www.ChooseMyPlate.gov
Here are a few healthy breakfast recipes to get you going in the morning. This dish can be made ahead of time, cut into squares, and warmed in the microwave.
Breakfast Bake (egg casserole) – Preparation: 15 minutes; total 40 minutes – Makes 8 servings
1 can (8 oz.) refrigerated Crescent dinner rolls
1 pkg. (8 oz.) smoked ham, chopped (I used the Armour ham)
6 eggs
½ cup cold milk
½ tsp. pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (use low fat cheese to cut calories)
½ cup shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
Heat oven to 350°F. Unroll dough in 9 X 13 inch baking dish. Press to cover bottom of dish, firmly pressing holes and seams together to seal. Sprinkle ham over crust. Beat eggs, milk and pepper with whisk until blended; pour over ham. Top with cheeses. Bake 25 minutes or until center is set.